Comments for uneven ground

Comment on Apparently I’m Stupid, Part 1 by Apparently I’m Stupid, Part 2 | uneven ground

Apparently I’m Stupid, Part 2 | uneven ground — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:15:54 +0000

[...] about a week ago I posted the first part of my thoughts gleaned from this debate. Below is part number [...]

Comment on Random Thoughts from the Weekend by Doug Sprague

Doug Sprague — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:18:08 +0000

Does Road Warrior count since it’s Australian?

Comment on Random Thoughts from the Weekend by Ann Politzer

Ann Politzer — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:36:30 +0000

I empathize with you–a bit–about the Raider’s fans. But I gotta say: without the Black Hole for artistic inspiration, both Road Warrior & and the 2nd episode of Lord of the Rings would have been visually flaccid. Fun post!

Comment on Apparently I’m Stupid, Part 1 by Doug Sprague

Doug Sprague — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:21:40 +0000

Morgan, good question my friend. Short answer, yes I do. I also think as Christians in general we have a hard time actually listening to Jesus’ teachings (I definitely include myself). This is what I love about the BIble being the Living Word—even though there are hundreds of years between us and Jesus, and lots of cultural differences to maneuver through, we still are able to see ourselves in the characters of the Bible. The Pharisees who reject Jesus do so for the same reasons that we do today. The Pharisees were doing what they thought God wanted them to do. They were the gatekeepers who told everyone what they had to do to be good with God, didn’t accept any challenges, and they drew it from the Bible. So when Jesus came and told them they were wrong and that God wanted them to do something else, also drawn from the Bible, they couldn’t handle it. Their leadership paradigm couldn’t accept being challenged by anyone and their theology was black and white. This is where we need to be aware as leaders in the church so that we don’t make these same mistakes. We need to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit, however and in whoever it manifests. Clearly this isn’t easy, and not everything is from God, but I wonder if we shouldn’t err on the side of being a little too inclusive instead of too exclusive.

Comment on Miscellany by Doug Sprague

Doug Sprague — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:30:17 +0000

Evans, I have zero doubt that Reggie could do every one of those tricks. I also am completely confident that he has zero desire to do any of them as well.

Should we start our own progressive Presbyterian megachurch together? How would that even work?

Comment on Miscellany by Evans Ledbetter Presley-Mcgowan

Evans Ledbetter Presley-Mcgowan — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:02:49 +0000

even more impressive tricks to teach Reggie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTTfmoklBok&feature=autoshare

Interesting infographic about megachurches… especially the money they’re raking in!

Chuck Queen’s piece brings some helpful insights into the “touchy subject” of biblical reading. I’m leading a lectio divina group this Sunday… yet another way to read the bible.

Comment on Apparently I’m Stupid, Part 1 by mjdavis2542

mjdavis2542 — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:51:14 +0000

Would you say (based on your last paragraph) that church leaders today saying they want to avoid teachig theology, or avoid it altogether, are much like the church leaders of Jesus’ day who chose to not listen or flat out rebuke his teachings?

Comment on I’m Not Even Thirty Yet! by Evans Ledbetter Presley-Mcgowan

Evans Ledbetter Presley-Mcgowan — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:33:47 +0000

amen. well said. there is beauty beneath the veil of death. yet we don’t always have eyes to see it or hearts to feel it. it takes time and one has to go through “stages” of grief, which often is in cycles rather than a linear progression. still, death questions the very root of our existence. it’s the grounder yet also destroyer of our reality. yet something still goes on…

(note: I went to seminary with Doug and recently was ordained)

Comment on I Was That Kid…, Ctd. by Ann Politzer

Ann Politzer — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:34:57 +0000

Hey! We’re all about dichotomy. Go Base Desires! Go Higher Intellect! Go Uneven Ground! Rah!

Comment on You Want Me to go Where? by outin2thedeep

outin2thedeep — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:38:02 +0000

The model that our church has taken on for both pastors and lay leaders is an in-church seminary/leadership style model. The program is taken from SEMBEQ out of Montreal, Quebec Canada which is about a multiplication model that then forces churches to plant b/c it has three qualified lead pastors, three qualified music leaders, three qualified children’s directors etc. It trains those involved in both theology and godly living in the context where they will be working with coaches who can train “on the job” as it were. all the while, creating new leaders who will then replicate their jobs at the new churches they work at.
Seminary is not dying i don’t think, but it will certainly take more of a specialized place in the future i think. Especially until there is – as that post suggested – more of an inter-dependent working between the two and where seminarians don’t just ‘check out’ of the local church for 2-4 years while they try to learn to work in a church