Reflections without a surfaced connection:
A week away from beginning the move; excited, yet freaked out. Ready to get to Pasadena/live and study there, yet looking through my me & present surroundings and thinking that I'm nowhere near ready to actually pull out of the driveway.
What do I want to do? One, I would really like to work out details on a specifically Christian epistemology/framework for knowledge in light of the incarnation, cross, and empty tomb, and see tremendous practical benefits, specifically within an academic atmosphere/university, as well as in the remainder of day-to-day life. Pauline emphasis on practicality and usefulness for the church, not solely interesting categorical rigor...
Sociological books: The Tipping Point & Bowling Alone: shoot this to E and see what his thoughts might be
Below is an echo of others' thoughts on community and of a situation facing the church in the western world. Corporate Intimacy: can be tough, and it isn't instant, but does need to develop, and is worth it. Challenging? Should be.
Taken from Mars Hill Seattle:
Though a relationship with Christ contains a very personal element, recent cultural trends often reduce this to a warped, unscriptural individualism; it depicts you and Jesus as two loners in a buddy-cop movie, trying to battle your three opponents—your flesh, the world, and the devil—outside of healthy, biblical community. A segment of professing believers in our country today don’t go or get involved with church at all, claiming that “all they need is Jesus”. This is frequently more tragic than it is merely ludicrous. At the same time, many people mingle briefly on Sunday, expecting smiles, handshakes, and token name-dropping to occur, thinking they’ve successfully embodied community. Neither could be farther from the truth. Believers are charged to embody the gospel corporately, to live and breathe, pulse and flow, flex and move as a body. To do this, we need to gather together… not just as a token gesture on Sunday, but also to chew on tougher biblical meat, to develop lasting relationships, to work alongside one another, and to celebrate together. For this reason, Mars Hill Church provides classes for education and introduction, community home groups for growth and intimacy, projects to bring hands together for the common good, and special events to eat, drink, sing, and party together in glorification of a righteous and holy God. Since God has blessed Mars Hill with a large, diverse body, it can be hard to keep track of all the various functions; please use this resource to be interactive with your body: to find out where you fit, to increase your health, and that of the church, in a place where your mind, talents and voice can best be engaged as we move through the seasons together. Lastly, like good cheese and choice wine, this will take time... intimacy will not likely develop after week one; authentic relationship requires patience, prayer, and the beauty of walking together for the common cause of Christ.
A week away from beginning the move; excited, yet freaked out. Ready to get to Pasadena/live and study there, yet looking through my me & present surroundings and thinking that I'm nowhere near ready to actually pull out of the driveway.
What do I want to do? One, I would really like to work out details on a specifically Christian epistemology/framework for knowledge in light of the incarnation, cross, and empty tomb, and see tremendous practical benefits, specifically within an academic atmosphere/university, as well as in the remainder of day-to-day life. Pauline emphasis on practicality and usefulness for the church, not solely interesting categorical rigor...
Sociological books: The Tipping Point & Bowling Alone: shoot this to E and see what his thoughts might be
Below is an echo of others' thoughts on community and of a situation facing the church in the western world. Corporate Intimacy: can be tough, and it isn't instant, but does need to develop, and is worth it. Challenging? Should be.
Taken from Mars Hill Seattle:
Though a relationship with Christ contains a very personal element, recent cultural trends often reduce this to a warped, unscriptural individualism; it depicts you and Jesus as two loners in a buddy-cop movie, trying to battle your three opponents—your flesh, the world, and the devil—outside of healthy, biblical community. A segment of professing believers in our country today don’t go or get involved with church at all, claiming that “all they need is Jesus”. This is frequently more tragic than it is merely ludicrous. At the same time, many people mingle briefly on Sunday, expecting smiles, handshakes, and token name-dropping to occur, thinking they’ve successfully embodied community. Neither could be farther from the truth. Believers are charged to embody the gospel corporately, to live and breathe, pulse and flow, flex and move as a body. To do this, we need to gather together… not just as a token gesture on Sunday, but also to chew on tougher biblical meat, to develop lasting relationships, to work alongside one another, and to celebrate together. For this reason, Mars Hill Church provides classes for education and introduction, community home groups for growth and intimacy, projects to bring hands together for the common good, and special events to eat, drink, sing, and party together in glorification of a righteous and holy God. Since God has blessed Mars Hill with a large, diverse body, it can be hard to keep track of all the various functions; please use this resource to be interactive with your body: to find out where you fit, to increase your health, and that of the church, in a place where your mind, talents and voice can best be engaged as we move through the seasons together. Lastly, like good cheese and choice wine, this will take time... intimacy will not likely develop after week one; authentic relationship requires patience, prayer, and the beauty of walking together for the common cause of Christ.
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