Reading the Bible Missionally

Our own orientation affects how we approach scripture. Here are some alternative questions to help us to read it less egocentrically...

CONTEXT: How does this text read us and our world?

GOSPEL: How does this text evangelize us with good news?

CHANGE: How does this text convert us in personal and corporate life?

MISSION: How does this text send us and equip our witness?

FUTURE: How does this text orient us to the coming reign of God?

Download details about these questions here

Simple visual overview of Luke

Here's simple overview of Luke’s gospel, visually connecting geography with the book’s structure (adapted from Early Narrative Christology: The Lord in the Gospel of Luke by C. Kavin Rowe). PDF version (486 KB)

 http://visualunit.me/2012/02/06/luke-overview

The whole site is worth exploring for all its other  biblical infographics.

The Good - Modesty vs. Extravagance

The Good - Modesty vs. Extravagance 

As I did my yearly whipper-snipping today on a beautiful, totally blue autumn morning, I started to reflect on the tension between two ideals as my clumsy title implies. 

What is the 'good', or rather, the balance point that we as Christians should move towards in life? Depending on the 'brand' of christianity that you lean towards (or that you have come from), either end of this spectrum can be 'good' or 'bad'. 

I found it interesting the degree of pleasure that I had 'improving' the state of my yard: pruning, trimming and weeding as I went, and gradually the activity began to spawn forth visions of 'grander designs' that exceeded the state of our home. Not to suggest that what we have is either too small or not able to meet our needs, or to the other extreme, too big.

Thus my train of thought.

And to where does this line of thinking lead? How would Christ have us live? Should we pursue objects of beauty and 'improve' environment, or should we refrain and live with greater modesty? 

I think that at this point in time I will to some degree withhold comment, as really, this is a life's journey and one that I don't have great clarity on given my current vantage point. I do think that there is a place for aesthetic beauty in this world, to be reflected not just in 'proper works of art', but also in our houses and gardens and attire. Don't get me wrong, I also think that this is a tenuous line and balance point that we need tread (and I know that I am the first to hold others in contempt for their seeming investment in such things). 

What I do think is this, that we need to respond to the Holy Spirit in terms of conviction, and our discipline in that response. 

Do we give when we are compelled from within? 

Do we act as good stewards in living in a way that is honourable? 

Do we work towards the 'good' in the possessions that we have?

And perhaps, most importantly, do we 'do' this out of a knowledge and response of our true value, or so that we 'feel' that we have value…

More to think on this.

Angry Birds

Angry Birds.

I just survived one of the most rewarding (and exhausting) experiences in my parenting life. 

As a parent, there comes a time when you end up in a situation where you have to hold the fort without the skills and experience that a mother (namely, my wife) brings to the family dynamics. This was the situation that I found my self in this last weekend.

For me, the highlight of the weekend was seeing my two youngest children having a world of fun (see pictures below) playing a game, almost of their own invention. Here is how the moment went down:

Bang! Bang! ….. Bang! [sounds of children jumping off the bed onto a mattress on the floor]

Dad: Kids - what are you doing?

Son: We’re playing ‘Angry Birds’. She is the pig and we’re knocking down the castle.

Now, my normal reaction to this type of activity - would be to feel a sense of stress, followed by an exasperated, ‘don’t jump off the beds - that’s not what they’re made for’. Instead - seeing the joy on their faces - and the fact that they were playing in a (relatively) safe way - I replied:

Cool.

So - I learned something this weekend. The ability to relax and enjoy your children being themselves and doing what they do is about (well partially) about letting go. I feel like I have more to ‘learn’ in this way and with any luck - I’ll get better at it too. 

If the beds were a little stronger - I would play ‘Angry Birds’ too.