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I am beginning to realize the difference between a disjointed, individualistic and incomplete understanding of the Gospel, and its holistic and biblical alternative is made with one small word – “a”.  This is clearly seen in the two similar but vastly different phrases “God is saving people for himself”  vs. “God is saving a people for himself.”

One creates lots of individuals Christians, the other creates and extends the kingdom.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 says that when he was with Jews he acts more like them, and when he was around greeks he acted as if he was a Greek. The texts begs the question how should we interpret Paul’s actions in the chapter, and what motivation might we attribute to this very peculiar activity.

Some might ask was Paul simply going with the flow? Was he just giving into peer pressure? Furthermore, Did he leave an example of conformity for Christians after him.
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I found this video on the plow.

I know its still a debatable idea, but most of us living in the north east or the west coast are living in a post-Christian culture.

Ive recently listened to two talks by two different guys from different background. Both come down with similar strategies.
What does this mean for those of you reading this post:

No matter what style you like, if your goal is to see more people interact with Jesus, you need to listen to at least one of these guys.

Here is a bit of background:
Darren Patrick is the Pastor of the Journey in St. Louis and is connected with the Acts 29 Network.
David Bisgrove is one of the Assistant Pastor who have taken on some of the preaching at Redeemer NYC.

So for all those of you who think that wearing jeans with no holes is dressing up for church, and who are know the difference between emergent and emerging go check out Darren Patrick’s Talk. For those of you who have at least one blue blazer with the golden buttons, and are more comfortable with the organ than a gibson, you must listen to David Gisbon’s talk at the Gospel Coalition.

“When belonging in the social hierarchy of the local church becomes a greater desire than becoming Christ to our neighbors outside the church we have returned to the glum decor of the castle walls. Hiding in fear of losing a kingdom we never had or were called to build…”

Great post over at setnservice.

I subscribe to the Church Marketing Lab flickr pool.
Yesterday one of the contributors posted this info on a forum:
“Target demographic of our church: people who have never been to church, or those burned out on church and haven’t been in a long time.
Ages: 20s & 30 somethings”
Then today another said his church was “pursuing the un- or de-churched.”

I got to thinking about this and realized that I havent heard of a church seeking to minister to the “60-70 year olds who always loved church” market.
It seems like a few things need to noted. One a church should be seeking to engage its community, if you live in an town where only 20% of the population is 20-30 then I wonder if you are not being faithful to the call to engage your surrounding. Two, of course most people know the stat that says that most people become Christians when they are in their teens and twenties, but when we go after this group only, are we sending a message that says that we are willing to sacrifice today for tomorrow, that we think some how the Holy Spirit has a window of opportunity.

On the opposite side though in my mind it seems kind of like a given that a church is going to put effort into reaching those outside the kingdom. One might make a valid case that if a church is not trying to reach the world with the message of Christ, they have not received that message themselves.

In looking back on the long(tongue-in-cheek) time I have spent as a seminary student, I realize that there are a number of books that I wish I had been encouraged to read while at seminary, a few of these books were given as class texts, but most of them were simply recommendations from wiser men. So here is my attempt at a list of books that I think every person wanting to be a pastor(intern, seminarian, or whatever else they are called) should read. Books that classes might not required but that should be on your reading list anyways.

Here is my thinking behind these books, In Acts 6 we see that “prayer and to the ministry of the word” are central to shepherding God’s flock. We see other duties of a pastor in the rest of the NT(1 Peter 4, 1 Timothy, etc.), and what we develop is the idea that a pastor, is an under shepherd, to use Peter’s language. Therefore the books on this list are not necessarily about being an irresistible revolutionary, or how to find literary structures in the Old testament, but rather books that shape what we understood about God, our duty, and His flock.

If you can think of any books that should be on this list, drop me a comment.

1. A Faith Worth Sharing

   Our generation has guys like Keller and Piper to look up to. Their generation had men like Schaeffer and the lesser know Jack Miller. Dr Miller’s book a faith worth sharing is not a hard read but one that reveals hows a mature man of God can look back on his life, and evaluate what he did in his ministry. The book is an account of his personal walk with God from months after his conversion, to years later when he was teaching at Westminster and Planting New Life Presbyterian Church in Philly. If you appreciated the autobiographical way that Driscoll wrote Confessions of a Reformission Rev you will be strengthened by this book.

2. Biblical Preaching

   If preaching, and teaching is one of the key aspects of preparing to be a pastor, then this book is a must. This one was required in school and I am very grateful that it was.

3. Manual of Christian Doctrine
   

   I know that if you are planning on being a pastor you will own at least one type of systematic theology book. As long as you are evangelical you will appreciate Louis Berkof’s Manual of Christian Doctrine. I know the title sounds like the book is going to be 3000 pages worth of nap time, but this book is actually a trimmed down version of his Systematic Theology, which some call the other big blue sleeping pill.

4. Missionary Methods: Paul’s or Ours

   Roland Allen was a missionary in the lineage of men like Hudson Taylor. He was a missionary to China, with the Anglican Church, and while there he started asking tougher questions about the way a church in a non Christian society worked. He came down saying local churches needed to be “self-supporting, self-propagating, and self-governing”. In this work he traces the Paul’s missionary efforts, and asks the question: Are we following Paul’s pattern or are we making it up as we go along.

5. 2000 Years of Christ Power
   

   This three volume history text, makes reading about church history interesting and enjoyable. Needham’s writing style makes you think that maybe there could be some reason to read about the men that stood before us(again tongue-inc-cheek).

6. Biblical Hermeneutics

   So this is not the most exciting of reads but if you want to be a pastor than you need to care about the Bible.

7. Blue Like Jazz

   Now I know that some of you are scratching your heads on this one but guess what like it or hate it Blue Like Jazz has sold over 550,000 copies world wide.Which means that we are going to run into a lot off people who really really like this book. I can think of one guy in the church where I work, who said that he would give this book to struggling friend. If Paul could read greek poets we can read don Miller(do I have to say tongue-in-cheek).

8. Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless
   

   Yup a second Jack Miller book. I’m actually reading this book not and and very upset at the fact that it was not required reading at seminary. So many men could really benefit from what Dr. Miller has to say on this topic. If you think your evangelism can improve then get this book.

9. Eternal Word and Changing Worlds

   I feel confident in saying that many people under the age of 60 will say that this is a classic. It actually took me a couple of times before I could really start to understand and appreciate this book. As one WTS professor has suggested, you could probably start at section three and find the book more understandable and easier to read, and then go back to the other sections.

10. Confessions of a Reformission Rev.

    I was hesitant to put this on the list because its one of those books thats hip-to-own. I decided to put it on here because I am guessing that most seminary guys dont read this book, maybe Im wrong and its required for Emerging Missiology 101. I’ve read this book three times now, and I still enjoy the way that Driscoll, seeks to be biblical and yet is very honest and sometimes cutting about certain practices (ie. “As I studied the Bible, I found more warrant for a church led by unicorns than by majority vote” p.103). Driscoll examines why we do what we do.

An Evangelist like Jack Miller.

If you have not checked out the Gospel Coalition’s new website, you need to. They have posted 5 videos from their recent conference.
Here is a quote from Tim Keller’s talk entitled “What Does Gospel Centered Ministry Look Like?”:

“The basic subject of every sermon ought to be Jesus! It Doesn’t matter what passage, It doesn’t matter if its the Old Testament or the New Testament. Its got to be about Jesus…My friend Sinclair Ferguson says that most evangelical ministers don’t preach Christ, not only do they not preach Christ in the old test most of them don’t preach Christ in the New Testament.”