IntenseDebate - JoshGarrington

15 years ago @ lifeasmission - Two Battles of Emergin... · 0 replies · +1 points

Being a local leader and never having attended any seminary I would argue knowing Greek and having read Augustine and Bohnhoffer are not requirements to being an effective leader in the faith community. As far as I know, I am the only local leader in my congregation who even has a college degree of any sort and I watch them proudly and effectively represent Christ to the world, making an effort to continuously learn more about their faith through whatever methods available.
Conversely, I know pastors who have had 2 (or more) years of seminary training who stagnated once they didn't have a teacher pounding the information into them.
What I'm reading is that your focus seems to be on the academy adjusting to meet the local church, but maybe that thesis should be expanded to included the local church also making an effort to reach out to the academy and guide them in. It's easier to land a boat at the dock if someone is waiting there to tie-up for you.

15 years ago @ lifeasmission - Two Battles of Emergin... · 2 replies · +1 points

I thought I responded to this last week, but I must have forgotten to hit submit.
I do agree with what you're saying, but the pragmatist in me sees a major hurdles.
How much is enough?
Some congregations wouldn't even consider having someone pastor their community without a doctorate. Many would require 4 years of seminary at least.
Tackling that level of training without removing oneself from daily life (including work) would take an extraordinary amount of time.

15 years ago @ lifeasmission - Two Battles of Emergin... · 4 replies · +1 points

I sit looking at basically the same situation from the other side of the table. I knew starting out that full time professional ministry is not for me (not because I disagree with the concept, but because it's not what God has planned for me at this point in my life).
I do, however, believe that the local church needs increased exposure to, and co-operation with, the academy. I've often told my wife that I would love nothing more than to take 4 years and attend seminary, and then go back to doing what I'm doing now, but I'd be better equipped to serve in the lay leadership of my local congregation as I do now.
Unfortunately, that's not an economically viable option for me. So I'm left with reading books in the time I can find, listening to free online courses (usually while doing something else), and scraping up whatever other resources I can find. The material available is immense. The problem is that I'm left working through it mostly by myself and not in community with other students under the guidance of a teacher.
Where is the middle ground? I don't know.

15 years ago @ Stuff Christians Like ... - Win 5 copies of Gabe L... · 0 replies · +1 points

Probably about 15 books or so.

15 years ago @ lifeasmission - The Arrogance of Chris... · 1 reply · +1 points

"What will become of us when our power and privilege is stripped away?"

We'll find out what Christians in the first 3 1/2 century of the Church really lived like.

15 years ago @ - Why I Believe in Mid-S... · 0 replies · +2 points

I notice you used the pronoun "her" to refer to the author of Hebrews. That has my interest sparked. I'd be curious to know more about your authorship theory.

15 years ago @ Reclaiming the Mission - On How Flat Leadership... · 0 replies · +1 points

I love these ideas. While I can't say for sure that I fully grasp the idea, I can say it tickles my brain and is beginning to fascinate me. I see two concerns, at least as far as my fledgling understanding goes.

1) From my reading, the Biblical example is nominally hierarchical. Acts and the epistles are full of higher authority giving instructions, as well as people appealing to higher authorities. Now, having said that, our denominational structures have shifted that hierarchy dangerously top heavy, but that's another issue.

2) From a purely pragmatic perspective, I tend to think any flat structure would naturally drift toward hierarchy. The natural human condition is to be part of a hierarchy and we are most comfortable there. That doesn't mean a flat structure could not be maintained, just that it might require an extraordinary amount of effort and focus to do so.

16 years ago @ Stuff Christians Like ... - Win 20 subscriptions t... · 0 replies · +1 points

Popular Science, probably, but it's been a while.

16 years ago @ Stuff Christians Like ... - Win an iPod Shuffle or... · 0 replies · +1 points

Some favorites:

internetmonk
Parchment and Pen
Boars Head Tavern
ESPN - NFC North
LifeAsMission
Reclaiming the Mission
The Gospel-Driven Church
The Rubicon
Ben Sternke
Koinonia

16 years ago @ Stuff Christians Like ... - Win 6 different books ... · 0 replies · +1 points

Periodically for a bit over a year. I've subscribed to the feed and read regularly for 4 or 5 months.

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