Here's picture of me reading before polity...
And here are the after effects of Polity...you should try it sometime;) It's really quite the experience!
Friday, August 31, 2007
The Affects of Polity
Here's picture of me reading before polity...
And here are the after effects of Polity...you should try it sometime;) It's really quite the experience!
Ordination & Theology Breakfast
Yesterday morning at theology breakfast Mark read a sermon and a few letters that C. H. Spurgeon wrote from his autobiography. It was really a great conversation, but I was struck by how engaging it can be to listen to someone read. I really need to start practice reading like this, but it was really helpful how he read the passage.
It was interesting to discuss the legitimacy of practicing an ordination of elders. Particularly, the misperceptions many have regarding what an "ordination ceremony" imparts from the agent(s) to the recipient(s), and the from where modern practices of ordination have derived. The implications that ordination in a denomination has for legal practice of licensing was interesting as well. I think it is wise to have "installation" services recognizing the congregations approval to install an elder to office. The congregational aspect of all of this was really helpful. The effect of this for accountability of an elder to a local congregation, shared responsibility of the members in appointing leaders, and traditions' role informing practice was helpful. It is important for elders to not necessarily have "tenure." If you are familiar with how some college professors have abused tenure in the university then you would understand why a "tenure" of elders is not wise and why some kind of structure of "meaningful" biblical accountability is in place.
I'm looking forward to theology breakfast next week on B. B. Warfield!
It was interesting to discuss the legitimacy of practicing an ordination of elders. Particularly, the misperceptions many have regarding what an "ordination ceremony" imparts from the agent(s) to the recipient(s), and the from where modern practices of ordination have derived. The implications that ordination in a denomination has for legal practice of licensing was interesting as well. I think it is wise to have "installation" services recognizing the congregations approval to install an elder to office. The congregational aspect of all of this was really helpful. The effect of this for accountability of an elder to a local congregation, shared responsibility of the members in appointing leaders, and traditions' role informing practice was helpful. It is important for elders to not necessarily have "tenure." If you are familiar with how some college professors have abused tenure in the university then you would understand why a "tenure" of elders is not wise and why some kind of structure of "meaningful" biblical accountability is in place.
I'm looking forward to theology breakfast next week on B. B. Warfield!
Monday, August 27, 2007
"Cultural Contextualization"
This video is definitely something I never imagined that I would see in in Mark Dever's house. His son was helping me work on my cultural contextualization. Particularly in Germany. In case you didn't know David Hasselhoff is huge in Germany and believe it or not this is legit music video he did there. Thanks for the tip Nathan!
First Thing I've Learned @ CHBC
HOSPITALITY!
"Relate – have conversations after church; take people out to lunch during the week; exercise hospitality by inviting people to your home for a meal; take an interest in people, and be open to answering their questions about you; offer to read a book with a younger Christian man; offer to have someone accompany you for conversation as you run errands. Give people a relational context in which they can develop love and trust for you as a fellow Christian (pg. 46 of The Deliberate Church).”
If you're anything like me you have read this kind of thing in a book and thought, "Well, of course. This is what a group of believers should do as they live in community with one another." Well, guess what...CHBC actually does this. Actually Waukee Baptist Church (in Waukee, IA) does this too. But CHBC is a little different. It is difficult to figure out etiquette because folks are so hospitable around here. People just bring you right into their homes. I'm not saying that if you are ever here that you should just "walk in" to their homes, but this is really the kind of feel that exists out here as an intern.
We are seriously in the pastors houses all the time. Not to mention that we are constantly invited to homes, lunches, etc. with the members in the congregation. In Iowa I thought that we'd be annoying if we were just sitting around in people's homes uninvited...but these guys make you feel like it's cool to just invite yourself in. Certainly there are limits; however, Michael Lawrence put it like this to the interns, "We are running a race...You are more than welcome to come and run along side us, but don't just sit at home and expect us to pull you along...but you are invited to run with us." That basically means that they totally meant the quote above. Crazy! It's actually really humbling. There are rules of etiquette, but the etiquette is basically: "invite yourself over...and if we say no, that means no...but most of the time you'll be welcomed to come in and be around them and the others that are there." I don't think I've been encouraged to just invite myself over to someone's place in my life.
It's really amazing! Something that is as simple as the quote above is actually practiced out here. From an intern's perspective how most folks view a cell phone is how the Mark views his home study (he doesn't have one). Kind of a cool twist against the culture.
Get rid of your cell phones, and open up your homes... Let people into your lives... There's a profound thought!
Anyhow, that's the first apparent observation I've learned from at CHBC so far. Basically, it is a great model of how people in a church are to love one another...founded on a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Relate – have conversations after church; take people out to lunch during the week; exercise hospitality by inviting people to your home for a meal; take an interest in people, and be open to answering their questions about you; offer to read a book with a younger Christian man; offer to have someone accompany you for conversation as you run errands. Give people a relational context in which they can develop love and trust for you as a fellow Christian (pg. 46 of The Deliberate Church).”
If you're anything like me you have read this kind of thing in a book and thought, "Well, of course. This is what a group of believers should do as they live in community with one another." Well, guess what...CHBC actually does this. Actually Waukee Baptist Church (in Waukee, IA) does this too. But CHBC is a little different. It is difficult to figure out etiquette because folks are so hospitable around here. People just bring you right into their homes. I'm not saying that if you are ever here that you should just "walk in" to their homes, but this is really the kind of feel that exists out here as an intern.
We are seriously in the pastors houses all the time. Not to mention that we are constantly invited to homes, lunches, etc. with the members in the congregation. In Iowa I thought that we'd be annoying if we were just sitting around in people's homes uninvited...but these guys make you feel like it's cool to just invite yourself in. Certainly there are limits; however, Michael Lawrence put it like this to the interns, "We are running a race...You are more than welcome to come and run along side us, but don't just sit at home and expect us to pull you along...but you are invited to run with us." That basically means that they totally meant the quote above. Crazy! It's actually really humbling. There are rules of etiquette, but the etiquette is basically: "invite yourself over...and if we say no, that means no...but most of the time you'll be welcomed to come in and be around them and the others that are there." I don't think I've been encouraged to just invite myself over to someone's place in my life.
It's really amazing! Something that is as simple as the quote above is actually practiced out here. From an intern's perspective how most folks view a cell phone is how the Mark views his home study (he doesn't have one). Kind of a cool twist against the culture.
Get rid of your cell phones, and open up your homes... Let people into your lives... There's a profound thought!
Anyhow, that's the first apparent observation I've learned from at CHBC so far. Basically, it is a great model of how people in a church are to love one another...founded on a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The Smithsonians...
Yesterday Linds and I had an excellent time visiting the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. Also, the American History Museum is closed for renovations until the fall of 2008 so there was a nice little exhibit of some of that stuff at the Air and Space Museum. Anyhow, here are some pics. Enjoy;^)
Here's Linds in front of Amelia Earhart's plane...
Here we are in front of the Wright brother's plane...
Here I'm in front of a C-3PO and an R2-D2 used in one of the original Star Wars movies...
Linds under a T-Rex...
Me in front of some kind of dinosaur...
Lastly, here's Linds in front of the hope diamond worth around a jillion dollars!
Here's Linds in front of Amelia Earhart's plane...
Here we are in front of the Wright brother's plane...
Here I'm in front of a C-3PO and an R2-D2 used in one of the original Star Wars movies...
Linds under a T-Rex...
Me in front of some kind of dinosaur...
Lastly, here's Linds in front of the hope diamond worth around a jillion dollars!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Best Opening Paragraph
This is the best opening paragraph to a book that have ever read!
That's enough to keep me reading;)
"The Church is the mirror, that reflects the whole effulgence of the Divine character. It is the grand scene, in which the perfections of Jehovah are displayed to the universe. The revelations made to the Church - the successive grand events in her history - and, above all - the manifestation of "the glory of God in the Person of Jesus Christ" - furnish even to the heavenly intelligences fresh subjects of adoring contemplation."
[Bridges, Charles The Christian Ministry (Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2006 reprint), 1.]
That's enough to keep me reading;)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Mount Vernon
Here are a pics from our trip last Sunday to Mount Vernon. It's really a beautiful place!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
GO BIG!
If you write a book, particularly a Christian book, you probably don't want your first paragraph to end with this sentence...
There's only one person's story that I will use as a foundation for my life...and I'm sorry to say it's not Bil Cornelius and Bill Easum's:^)
"So, we tell our story up front so it can be the foundation for your BIG dream." [Go Big (Nashville: Abingdon, 2006), vii.]
There's only one person's story that I will use as a foundation for my life...and I'm sorry to say it's not Bil Cornelius and Bill Easum's:^)
Thursday, August 09, 2007
DC Date Idea #1
Lindsey and I went out tonight and had a great time. It wasn't really a date, but a fun night that we were able to enjoy together.
God is gracious. I have been reading a lot and was tired late today. Well, the elders meeting we were supposed to have until 11:00 or midnight was cancelled. Then I was supposed to pick up pastor Mark from the airport but the flight was delayed...then cancelled. So Lindsey and I were able to get the 'ol bikes out and go on a ride.
We rode west about five blocks and around the north side of the Capitol building and down the hill. Up the north side of the mall. There were tons of people out on the mall playing baseball and kickball. We rode on the north side of the Washington Monument...crossed onto the south side, took a glance at the White house to the north, then went by the WWII memorial...then we crossed back to the north side close to the Vietnam memorial. Then we crossed right in front of the Lincoln memorial and came back on the south side of the pool kind of by the Korean war monument, took a look accross the river at the Jefferson memorial, then rode past the WWI monument. On our way back halfway between the Washington monument and the Capitol building it started to pour rain. It was great! It's been very hot here lately, so it was great to be rained on. It was really fun, but we were soaked.
That's it. Now just read and hang out at home. What a night!
God is gracious. I have been reading a lot and was tired late today. Well, the elders meeting we were supposed to have until 11:00 or midnight was cancelled. Then I was supposed to pick up pastor Mark from the airport but the flight was delayed...then cancelled. So Lindsey and I were able to get the 'ol bikes out and go on a ride.
We rode west about five blocks and around the north side of the Capitol building and down the hill. Up the north side of the mall. There were tons of people out on the mall playing baseball and kickball. We rode on the north side of the Washington Monument...crossed onto the south side, took a glance at the White house to the north, then went by the WWII memorial...then we crossed back to the north side close to the Vietnam memorial. Then we crossed right in front of the Lincoln memorial and came back on the south side of the pool kind of by the Korean war monument, took a look accross the river at the Jefferson memorial, then rode past the WWI monument. On our way back halfway between the Washington monument and the Capitol building it started to pour rain. It was great! It's been very hot here lately, so it was great to be rained on. It was really fun, but we were soaked.
That's it. Now just read and hang out at home. What a night!
DC Lunchtime Evangelistic Talks
I'm headed to the US Capitol building today with Mike Gilbart-Smith for the lunchtime evangelistic talks they do around Wash DC. He is going to be going over Genesis 3 on sin and judgement.
Pray that God would be glorified and that the Lord would change and turn hearts toward Him.
Pray that God would be glorified and that the Lord would change and turn hearts toward Him.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Greetings from Capitol Hill Baptist Church!
Greetings from Washington D. C.!
My apologies for zero news in the last couple weeks. It has been a busy time for us. We are having a great time in DC. It's really pretty amazing to run down the mall in the morning and have the backdrop be the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building.
To the internship!
This is going to be a lot of work, but it's going to be a great ride! I was excited to see the stack of books waiting for us interns:
Also, we have more to read, but we haven't received the books yet. Also, two of the books we have to read are books that aren't particularly helpful in the church. Can you guess which ones??? ;)
I have to get going, but I hope to write more in the near future. May God bless you and keep you!
In Christ
Noah
My apologies for zero news in the last couple weeks. It has been a busy time for us. We are having a great time in DC. It's really pretty amazing to run down the mall in the morning and have the backdrop be the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building.
To the internship!
This is going to be a lot of work, but it's going to be a great ride! I was excited to see the stack of books waiting for us interns:
- Give Praise to God (P & R publishing)
- Polity (By Mark Dever and IX Marks)
- Evangelicalism Divided (By Iain Murray, Banner of Truth publishing)
- Engaging God (IVP)
- Worship by the Book (By DA Carson, Zondervan publishing)
- The Deliberate Church (By Dever and Alexander, Crossway publishing)
- Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (By Mark Dever, Crossway publishing)
- Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church (By DA Carson, Zondervan publishing)
- The Christian Ministry (By Charles Bridges, Banner of Truth publishing)
- The Reformation of the Church (By Iain H. Murray, Banner of Truth publishing)
- They Like Jesus but Not the Church (By Dan Kimball, Zondervan publishing)
- Go Big! (By Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius, Abingdon publishing)
Also, we have more to read, but we haven't received the books yet. Also, two of the books we have to read are books that aren't particularly helpful in the church. Can you guess which ones??? ;)
I have to get going, but I hope to write more in the near future. May God bless you and keep you!
In Christ
Noah
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