Comments on: Highs and Lows…. http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/highs-and-lows/ "It is for freedom Christ has set you free!" Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:38:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: plukevdh http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/highs-and-lows/#comment-361 plukevdh Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:40:00 +0000 http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/?p=98#comment-361 Totally agree on the fact that speaking about a passage is very useful to people, especially in working to explain the history/background or original language of a passage. So I hope this post didn't come across as condemning of that means of teaching. BUT, I think there should be more of letting the Bible speak as it is written, plain and simply. Its a story that is worth telling by letting it speak as it was spoken... Certainly we need to understand it for the purpose of making it live in our lives, especially as teachers, but I think there is great benefit to reading without feeling the need to draw all possible points possible from each word of Scripture. I would read the Bible far more, I think if I thought of it as something I can read for fun, instead of always needing to pull out application. The OT is a cool segment to read when I look at it this way. Again, not trying to undermine teaching on passages, but I think there should be equal time for just plain ole reading too! Thanks for the clarification. Sometimes I word things too blanketedly (thats not a word :) Totally agree on the fact that speaking about a passage is very useful to people, especially in working to explain the history/background or original language of a passage. So I hope this post didn’t come across as condemning of that means of teaching. BUT, I think there should be more of letting the Bible speak as it is written, plain and simply. Its a story that is worth telling by letting it speak as it was spoken… Certainly we need to understand it for the purpose of making it live in our lives, especially as teachers, but I think there is great benefit to reading without feeling the need to draw all possible points possible from each word of Scripture. I would read the Bible far more, I think if I thought of it as something I can read for fun, instead of always needing to pull out application. The OT is a cool segment to read when I look at it this way.

Again, not trying to undermine teaching on passages, but I think there should be equal time for just plain ole reading too!

Thanks for the clarification. Sometimes I word things too blanketedly (thats not a word :)

]]> By: Pete vdH http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/highs-and-lows/#comment-360 Pete vdH Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:49:02 +0000 http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/?p=98#comment-360 Hey Luke. I was accused a year or more ago of listening to much to what others said and not spending enough time in The Book. I thought at the time that there was some truth to that but at the same time I was spending a good deal of time reading and studying and generally without outside commentary. It was odd to me that the person who made that characterization of our church board, also attended a woman's ministry on a regular basis, led Bible studies for other women, and attended conferences and seminars for women. In fact I would ask you as well. What have you read more pages of lately, scripture? or human authors about philosophy, the emergent church, postmodernism, etc. What have you written more about lately, quoted scipture or your own ideas of what you are exploring is right and wrong with society, the church, politics, etc. I'm not denegrating your choices there but rather trying to show you that there is a very real place for preachers, teachers, authors to take the word of God and help to contextualize it for the hearers. There are examples of that in scripture in Stephen's defense before he was murdered. The book of James was a pastors notes of his sermon to his congregation. We have record of Apollos teaching with great ability even when his knowledge was limited and had to be filled out by Priscilla and Aquilla. Paul taught Timothy much that he needed to know so that he could pass it on to the church at Ephesus. Similarly he taught Titus to manage the church at Corinth (I may have the churches they were sent to wrong, I'm speaking without checking my facts right now). The danger of course is that there are false teachers out there. Paul knew that too and suggested that the church never accept blindly what is spoken by a "teacher" but take what is said and run it against the standard of scripture. Could God have chosen just to give us his word and supernaturally reveal an understanding of what it means and how it applies? Yes, but he didn't do that. Instead he says "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news". If you look at where that quote in Romans comes from, Isaiah 52:7, you see it was more than just a proclamation of scripture. Gap I'm a little over half way through McLaren's book. I want to finish before I comment on it or your questions from a few posts ago. Hey Luke. I was accused a year or more ago of listening to much to what others said and not spending enough time in The Book. I thought at the time that there was some truth to that but at the same time I was spending a good deal of time reading and studying and generally without outside commentary. It was odd to me that the person who made that characterization of our church board, also attended a woman’s ministry on a regular basis, led Bible studies for other women, and attended conferences and seminars for women. In fact I would ask you as well. What have you read more pages of lately, scripture? or human authors about philosophy, the emergent church, postmodernism, etc. What have you written more about lately, quoted scipture or your own ideas of what you are exploring is right and wrong with society, the church, politics, etc. I’m not denegrating your choices there but rather trying to show you that there is a very real place for preachers, teachers, authors to take the word of God and help to contextualize it for the hearers. There are examples of that in scripture in Stephen’s defense before he was murdered. The book of James was a pastors notes of his sermon to his congregation. We have record of Apollos teaching with great ability even when his knowledge was limited and had to be filled out by Priscilla and Aquilla. Paul taught Timothy much that he needed to know so that he could pass it on to the church at Ephesus. Similarly he taught Titus to manage the church at Corinth (I may have the churches they were sent to wrong, I’m speaking without checking my facts right now). The danger of course is that there are false teachers out there. Paul knew that too and suggested that the church never accept blindly what is spoken by a “teacher” but take what is said and run it against the standard of scripture. Could God have chosen just to give us his word and supernaturally reveal an understanding of what it means and how it applies? Yes, but he didn’t do that. Instead he says “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news”. If you look at where that quote in Romans comes from, Isaiah 52:7, you see it was more than just a proclamation of scripture.

Gap

I’m a little over half way through McLaren’s book. I want to finish before I comment on it or your questions from a few posts ago.

]]> By: Kaitlin S. http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/highs-and-lows/#comment-359 Kaitlin S. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:41:32 +0000 http://plukevdh.wordpress.com/?p=98#comment-359 I'm one hundred percent with you on the power of pure Scripture. As important as exegesis and interpretation are, there is so much to just being covered in Scripture itself. Psalm 119 is just one place that talks about having a love for God's word. And that doesn't come from having it on your shelf! It comes from reading, and reading, and reading. Sometimes we think we need to add to Scripture to make it powerful enough to change people's lives, but that is not true. Scripture is more powerful than anything we could ever come up with. Use it! Not only was I encouraged and convicted by today's chapel, but I also loved when they did that chapel right before Easter that was just the redemptive story from OT to NT using chunks of Scripture for the whole chapel. One of the highlights of this year has definitely been God's answer to my prayer for a growing passion for Scripture. I’m one hundred percent with you on the power of pure Scripture. As important as exegesis and interpretation are, there is so much to just being covered in Scripture itself. Psalm 119 is just one place that talks about having a love for God’s word. And that doesn’t come from having it on your shelf! It comes from reading, and reading, and reading. Sometimes we think we need to add to Scripture to make it powerful enough to change people’s lives, but that is not true. Scripture is more powerful than anything we could ever come up with. Use it! Not only was I encouraged and convicted by today’s chapel, but I also loved when they did that chapel right before Easter that was just the redemptive story from OT to NT using chunks of Scripture for the whole chapel. One of the highlights of this year has definitely been God’s answer to my prayer for a growing passion for Scripture.

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