Tag: faith

JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakforMe.com

MondayMorningInsight reports that President Bush’s pastor is supporting Barack Obama this year and has started a new website :: JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakforMe.com.

From the website:

James Dobson doesn’t speak for me.

He doesn’t speak for me when he uses religion as a wedge to divide;

He doesn’t speak for me when he speaks as the final arbiter on the meaning of the Bible;

James Dobson doesn’t speak for me when he uses the beliefs of others as a line of attack;

He doesn’t speak for me when he denigrates his neighbor’s views when they don’t line up with his;

He doesn’t speak for me when he seeks to confine the values of my faith to two or three issues alone;

Continue reading JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakforMe.com

Quote for today

“Church communities ought to be cauldrons of theological participation and imagination. that’s why we make churches… we are supposed to gather together in communities to engage in theological participation and imagination just as Christians have done all along.”

– Doug Pagitt
Aug 30, 2007
emergent village podcast

Changing roles in ministry

Mike Blythe writes about his recent changes from being a physician at the hospital in Jos, Nigeria, to helping oversee much of SIMS IT work in the area.

It’s interesting how sometimes God calls us from one ministry to the other. He may call us to the front lines, only to later call us to move into a background role – in support of others on the front line. And vice-versa. Sometimes we’re willing and ready. Sometimes we go kicking and screaming.

Sometimes we have to be pulled and pushed by those around us as well just to even get started in a ministry. What frustrations, issues have you found as God moves you from one direction to another?

More quizes

Well I’d like to think I have a generous orthodoxy. I’ve told Laurie recently that I couldn’t tell you where I fall in the “theological spectrum.” But apparently, according to this quiz, I fall primarily in the emergent/postmodern mindset. But because I’d like to think I have a generous orthodoxy – know that where ever you fall – is cool with me ;-). Oh and hat-tip to Chad for the quiz link.

What’s your theological worldview?
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Emergent/Postmodern

You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don’t think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern
89%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan
71%

Neo orthodox
57%

Reformed Evangelical
57%

Fundamentalist
39%

Classical Liberal
36%

Charismatic/Pentecostal
36%

Modern Liberal
32%

Roman Catholic
25%

Quote for the day

“We want to create a sense of community, particularly that which will included those who are marginalized…We try to help them discover what does ‘good news mean for them’. Whatever that is we try to work for that. For some it might mean providing friendship… it may mean providing support groups… it may involve literacy training… or a co-op for generating income… or an advocacy group.”
– Dave Andrews of the Australian Waiters Union
via Nick & Josh Podcast

twisted pressure on pastors

Brian shared some thoughts on the encounter blog about pastors and a new book by George Barna, Pagan Christianity…

  • 94 percent feel pressured to have an ideal family
  • 90 percent work more than 46 hours a week
  • 81 percent say they have insufficient time with their spouse
  • 80 percent believe that pastoral ministry affects their family negatively
  • 70 percent do not have someone they consider a close friend
  • 70 percent have lower self-esteem than when they entered the ministry
  • 50 percent feel unable to meet the demands of the job
  • 80 percent feel discouraged and deal with depression
  • more than 40 percent report that they are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules, and unrealistic expectations
  • 33 percent consider pastoral ministry an outright hazard to their family
  • 33 percent have seriously considered leaving their position in the past year
  • 40 percent of pastoral resignations are due to burnout

Brian says he’s rarely faced any of these issues since encounter began, but I wonder if there are other pastors in our lives that might be struggling with these issues while there are things we can take off their plate, encourage them about, or ensure them that its not expected of them.