Just wanted to welcome riverrush visitors to my site. I'm looking forward
to being with you all from June 13th -15th. It's going to be an exciting time
and I believe that God will really challenge us to grow in his way.
See you soon
Dom  Comments (1)
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Turn a deaf ear to any speaker who avoids mention of Jesus Christ who was of David's line, born of Mary, who was truly born, ate and drank; was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, truly crucified and died while those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth beheld it; who also truty raised from the dead, the Father having raised him, who in like manner will raise us also who believ in him- his Father, I say, will raise us in Christ Jesus, apart from whom we have not true life. Ignatius of Antioch (c.a. 110) Comments (1) |
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It's a common thing to read or hear stories that we're always heard and miss the obvious. I recently read a comments on a key passage within the Christian tradition. It's 1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (KJV)
The commentator went on to use this passage to support one of the most unbiblical concepts of all, that being individualism. This common interpretation misreads priesthood for priest. The trend of individualism causes us to read a strict form of individualism into a faith tradition that is clearly communal. The text is clear that we are now a royal 'Priesthood' not Priest.
Hood is a good word. While often used as slang, in this case it captures the important implication of community. For the Christian, 'Hood' is a group of people which we choose to belong to on our profession of faith in Christ. In this light our priestliness is fundamentally linked to our belonging to the hood. The hood we belong to is made up of countless believers across the ages including many today.
The language of belonging is a buzz word across the North American church landscape. A flash word on websites, chuch programs and blogs. It's often used to attract those looking to belong somewhere yet few stop to consider what we are inviting people to belong into. G.K. Chesterton wonderfully writes,
"Tradition is the only true democracy because it means giving a vote to your ancestors[or hood]."
Lets make it clear that we are calling people to join the Hood, not their own individual version of Christianity that allows them to be called priests on their terms. Instead the priesthood is the place where belonging is guided and affirmed by those who have come and gone as members of the Hood.
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I've never watched so much advertising promoting upcoming sitcoms and new T.V. shows. While this happens every year, this Labour Day weekend reminded me of a dangerous trend. Primarily at this time of year it's easy to let T.V and the media dictate the rhythms of our lives. In my context the Fall season brings with it many transitions and hopeful opportunities. While exciting, this season can easily become an unrealistic shift rooted in cultural transitions and trends instead of a profound time of reflection rooted in past experiences. When we live by the rhythms and the hype of the culture we become less discerning and ungrateful for the important seasons we've just experienced. The summer time was formative for me. Although busy, I cherished wathcing my son learned to crawl, reading formative books and spending time with my wife and friends in Florida. Through these differng circumstances I also learned more patience. When we quickly believe the lies of 'primetime' we live by the wrong rhythm and miss out on the stuff that God is in the process of teaching us. Foundational to this problem is our culture teaches us to believe that God is contingent on our calenders as if God is more excited about the fall season then he was in the summer. In this light we also develop misconstrued expectations which come from cultural timelines rather then a deeply surrender heart rooted in the scriptures and the Christian story. For the Church, seasons and transitions are important. Those seasons consist of Easter, Lent, Christmas etc.... When we live by these rhythms our cultures flashing advertising methods soon fade away. May God help me this fall to beleive that no matter what time it is, he constantly desires to transform me into the likeness of his Son. Comments (3) |
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If people were now asked, what was the most powerful means of advancing the cause of religion in the world, we should be told that it was eloquence of speech or preaching: and the excellency of speech consists in delivery…. Whereas, if we were to judge from Holy Scripture, of what were the best means of promoting Christianity in the world, we should say obedience; and if we were to be asked the second, we should say obedience; and if were to be asked the third, we should say obedience. Isaac Williams Comments (11) |
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