Spencer Burke Responds to Ariel’s Blog
Recently an article that Ariel had posted a year ago was published at the ooze.net. Because Spencer has been under some scrutinty for views expressed in an upcoming book, Ariel posted a funny response to the his article being published at the ooze. Wouldn’t you know it that low and behold Spencer himself responed to the post. Check it out.
Free Derek Webb
So apparently D Webb (that’s what I’m calling him now, even though I don’t know him) is giving away the entire Mockingbird CD absolutely free in about 3 days. Click the banner on the sidebar to find out more.
Desiring God National Conference
On Sept 28-29 I will be attending the Desiring God Naitonal Conference. This years theme is Above All Earthly Powers: The Supremecy of Christ in a Postmodern World. I have to say that I believe this will be one of the most important events to take place this year. The church is in desperate need of clairty on these issues. Not only on the issues of postmodernism but about what it means to be missional. I personally believe that what is at stake is nothing less than the purity of the gospel.
The line of men presenting is just unbelievable. I don’t say that to pump up people over Christ, I just know that these are men who can both present God’s word and asscess culture. Even if you can’t go I recommend you checking out all of the weekly videos posted here.
What Would it take for One Emerger to wonder whether another Emerger is a Heretic? A rethinking of the Trinity Perhaps?
There’s an interesting development over at Scot McKnight’s blog, Jesuscreed.org. Apparently Scot is reviewing Spencer Burke’s latest book A Heritic’s Guide to Eternity and has found it lacking not to mention heretical. Spencer Burke is the founder of theooze.net and a leader in the Emerging Church movement.
Things We Should Know Without Having to Do a Study
Check out this article. Talk about stating the obvious.
Narrative vs. Proposition
Here’s a response I typed to a great bl0g by Dr. Devine (my theology prof). Check it out here.
I think the Emergent guys are so attracted to narrative because of their belief that we are stuck on the inside of language and therefore can’t know meanings. In there mind all we can know is the words that we use in our particular community. This makes narrative appealing because it’s easier to sit around and make up your own meaning to a story than it is a list of propositions. The problem I see is not with story and narrative itself (Jesus used this technique all the time.) The problem is that there are many times when Jesus used narrative in his parables and then gave their meaning. He even went so far as to give direct corrolations. Example, this kind of soil = this kind of person. It seems to me that story and narrative when used properly, take things that can be real “heady” and drive them into the level of the heart. Story was never meant to cancel out proposition but rather to be a tool through which proposition could reach our hearts.
Mark Driscoll – On Worship Leaders and their Manliness (or lack thereof)
There’s so much to talk about in this book, so I think I’ll start with something fun and close to home. One of the things Mark Driscoll is known best for is the particular way in which he speaks his mind on almost any subject under the sun. In chapter 6 of Confessions he sets his sites squarely on worship leaders (yikes!). In particular he addresses their lack of manly qualities. Referring to the new worship leader he hired he says,
“I really liked Tim because he is one of the few manly men whom I have ever seen leading worship. I am not supposed to say this, but most of the worship dudes I have heard are not very dudely. They seem to be very in touch with their feelings and exceedingly chickified from playing too much acoustic guitar and singing prom songs to Jesus while channeling Michael Bolton and flipping their hair. Tim was a guy who brewed his own beer, smoked a pipe, rock climbed, mountain biked, river rafted, carried a knife on his belt and talked about what he thought more than what he felt. “ (146)
Fortunately, I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that I have never channeled Michael Bolton while leading worship, or ever for that matter. I don’t think I sing prom songs to Jesus. It makes me think of singing I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore by REO SpeedWagon for the invitation. I’d be interested to know what in Driscoll’s mind qualifies as a “Jesus prom song?” Is that any song that express or uses the words, “I love you?” I’ve just heard so many people complain about the touchy-feely nature of modern worship (and I’m not saying there isn’t a lot of truth to it), but the only song anyone ever references is a song called Draw Me Close. Give me names of songs. That’s all I ask.
I think the real question here is what qualifies as true manliness and how does it apply to worship leaders. As much as I like Driscoll (and I really do like this book), I think sometimes his jock mentality leads him into overstatement, which often boarder lines on the ridiculous. For instance, is the acoustic guitar less manly than the electric? Does the fact that I prefer a Coke rather than a beer disqualify me? Do I need to start packing heat on stage in order to be manly or is simply having a knife enough to get me in the club? What about a nightstick? Although now that I think about it the nightstick might be too reminiscent of the Village People and then we’re back to square one again. Your thoughts?
Mark Driscoll
Over the next few weeks I’ll be entering into a group blog of Mark Driscoll’s book Confessions of a Reformission Rev. The blog will be hosted by Ariel Vandershost at his blog, www.bittersweatblue.blogspot.com. I’ll repost all my posts here as well. Stay tuned, this could be interesting.
