Wrapped into Christianity is the perpetual unrealized dream of the possibility of perfection and yet never the ability to awaken it into reality. The ropes of life, and life as it should be seem to run parallel, only brushing against each other from time to time as they undulate between intersection and separation. Yet if we could braid them together, and live as we should live, would the cost to our understanding of grace be too great? Is Jesus less pleased if the ropes rarely touch? Or is his concern more with opening our eyes to see both ropes? It is not my intention that is damaged, for I aim to live as I should every day, and it is not my behavior that needs repair, for I would undo Christ’s own ideals by inflicting government over my behavior to reach righteousness. So what can I do? My intentions are good, and my behaviors are bad. I can see life as it should be, and yet invariably experience it as it is. Yet I cannot resign, I am driven into the paradox by my passion for Christ. I know only that I can never back down from pressing toward the ideal. I can never stop reaching, even in the reality of perfection’s unattainability. And faced with the futility of my straining, I am discouraged by failure, yet in perfect paradox, I am also pleased with how much further I can reach today, than I could yesterday.
being well read
Dallas Willard: Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ
Mad-good book! Willard is a thick writer/philosopher. He presents a brilliant model for understanding the nature of the self, and makes an attempt at practical guidance for character development. (*****)Philip Jenkins: The Next Christendom : The Coming of Global Christianity
Should be mandatory reading for any missions pastor or missiologist. Jenkins has a pretty good handle on the way christianity is in the world today, and the effects of that on tomorrow. (****)Harold A. Netland: Encountering Religious Pluralism: The Challenge to Christian Faith & Mission
Crazy academic read, but a great argument for reason in an age of superficial tolerance. Pluralism is not pluralistic, it's just another form of exclusivism. boojah! (****)Eddie Gibbs: LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture
This is an instruction manual to help anyone who wants to, to understand how I like to lead. Eddie does a great job of identifying the kinds of leaders needed in the church today. Chapters six through eight alone are worth the time and money. If your senior pastor just doesn't "get you," give him this. (*****)Darrell L. Guder: The Continuing Conversion of the Church (The Gospel & Our Culture Series)
Great theses. Guder really nails it to the reductionistic tendencies of the church. He calls this the primary sin of control. We want to control the gospel, so we make it small by reducing into managable forms like "Pentecostal", or "emerging." The first third is basic missiology, the middle is brilliant, and the end third is a good shot at helping you think practically about your own reductionism. (****)
« Canadian takes gold in Lord-Sayers World Championships | Main | islam - good! »
March 10, 2006
Comments
The comments to this entry are closed.
Otherwise known as the "you can see it but you can not touch it" problem.
:)
(I mean *can* not... not "may" not.)
Posted by: Henri | March 14, 2006 at 01:33 PM