tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772756180602241823.post3036229144729602425..comments2023-07-23T10:58:49.430-05:00Comments on Ancient Journey: Missional and Incarnational Life part 3Bret Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09933637354786432641noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772756180602241823.post-26190750277590948702009-10-27T22:29:43.729-05:002009-10-27T22:29:43.729-05:00Thanks Matt!
Hope all is well in the land of a th...Thanks Matt!<br /><br />Hope all is well in the land of a thousand politicians! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the rest of the series when you get a chance.<br /><br />I think you're right about the point of the monarchy narratives. Much of it may have itself been politically motivated (northern vs southern kingdom bias), but the methodical way in which Solomon participates in each of Moses' warnings gives us a strong critique of the kind of empire building that many take for granted as acceptable.Bret Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933637354786432641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772756180602241823.post-46647036832506068182009-10-27T22:14:20.136-05:002009-10-27T22:14:20.136-05:00Bret,
I didn't read the second part of this p...Bret,<br /><br />I didn't read the second part of this post...I will return to get that soon. And I'm sorry to say this is the first of the series I've had time to check out. I'm sure the others are fantastic. <br /><br />I loved how you compared church growth methods to King Solomon's kingship! The kingship and monarchy narratives are there, in my view (and I learned this from Millard Lind and Yoder), as lessons for what not to do with power. Applying this to the diaspora nature of church planting is brilliant. Thank you for reflecting on these things Bret. And thank you for taking the time to try to articulate them as well. <br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />MattMatt Thttp://www.threemagi.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772756180602241823.post-42820476946426603872009-10-26T11:12:53.341-05:002009-10-26T11:12:53.341-05:00Yeah, Steve I think its certainly fair to say I...Yeah, Steve I think its certainly fair to say I've fallen into this trap myself! <br /><br />Saying that focusing on one over the other is a form of despising both comes from my conviction that without fair treatment of both we can never have a true representation of either. We begin to love the idea of the thing more than the thing itself - like people who talk about prayer without actually praying (another thing I'm guilty of). Or perhaps an even better example is those who love the idea of community more than the actual experience of it. <br /><br />I think there is a difference between those who "inadvertently" place focus on one versus those who regularly and intentionally avoid one in preference of the other. <br /><br />However, the caution is leveled at us all, because even inadvertently neglecting one will keep the other from fulfilling its purpose. We can be well meaning pragmatists who still function without a solid theology or pious theologians who have trouble putting flesh on our theories...<br /><br />Of course we're always going to fall short of the ideal - its unavoidable for people operating within a fallen world. So the point here is not to be loaded down with the guilt of our imperfection, but rather to make the decision to approach such issues with an intentional process of discernment - valuing both theological reflection and praxis (as well as the cultural and historical realities involved).Bret Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933637354786432641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5772756180602241823.post-83312682379759230802009-10-26T10:42:54.267-05:002009-10-26T10:42:54.267-05:00Good thoughts here. I myself often stuggle with g...Good thoughts here. I myself often stuggle with giving too much thought to either the practical or theological implications of a given area of life/faith, so I must say that it opened my eyes to some changes I need to consider.<br /><br />Like I said, I'm fully aware of my failure when it comes to the issues in paragraph 2. I just need to know; how did you conclude that those who fall short in that area of understanding "despise" both sides of the process? Would you say then, that everyone who has ever inadvertently placed focus on one or the other "despises" both? Have you ever found yourself there?Steve E.noreply@blogger.com