Tina Fey… and Improv as a metaphor for the biblical drama.

July 10, 2012 By 4 Comments
Bossypants-Cover-tina-fey

I'm working today on revising the theological overview chapter for the Slow Church book. One of the key ideas that I borrow from pastor and theologian Sam Wells is that: “Improvisation in the theatre is a practice through which actors develop trust in themselves and one another in order that they may conduct unscripted dramas without fear.” I've been encouraged recently by some early readers of this chapter to make the improv metaphor robust... This morning as I was getting ready to work on this chapter, I stumbled upon a great blog post by my friend Jen Michel, in which she … [Read more...]

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Congregational Lectio Divina as a Slow Church practice.

July 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Conversation

At the Ekklesia Project gathering later this week, I will be leading lectio divina sessions on John 15:4-17. Doing lectio in a congregational (or small group) setting is a fruitful practice that will lead churches deeper into the life that John and I are calling Slow Church. Mark Lau Branson, who led the lectio divina sessions at last summer's EP Gathering, pointed us to the following thoughts on congregational lectio divina: Argentinean/Chicagoan Nancy Bedford, after expositing an ecclesial missiology grounded in the Trinity and the incarnation, focuses on discernment with attention to … [Read more...]

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Slow Formation [An Ekklesia Project Guest Post by Ted Lewis]

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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[ On July 5-7, The Ekklesia Project will hold its annual gathering in Chicago, which will be on the theme of Slow Church.  Between now and July, we will be running a series of lguest reflections here by folks connected with the E.P. We've asked guest posters to reflect on the meaning of Slow Church from their own local contexts. More info on the E.P. gathering.  ] Today’s reflection, the fifth in the series, is by Ted Lewis. Read the previous post in the series by Susan Adams. Over the past two years I’ve been part of a small men’s group in my church, and … [Read more...]

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Relevant Irrelevance [An Ekklesia Project Guest Post by Edwin Searcy]

April 3, 2012 By 4 Comments
congregation

[ On July 5-7, The Ekklesia Project will hold its annual gathering in Chicago, which will be on the theme of Slow Church.  Between now and July, we will be running a series of lguest reflections here by folks connected with the E.P. We've asked guest posters to reflect on the meaning of Slow Church from their own local contexts. More info on the E.P. gathering.  ] Today’s reflection, the third in the series, is by Edwin Searcy.   Read the previous post by Jason Fisher. I am learning to pastor a slow church. I am cultivating habits of patience and trust that God … [Read more...]

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“The Kingdom Will Prevail” A Slow Church-related Sermon on Mark 4:24-34

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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This is the sermon that Mike Bowling preached last Sunday (26 Feb 2012) here at Englewood Christian Church. It is one of the most hopeful and energizing sermons I have heard in a long time.  It is also a superb reading of Mark 4:24-34 that is in line with what we are calling Slow Church. I've never quite known what to make of v. 24-25: 24And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken … [Read more...]

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More on the Drama of Scripture…

January 13, 2012 By 1 Comment

Thanks to everyone who added their thoughts to my post on Wednesday.  They have been immensely helpful in thinking about the drama of creation.  A particular thanks to Wes Vander Lugt, who pointed me to the following two books, which I have been devouring over the last couple of days, and finding very helpful.  I'm posting excerpts here, so that you might enjoy them as well... Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics. Sam Wells. Brazos Press, 2004. *** CLICK HERE to read an excerpt from this book on Google Books The Drama of Doctrine. Kevin Vanhoozer. WJK Books, 2005. … [Read more...]

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The Nature of the Scriptural Story (A Request)

January 11, 2012 By 8 Comments
Director's Chair

I'm currently working on a chapter of the Slow Church book on the scriptural story and why we believe that slowness is woven into the very fabric of this story. So, I've been trying to find an image that is helpful in talking about the nature of the scriptural story and how God and humanity interact together.  Here's the  basic image that I've stumbled upon.  (I know it's not completely original, drawing on sources like Bartholomew/Goheen's The Drama of Scripture and Lesslie Newbigin's work.) Creation is a grand drama, of which God is the playwright and director.  One of the … [Read more...]

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