by Bret Capranica | Dec 12, 2006 | Bookreviews, Ecclesiology, Seeker-Sensitive
On the revamping of the church by men such as George Barna “The expectations of the postwar baby boomers have been shaped by such a therapeutic bounty and surfeit of on-demand entertainment that small, struggling, one-dimensional churches may well appear unattractive and uninviting however real and faithful their worship and service may be. In order to offer a rich array of programs to this new generation – a large selection of Sunday school classes, support groups, and specialized pastoral staff from which to choose, good child care facilities, and engaging (or even entertaining) worship services – churches have to become large. This generation is used to working and living within large bureaucratic structures, so they may well feel more at home in the corporate environs of a megachurch than in the more familial context of a small congregation. That may explain why a new megachurch emerges every two weeks in America” (74). “What is going to happen when churches meet all of the felt needs of their consumers and then realize that they have failed to meet the genuine need for meaning? Meaning is provided by the functioning of truth – specifically biblical truth – in the life of the congregation”...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 12, 2006 | Culture, General Theology
Gay and Evangelical, Seeking Acceptance – New York Times “Justin Lee believes that the Virgin birth was real, that there is a heaven and a hell, that salvation comes through Christ alone and that he, the 29-year-old son of Southern Baptists, is an evangelical Christian. Just as he is certain about the tenets of his faith, Mr. Lee also knows he is gay, that he did not choose it and cannot change it.” So, mere mental assent and emotional affection for God and Jesus means one is a Christian and a conservative Evangelical. Have you ever heard this theology before? The New York Times article is another example of how the debate over the lordship of Christ in salvation has indeed resulted in a redefinition of the gospel. This group of evangelical homosexuals is also a fascinating display of the mixture of liberal theological approaches to the Bible. I have had a few conversations with some conservative Christians in more liberal denominations, who believe homosexuality is still an unbiblical issue of sin. Yet, they also reject the idea that the the inerrancy of the Scripture has had any effect or relevance in the debate over homosexuality. The NYT article shows differently. “In fact, both sides look to Scripture. The debate is largely over seven passages in the Bible about same-sex couplings. Mr. Gagnon and other traditionalists say those passages unequivocally condemn same-sex couplings. Those who advocate acceptance of gay people assert that the passages have to do with acts in the context of idolatry, prostitution or violence. The Bible, they argue, says nothing about homosexuality as it is largely...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 11, 2006 | Time/Life Management
Interesting concepts here about creating virtual work space for teams. Get Spaces for Productivity – lifehack.org
by Bret Capranica | Dec 11, 2006 | Time/Life Management
Being one who works with a team and sees the value of an Administrative Assistance, this is a good review of how the popular Getting Things Done can work with teams and Admin Assts. Ideamatt on GTD with support staff | 43...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 11, 2006 | Interviews
In this installment of Adrian Warnock’s interview, Wayne Grudem discusses his understanding of women teaching in the church and addresses the idea proposed of women allowed to give “non-authoritative” teaching vs. “authoritative” Bible teaching. SPECIAL NOTE: THE CAPRANICA was blogspotted by the mighty Warnock blog!! We in the villa are most humbled. Adrian’s Blog: INTERVIEW – Wayne Grudem, Part Five – Must a Woman Always Remain Silent in...
