Comments for Providence Church Blog http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog A gospel-centered church in Austin, Texas Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:06:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Corporate Worship: A Covenant Renewal Event by Joseph (Skip) Ryan http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/04/18/corporate-worship-a-covenant-renewal-event/#comment-3654 Joseph (Skip) Ryan Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:06:18 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=300#comment-3654 Grayson, This is really very good. Thank you for such thoughtfulness about "covenant worship", the central, defining act of our humanity. I hope you are going to do articles on the other four parts of covenant renewal services. Skip Grayson,
This is really very good. Thank you for such thoughtfulness about “covenant worship”, the central, defining act of our humanity. I hope you are going to do articles on the other four parts of covenant renewal services.
Skip

]]> Comment on What Is Jesus Doing? by Jim O'Brien http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/02/14/what-is-jesus-doing/#comment-795 Jim O'Brien Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:51:43 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=280#comment-795 Grayson, Excellent article! Spot on. Grayson,

Excellent article! Spot on.

]]> Comment on The Gospel and the Church by Stephanie N. http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/01/19/the-gospel-and-the-church/#comment-386 Stephanie N. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:45:41 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=257#comment-386 Hey Will, glad you posted about this. Something I’ve been pondering lately is just how destructive the white American culture’s value of individualism is. One of the main reasons it’s hard for white churches to learn to live in community is because it’s so counter-cultural. This lack of a sense of community, of familia, of context, within the broader white American culture negatively affects so many areas of life. As far as I have researched, we are the only culture I know of like this. Living like the body of Christ comes naturally to a Christian from any other ethnos, because they’ve always lived in community. We white Americans miss out on just how often God deals with humans not as individuals, but as people groups. (He certainly does deal with individuals, but we miss the overwhelming number of references to ethnos. And many references in the Bible that we assume are to us as individuals are actually to an entire group of people.) There is so much we can learn about this from people from other cultures, whether they’re from/in other countries or from minority communities here in the U.S. Hey Will, glad you posted about this. Something I’ve been pondering lately is just how destructive the white American culture’s value of individualism is. One of the main reasons it’s hard for white churches to learn to live in community is because it’s so counter-cultural. This lack of a sense of community, of familia, of context, within the broader white American culture negatively affects so many areas of life. As far as I have researched, we are the only culture I know of like this. Living like the body of Christ comes naturally to a Christian from any other ethnos, because they’ve always lived in community. We white Americans miss out on just how often God deals with humans not as individuals, but as people groups. (He certainly does deal with individuals, but we miss the overwhelming number of references to ethnos. And many references in the Bible that we assume are to us as individuals are actually to an entire group of people.) There is so much we can learn about this from people from other cultures, whether they’re from/in other countries or from minority communities here in the U.S.

]]> Comment on The Gospel and the Church by Will Walker http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/01/19/the-gospel-and-the-church/#comment-384 Will Walker Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:33:10 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=257#comment-384 Good stuff James! Also, I was just looking at the list of questions at the end, and it struck me that there are other very important indicators of family, like authority, for instance. So it is worth noting that these indicators represent a starter list of sorts. Good stuff James!

Also, I was just looking at the list of questions at the end, and it struck me that there are other very important indicators of family, like authority, for instance. So it is worth noting that these indicators represent a starter list of sorts.

]]> Comment on The Gospel and the Church by James http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/01/19/the-gospel-and-the-church/#comment-383 James Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:38:44 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=257#comment-383 Another gem by Newbigin: "the only hermeneutic of the gospel...is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it." He goes on to say that all evangelistic activities are secondary, and that they "have power to accomplish their purpose only as they are rooted in and lead back to a believing community." Another gem by Newbigin: “the only hermeneutic of the gospel…is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it.”

He goes on to say that all evangelistic activities are secondary, and that they “have power to accomplish their purpose only as they are rooted in and lead back to a believing community.”

]]> Comment on The Gospel and the Church by James http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2012/01/19/the-gospel-and-the-church/#comment-382 James Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:04:44 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=257#comment-382 "The Church is not an end in itself. The growth and prosperity of the Church is not the goal of history. The Church is not the kingdom of God. This is the truth, but id does not warrant the conclusion drawn from it. Jesus manifestly did not intend to leave behind him simply a body of teaching. If that had been his intention he would surely have written a book and we should have something like the Qur'an instead of the book we have. What he did was to prepare a community chosen to be the bearer of the secret of the kingdom.This community is his legacy....The intention of Jesus was not to leave behind a disembodied teaching. It was that through his total consecration to the Father in his passion there should be created a community which would continue that which he came from the Father to be and do--namely to embody and to announce the presence of the reign of God." Lesslie Newbigin. This post reminded me of this section in Newbigin's amazing book, "The Gospel in a Pluralist Society." “The Church is not an end in itself. The growth and prosperity of the Church is not the goal of history. The Church is not the kingdom of God. This is the truth, but id does not warrant the conclusion drawn from it. Jesus manifestly did not intend to leave behind him simply a body of teaching. If that had been his intention he would surely have written a book and we should have something like the Qur’an instead of the book we have. What he did was to prepare a community chosen to be the bearer of the secret of the kingdom.This community is his legacy….The intention of Jesus was not to leave behind a disembodied teaching. It was that through his total consecration to the Father in his passion there should be created a community which would continue that which he came from the Father to be and do–namely to embody and to announce the presence of the reign of God.” Lesslie Newbigin.

This post reminded me of this section in Newbigin’s amazing book, “The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.”

]]> Comment on Community Idolatry by thumb lick [1.14.12] | spreading the fame http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2011/12/14/community-idolatry/#comment-358 thumb lick [1.14.12] | spreading the fame Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:49:30 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=232#comment-358 [...] Community idolatry. Are chasing false gods together? 8-idol shattering questions. [...] [...] Community idolatry. Are chasing false gods together? 8-idol shattering questions. [...]

]]> Comment on Community Idolatry by Community Idolatry | For the Sake of the Name http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2011/12/14/community-idolatry/#comment-306 Community Idolatry | For the Sake of the Name Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:39:23 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=232#comment-306 [...] long and pray for deeper community in our church in 2012. This is a good heart check on motivations from Bob Thune and Will [...] [...] long and pray for deeper community in our church in 2012. This is a good heart check on motivations from Bob Thune and Will [...]

]]> Comment on Community Idolatry by Laura http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2011/12/14/community-idolatry/#comment-279 Laura Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:29:09 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=232#comment-279 Thanks for this, so great! I clearly see myself it. My idol = reputation, which God is currently smashing. His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:9). Thanks for this, so great! I clearly see myself it. My idol = reputation, which God is currently smashing.

His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:9).

]]> Comment on Community Idolatry by jennifer http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/2011/12/14/community-idolatry/#comment-253 jennifer Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:39:54 +0000 http://www.providenceaustin.com/blog/?p=232#comment-253 You could substitute "team" for "community" and use this with all of us missionaries. Very thought provoking and convicting. Look forward to the final product. You could substitute “team” for “community” and use this with all of us missionaries. Very thought provoking and convicting. Look forward to the final product.

]]>