Total Church: Why Gospel?

'Churches can also polarize beween intellectualism (what you think is what matters) or emotionalism (what you feel is what matters). In some churches issues of the hear and emotions have become functionally asent. We acknowledge their importance, but they feature little in our lives. Some of us just do not like to talk bout our relationship with the Lord in emotive terms. But we need look no further than the Psalms to see how important emotion is in true faith.' (p29)

To sum up
The gospel is a word so the churhc must be word-centred (p31)
The gospel is a missionary word so the church must be mission-centred (p32)

Implications
'So being gospel-centred means being both word-centred and being mission-centred. The church exists both through the gospel and for the gospel.'(p32)

'We sometimes ask people to imagine they are part to imagine they are part of a church planting team in a cross-cultural situation in some other part of the world: What criteria would you use to decide where to live? How would you approch secular employment? What standard of living would you expect as pioneer missionaries? What would you spend your time doing? What opportunities would you be looking for? What would your prayers be like? What would you be trying to do with your new friends? What kind of team would you want around you? How would you conduct your meetings together?
We find it easier to be radical in our thinking when we transplant ourselves outside our current situation. But we are as much missionaries here and now as we would be if we were part of a cross-cultural team in another part of the world. Mission is central to us whereever we are. These are the kind of questions we should be asking wherever we are

Books: Total Church - Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

Now that I have got over my uncomfortableness (is that a word?) about writing in books, I'm finding it much easier to read books critically (as I can now write exclamation marks in the margin!). I can also annotate comments next to paragraphs which are particularly interesting.
One of the first books to be subjecting to my scribblings is "Total Church - a radical reshaping around gospel and community" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.

The blurb on the back is as follows:
"Total Churchpleads for two key principles for church and mission. First, the gospel as content: being word-centred (for the gospel is truth) and being mission-centred (for the gospel is truth to be proclaimed). Secondly, the community as context: sharing our lives as Christians and offering a place of belonging to unbelievers.

The authors apply these principles to church planting, evangelism, apologetics, social involvement, leadership, discipleship, pastoral care, world mission and notions of sccuess. They critique current trends within the church: emerging church movements are strong on community but weak on truth, while conservative evangelicalism is strong on truth but weak on community. Their call is a call for the best of both"

The Glory of Christ - John Owen - 1. Seeing Christ's Glory

Notes from Ch.1(abridged and made easy to read by R.J.K.Law)

"The greatest desire that Christ expressed in his prayer was that his people might be with him to behold his glory"John 17:24. 1
"He is not concerned that his disciples should merely see how glorious he was, but that the beholding of his glory might bring encouragement, strength, satisfaction and blessedness to his disciples". 2

* cf Joseph charging his brothers to tell his father of all his 'glory in Egypt' (Gen 45:13) to make his father happy and satisfied

"Only a sight of his glory, and nothing else, will truly satisfy God's people. The hearts of believers are like a magnetised needle which cannot rest until it is pointing north. So also, a believer, magnetised by the love of Christ, will always be restless until he or she comes to Christ and beholds his glory." 2
"... beholding the glory of Christ is one of the greatest privileges that believers are capable of in this world, or even in that which is to come. Indeed, it is by beholding the glory of Christ that believers are first gradually transformed into his image, and then brought into the eternal enjoyment of it, because they shall be 'for ever like him' for they 'shall see him as he is' 2 Cor 3:18, 1 John 3:1-2). On this depend our present comforts and future blessedness. This is the life and reward of our souls (John 14:9,2 Cor 4:6) 4.

* 2 ways to behold the glory of Christ: by faith in this world (evidence of things not seen), and by sight in the next 2 Cor 5:7-8, 1 Cor 13:12
* What is the glory of Christ? - grace and truth John 1:14

"It is by beholding the glory of Christ by faith that we are spiritually edified and built up in this world, for as we behold his glory, the life and power of faith grow stronger and stronger. It is by faith that we grow to love Christ. So if we desire strong faith and powerful love, which give us rest, peace and satisfaction, we must seek them by diligently beholding the glory of Christ by faith." 7

By beholding the glory of Christ we shall:

* be transformed 'into the same image' 2 Cor 3:18
* find rest to our souls - 'to be spiritually minded is peace' Rom 8:6
* begin to experience what it means to be everlastingly blessed - 1 Thess 4:17, Phil 1:23,John 17:24, 1 John 3:2

"Sometimes, when reading and meditating on the Bible our heads are filled with such a sense of the uncreated glory of God shining through Jesus Christ that we experience unspeakable joy. So arises that 'peace of God which passes all understanding', which keeps 'our heads and minds through Jesus Christ' (Phil 4:7). Christ in believers 'the hope of glory' (Col 1:27) gives them the foretaste of that future glory.

The Oath of Canonical Obedience - Gerald Bray

I've just finished reading the above. It is a slim volume published by the Latimer Trust (Latimer Studies 58).
It seems to present the arguments (with which I am admittedly unfamiliar) quite clearly.
In the Introduction GB argues that the main issues currently debated are:
- the principle of obedience - does this apply to the relationship between a bishop and the clergy in his diocese?
- the concept of an oath - is an oath the best or most Scriptural way of achieving 'canonical obedience' (should such a thing be desirable)
- the relationship of a bishop to the rest of the clergy - is the epsicopate a distinct and 'superior' order in the church or is it inappropriate for describing different patterns of Christian ministry?
- the applicability of the current canons - can the canons be applied today in a coherent and sensible manner.

Following chapters therefore as follows:
* Obedience
* Oaths
* The rights and duties of a bishop
* The current applicability of the canons
* Concluding considerations