The Organic Church Movements Conference with Neil Cole and Alan Hirsch will be held next in Ontario on Feb 8-10. Here are a few of the workshops:
Here is the line-up for the newest installment of Mars Hill Audio Journal (88):
Diana Pavlac Glyer, on how the members of The
Inklings (C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield,
etc.) influenced each other’s thinking and writing
Michael J. Lewis, on what the Body Worlds exhibits
assembled by Günther von Hagens reveal about our
attitudes toward human nature
Steve Talbott, on how the aims of education are
distracted by technology
Darryl Tippins, on why we sing
Everett Ferguson, on the place of music in the Early
Church
Alexander Lingas, on the tradition of music in the
Eastern churches
Calvin Stapert, on the nature of meaning in music
I was thrilled to open my post box today to find a package from Oxford University Press (blog) containing a complimentary copy of Lamin Sanneh’s Disciples of All Nations. Sanneh is a Gambian scholar whose understanding of World Christianity has richly contributed to stimulating thoughtful, post-colonial, indigenous theologies.
His book Translating the Message has immensely influenced the way I think about theology and culture. Look for more posts on this book; it will surely strengthen honest thinking about the nature and impact of global Christianity.
Check out this review of Timmis and Chester’s The World We All Want (authors of Total Church). The reviewer highlights three mains strengths to this evangelistic approach: 1) gospel presented in the wider context of the Biblical story 2) emphasis on conversion into community, not making “the church” optional 3) Jesus centered. Here is an excerpt of the review:
I particularly liked the manner in which God’s people are described in session seven as “a waiting community, a proclaiming community, a loving community.” It’s been reported recently that many people on the street are cool with Jesus, but have a problem with the church. TWWAW demonstrates that you can’t have the bridegroom without his bride, nipping that particular problem in the bud.
