Paradoxology: DesertPastor Update...

Blog-within-a-Blog

Seven Mistakes Every Church Should Avoid
Whether you agree with any or all of the "mistakes" mentioned in this article, it is certainly worth the read and can serve as a helpful springboard for discussion on the biblical/theological/historical nature of the Church.
Why men have stopped singing in church
A fascinating discussion is unfolding at churchformen.com regarding the disappearance of singing (especially by men) in most churches with a contemporary bent. Although I consider worship to be much more holistic and diverse than what the author is focused on, the discussion there is nonetheless a worthwhile read.
The Anglican-Episcopal Divide Widens Further
NT Wright offers a honest and somewhat heavy-hearted perspective regarding The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the U.S., and their decision to further formalize their decision to appoint to all orders of ministry, persons in active same-sex relationships. This marks a clear break with the rest of the Anglican Communion.
"I Am Second"- Incredible Personal Stories
Personal testimony stories are a dime-a-dozen on the internet. YouTube and a plethora of other sites offer them. But you will NEVER find striking personal stories about life and loss and struggle and victory and faith like you will encounter at www.iamsecond.com. This is a resource site you MUST visit for yourself and then bookmark.
Charles Wesley's secret code diary cracked by priest
An Anglican priest has unlocked the 270-year-old secrets of Charles Wesley's coded diary, throwing light on the turbulent relationship that he had with his brother John in the early years of the Methodist movement they founded... The “hidden” material offers an insight into Wesley's fierce determination to prevent the Methodist societies from breaking away from the Church of England, and disagreements with his more influential older brother.

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December 11, 2008

DesertPastor Update...

Much has been happening in my life over the past few months -- which is part of the reason I haven't been blogging as regularly as in the past. Here are a few highlights:

My wife, Ingrid, and I celebrated our 30th anniversary!

Two weeks ago, I was accepted into the doctoral degree program at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies -- a life-goal that has now begun coming into fruition. Since the Institute's campus is in Orange Park, Florida, I'll have to "suffer" a couple of times each year in order to attend course intensives and enjoy all that "ancient-future" worship with new friends!

My son and I have taken on an exciting project -- restoring a classic Hammond organ, complete with tone and Leslie cabinets.

Advent has begun, and our congregation's celebration of the season has been richer than ever. Our community of faith is growing deeper and larger and increasingly diverse. God is good.

And when it comes to blogging... well, a few years ago, when I was finishing my M.Div., it was my most prolific blogging season ever. I expect that doctoral studies will definitely reignite those writing/posting fires again.

Blessings,

Chris

December 11, 2008 at 11:54 PM | Permalink

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Chris,

Good to have you back:-) Happy Anniversary to you and your wife, and may God give you many more. Congratulations also on you acceptance into the IWS doctoral program.

BTW, I just finished reading Ancient-Future Worship. It was an enjoyable and challenging read, and now I am trying to process and understand it better. The emphasis on God's narrative (creation, incarnation, re-creation) was good, and the challenge to use God's Word to uphold that narrative was a needed reminder as well. It seems that, at least in the Evangelical world, we have tended to see God's Word our quick-fix manual (therapeutic preaching) rather than a revelation of himself to us.

Anyway, there is much that is still a bit abstract to me and I am trying to understand just how to apply it. Any thoughts you might have would be helpful.

Grace and Peace.

Posted by: Charlie | December 12, 2008 at 06:34 AM