Sixth in a series on the Kingdom of God. For many in the Reformed tradition, especially those who follow in the footsteps of Abraham Kuyper, God’s sovereign rule extends over every aspect of life. What this means, for these folks, is that the kingdom of God is not limited to the church. Richard Mouw writes, “Kuyper makes much of the fact that the Kingdom of Christ is much bigger than the institutional church. The Kingdom is that broad range of... Read more
The first rule of parenting is don’t get into power struggles with your kids. The second rule of parenting is that if you do happen to get into a power struggle, you must win. This pretty much sums up my view on the religious freedom case of Kim Davis. I wish she hadn’t been coerced into this particular fight, but now that she has, I hope she wins. Christians, Work, and Conscience When I first heard of the Kentucky clerk... Read more
I’ll never forget the look on his face when I told him that I wanted to pray for him as a leader. A look of shock was quickly masked by looking away; and then, a gentle tear fell. This man, a New Your Times Best Seller, speaker, and leader, was truly taken back when someone genuinely asked to pray specifically for him as a leader. That weekend I had heard him share about handling some of the difficult situations that... Read more
“Believers desperately need to grasp why and how mission is what they, the whole people of God, are engaged in already as they work… “…More specifically, they need to grasp why and how the work itself that we do is missionary activity rather than just an occasion for it… It is largely (though not exclusively) through our work that we reflect God’s image and co-operate with him in bringing people and the whole of creation to humanity’s and nature’s ultimate... Read more
Fifth in a series on the Kingdom of God. So far, we’ve looked briefly at the views of the kingdom taught by Dispensationalists, Reformed, and Anabaptist traditions. Dispensationalist: “Kingdom” is God’s reign in the future of the people of Israel in a 1,000-year reign. Reformed: “Kingdom” is God’s “Already” reign in the hearts of Christians, and the “Not Yet” future reign of God over all the cosmos. Anabaptist: “Kingdom” is God’s reign over his people (first Israel, now the church... Read more
Fourth in a series on the Kingdom of God. Scot McKnight, in Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church, lays out the case for the Anabaptist view of the kingdom. The Kingdom of God as God’s Rule Over His Church McKnight contends, “‘A people governed by a king’—this is how the Old Testament uses the term ‘kingdom.’…Israel is a kingdom. Moses legislates how a king in Israel is to behave: ‘When he takes the throne of... Read more
Third in a Series on the Kingdom of God. We’ve been discussing the 8 very different ways to view the kingdom of God. George Eldon Ladd’s “Already/Not Yet” construct helped in some ways but was not adequate to deal with all the other tensions that arise in the study of the kingdom. Another major tension that must be addressed is whether or not the kingdom is particular for those under the reign of God (that is, Christians) or if... Read more
Go to Laity Lodge Next Month! The Contemplative Life for the Rest of Life: Why and how vocations are formed by a deep and deepening intimacy with God SPEAKERS Steve Garber | Washington, DC | web Gideon Tsang | Austin, TX | web MUSICIANS Claire Holley | Los Angeles, CA | web Dan Phelps | Seattle, WA | web ARTIST Josh Welker | Upland, IN | web REGISTRATION DETAILS Register at LaityLodge.org Read more
On the seventh day, when God “rested from all his work,” he set a precedent for all of us. After the initial Creation, God entered the “rest” of enjoying his handiwork. He entered into a time of dwelling in and with the work of the first six days. The cosmos that he created was done – but that did not mean that more work would not be needed. But at that moment, God could enjoy the fruit of his labor. The construction of the temple was... Read more
Is God Working or Resting? According to Genesis 2:2, God is resting. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” However, according to John 5:17, God has continued to work. “Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’” And Psalm 107:15 exhorts us to “Thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for... Read more
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