July 27, 2005
Announcing: www.meremission.org
I am kind of making a change in my blog habits…I have often felt the need to be a little more intentional and meaningful in the what i write. I am guessing most of you could care less about my new motorola razor phone and other dumb stuff.
Over the last year I have become very fascinated and passionate about Missional Theology. In the process, i have realized that the acedemic level of this theology is way above the heads and hearts of most of the people in the seats at church. My passion has become taking the acedemic progress being made in this field and exploring it and bringing it down to the lay person’s level. I have realized that I am not gifted to do think like find the missional heart and agenda in a Karl Barth. But, i sure can read the results of a study like that and bring it down to the ground, how this works out, level.
I have dedicated a site to my exploration and journey in missional theology at MEREMISSION.ORG
I invite you to come along and journey with me as i explore this beautiful theological landscape…I’d love to start some good dialoge about this subject so feel free to bookmark, blogroll and link the new site. :)
you can start by reading a little welcome and a little about why i started the site.
For the record, i will still be blogging here, just probably a little less and a little more personal stuff. Feel free to stick around because I will.
07.28.05
By: eric and meggan judge
nice blog…
just a blast from the past…
remember us?
08.26.05
By: Lay person
“In the process, i have realized that the acedemic level of this theology is way above the heads and hearts of most of the people in the seats at church. My passion has become taking the acedemic progress being made in this field and exploring it and bringing it down to the lay person’s level.”
Can I gently suggest this. I am a lay person. I feel that God has chosen me for what I do. I also beleive that He did not choose me to be a pastor. That does not mean that I lack the intelligence to understand what He has given us biblically only the time to pursue it as deeply as I would like. It means that in our community it is the pastors job the carry out this piece of our cummunal spiritual growth. My piece is different but not less. I am a layperson, a member of this spiritual body. I am an intellectual equal although I am gifted differently. You need not talk down to me, only communicate what God has graciously given you time to learn from Him to share with your fellow journeymen.
08.26.05
By: Todd
Great point and well taken. It is never my intention to cause any divide between pastor and layperson. In fact, I hope that in the future and in my situation, any divide can be even lessened. This is something i have thought about more than anyone knows.
So, I apologise for that tone as it came across.
Perhaps i could better choose my words… the point in my thinking is not so much to bring this theological thought “down” but to more so, “work it out” to everyday life. so much theological reflection is done on an acedemic level that has little to do with real life.
my heart is that it does not stay acedemic, but rather is something that we can live out together as a community.
does this make sense?
At the same time, I think God definately has gifted some people with minds that the rest of us were meant to learn from. Notice this statement of mine that follows directly after the one you referenced:
“I have realized that I am not gifted to do think like find the missional heart and agenda in a Karl Barth. But, i sure can read the results of a study like that and bring it down to the ground, how this works out, level.”
The great minds of all eras are integral to the whole body of Chirst like you said. They are not better, just diffferent. but, they are different. At the same time, i do not believe that this giftedness is wrapped up in a position. I know many great thinkers who are not pastors, theologians or any kind of positional power, they are “lay people.” you make a great point though because anytime that pastors and lay people are talking up / down to each other there is a problem.
perhaps that is one of the unfortunate outcomes with professional clergy..the dicotomy that is created as a result…thanks for helping to lessen this!
We are all part of the body, and EVERY one of us is important…thanks!
08.28.05
By: Lay person
Thanks for taking the comment as it was intended. And I agree there are definitely individuals that God has gifted above and beyond my ability to discern. I am grateful for these people. Where would we be as a community without those who push our understanding of God and the world in which He placed us! I think graciousness in communication is key. Both is sharing and receiving knowledge and understanding. Great relationships come from gracious communication.
Great blog!!! Peace.