EUGENE PETERSON’S ADVICE FOR MORE AUTHENTIC DISCIPLESHIP

Jonathan Merritt interviewed Eugene Peterson in September 2013 and Peterson was about to turn 81 years of age. That means he is 84 years old as I write this. He lives in Montana, having taught Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver for 6 years. 

One bit if that interview conversation may be of interest to you as you think about church, and particularly if you are restless about church, concerned about church or considering changing churches.

Merritt’s question was "Eighty-one years is a long time. As you enter your final season of life, what would you like to say to younger Christians who are itchy for a deeper and more authentic discipleship? What’s your word to them?”

Peterson answered, "Go to the nearest smallest church and commit yourself to being there for 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, find somewhere else. But don’t look for programs, don’t look for entertainment, and don’t look for a great preacher. A Christian congregation is not a glamorous place, not a romantic place. That’s what I always told people. If people were leaving my congregation to go to another place of work, I’d say, “The smallest church, the closest church, and stay there for 6 months.” Sometimes it doesn’t work. Some pastors are just incompetent. And some are flat out bad. So I don’t think that’s the answer to everything, but it’s a better place to start than going to the one with all the programs, the glitz, all that stuff.”

So what do you think about that?

Entire interview:http://religionnews.com/2013/09/27/faithful-end-interview-eugene-peterson/

Revitalize

(Background to this post: In this piece, Rob Stewart is the district superintendent of the Lower Pacific District of the Evangelical Free Churches in Canada. He posts a Friday message to his district churches each week.)   

Rob Stewart's 'Five Minutes on Friday with the LPD' contained a line at the end of an inspirational piece that I would like you to read. Speaking of the Apostle Paul, Rob wrote, " Paul's ministry was not so much to serve the 'saved,' but those yet to be reached - after all they are lost, aren't they?"

Perhaps that sentence contains one feature that explains my personal disquiet about 'church.' Not a specific church, not the church of which I am a member, rather the Canadian 'evangelical church' with which I am familiar. Meriting some sincere consideration is the question of how much of our resources we devote to serving the saved. Please understand that I am not faulting pastors and leaders because I am one of you. Retired now, I have spent five decades at work in the church doing what you have been called to do, what you seek to do and what some people think you should do. I know the joys and the strains, all of them. Fortunately for me, at the present time in the EFCC, there is a collective acknowledgement that we have grown relaxed about one of Christ's missional priorities, reaching those who have yet to be reached. For that reason I am grateful for the renewed evangelistic vision contained in the 'Revitalize' push that districts and national are campaigning. At the Lower Pacific District Conference on March 10-11, 'Revitalize' will be the theme that I believe God will use to inspire so many of us once more to catch a vision for 'fishing for men,' and in this age of political correctness, 'fishing for women' too. Better yet, fishing for acquaintances, neighbours, family members and strangers. For this we do not require a program but awareness, a purpose. It remains true, as simplistic as it may sound, witnessing is simply sharing your faith, through the power of the Holy Spirit, leaving the results to God. Now, a congregation of all ages that lives like that, will have evangelistic sermons stepping into the baptistry every month.

CULTIVATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

What are you doing to cultivate your relationship with God? You and I must give thought to this. We should revisit the question. We cultivate our hobbies with new equipment and training. We cultivate friendships with shared meals and sports events. Christian belief consists of relationship with the living God is how we describe our faith. What are you doing to enrich the bond? It's a candid question, not meant to criticize. I ask it because I know firsthand how easily presumption becomes normative. We presume we are okay, we trust, we attend requisite meetings in our churches. It becomes routine. Relationship we would agree involves communication. Of course a relationship with someone who is unseen is different from others. You are confident that God hears you whether you speak to him aloud or silently. That's one aspect of communication. You are assured that God speaks through the Bible of course, and through His indwelling Spirit in you, and sometimes through expressions by other people. Granted, much about hearing God speak in these ways borders on the subjective. But let's kick that aside and get back to the question. What are you doing, or what can you do to cultivate this relationship that you say you have with the Creator God who spoke the universe into existence, who approved the perfection that characterized all of his creation, who provided salvation through the sacrificial atoning death of his incarnated son Jesus? It's a question. I am not going to answer it for you. We gravitate to articles that advise us about three steps to this or five key spiritual exercises. Fine, maybe they can inspire you, but what are 'you' now going to do to cultivate your relationship with God?

APPEAL COURT REBUKED B.C. LAW SOCIETY FOR DENYING ACCREDITATION TO TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY FOR A PLANNED LAW SCHOOL

Ian Mulgrew has written a Vancouver Sun article about today’s Appeal Court ruling against the B.C. Law Society and in support of TWU’s law school.

"B.C.’s top court has set up a Supreme Court of Canada showdown between the fundamental freedoms of religion and equality by giving a ringing endorsement to a proposed evangelical law school.In a stinging defeat for the legal profession’s governing body, the B.C. Court of Appeal said the Law Society of B.C. failed to balance important rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by denying Trinity Western University accreditation for the planned school.

UNIVERSITIES CANADA's END-RUN ON FAITH BASED INSTITUTIONS

I am on a mailing list, and this morning my inbox held this communique from Dr. Carson Pue. I have affinity for Trinity Western University which maintains impeccable educational standards within the context of Christian heritage and values. Because it has met Universities Canada’s standards for decades, and because McLeans magazine has annually cited TWU for excellence, the reported amendment to Universities Canada’s bylaws is deliberately shocking. The proposal would affect all faith-based institutions. Read Dr. Pue’s statement.   

ME & MYERS BRIGGS - YEP THAT’S ME

The test is familiar. I took the test, popping up on  Facebook. Answered questions as well as I could. It identified me accurately enough.

Results: ISFJ - Nurturer

ISFJ (INTROVERTED SENSING FEELING JUDGING)

As an ISFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you takes things in via your five senses. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system.

REAL MIRACLES - SENSIBLY PRICED

Comedian Steve Martin starred in a movie called ‘Leap of Faith,’ a spoof on faith healers in which a promotional display advertises his faith healing service with the slogan, ‘Real Miracles – Sensibly Priced.” It could really be humorous if it were not so accurate. (from my new book, GOD IN THE OPEN,’ come these following remarks.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)