Bignorm.net

Gospel Thoughts From Mark

bignorm — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:03:55 +0000

I bring a fresh thread to bgnmdtnt from my personal study life: thoughts from Marks Gospel.

David Garland’s NIV Commentary has been aiding me, so I probably bring a mixture of thoughts from both scripture and the Dr’s opinions. I’ve deliberatedly made it slowly to chapter three of Mark. Lots to consider here.

Let me open your thoughts for discussion by presenting something that has been a reasonably large chord in my christian awareness recently: unity (or lack or it in the body too often). Jesus proclaims in Mark 3:25 says “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”

Garland comments on this hot area:

“Vicious criticism of others in religious circles stems form a variety of motives: sincere distress over something radically new, genuine alarm over what is perceived to be heresy, a desire to reassure that we belong to the good guys by branding others as bad guys, or a craven dread of losing power.” (Garland p.142)

Someone once said that “character is who we are when we are alone.” To often I’ve noticed that believers get caught up in wranglings about things which don’t really matter; clandestine tittle-tattle that is divisive and poisonous, and ultimately, unnecessary lies and speculation that proves cancerous and paralysing to God’s People and the development of His Kingdom.

There’ll probably be few comments on this post, or answers to these questions, sadly, due to the scale of discord that often exists within the “body”. I’ll ask it anyway for you to ponder at least:

Of the four that Garland mentions, which do you think are most common in your “house”? And, how much are you contributing to the unifying process?

“Word Centered” Church

bignorm — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:00:19 +0000

Thoughts from Total Church:

What do we mean when we say a church is a “Word centred church?” Chester and Timmis think that we are really just saying that the church teaches a passage from the Bible through a monologue every Sunday. Thus, they say that being “Word centred” really means “Sermon centred”. Chester and Timmis comment that the danger in this assumption is that it assumes that the Bible can only be taught this way, nudging some of Jesus’ primary methods of teaching – stories, sayings and dialogue, into a subordinate position.

They go on to point out that there is little evidence in the New Testament for sermons as we know them today – on a Sunday, from a pulpit. They continue to evidence their argument from NT scripture, saying “sermons” in Acts were Holy-Spirit-triggered unprepared defence speeches before a court or a mob. Not classic “three pointers” using “Powerpoint”, with the band fading in during the appeal at the end.

Their onslaught of Sunday sermons continues when they claim that Sunday sermons are a Constantinian invention, not a NT Holy Spirit inspired model. To reinforce their point they refer to evidence from IBM and the UK Post office. Both institutions carried out studies a few years back that showed that people who learn by hearing alone retain 10%. Whereas, people who learn by hearing, being shown, and experiencing, retain a whopping 65%!

Have a read at the chapter yourself Total_Church_-_Ch_7_Discipleship_and_training.

When I read this chapter I instantly thought of the “collective equipping idea” someone (I can’t remember who) proposed recently. The idea assumes the aforementioned information is correct and argues that the only person who gets the real equipping is the monologue presenter who spends hours preparing and not the recipients who according to IBM retain a mere 10%. Basically, instead of the teacher spending hours alone preparing, the church as a whole would study the passage or Bible topic in advance. They can discuss this passage at “Homegroups”, or comment online, possibly on a forum or email, regarding both their thoughts, and what the Spirit has been teaching them in prep for the teaching on Sunday. The teacher would be able to comment on their comments during his or her delivery of his sermon, and cover areas of interest and questions on the passage. This “collective equipping idea” has potential to provide greater teaching scope, more intensive corporate engagement of God’s word, and ultimately, better equipping of the “Saints”.

Do you think methods of teaching God’s word using stories, sayings and dialogue is subordinate to Sunday sermons?

Maybe you are someone who likes to listen to sermons. What do you think about Chester and Timmis comments on James 1:22: “Sermons count for nothing in God’s sight… James says great teaching counts for nothing… what counts is the practice of the word”?

Welcome Elsie

bignorm — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:21:07 +0000

Its hard to express how crazily happy Emily and are both are right now. We are ecstatic, proud, overwhelmed, and tired all at the same time. We love Elsie Grace McCorkell! Ain’t she cute? And can you believe we are parents?

So today, this week, this blog, our lives, are forever dedicated to Elsie.

You can check out or growing album of Elsie over on Flickr.

I got a late night text two days ago from a friend who summarised part of this new, and joyous chapter of our journey.

“..Norm, now you know what those verses really mean in scripture, the ones that talk about the heart of the Father.”

Talk about hitting the sweet spot in capturing the majority of my internal processes. If you are not a Dad, or even a parent, you’ll probably not truly “get it”. Maybe someday you will.

I’ll be back soon with more on “church” and Christian issues in contemporary Ireland v soon. Meanwhile, its undivided attention and love, cuddles, snuggles, and kisses for my girls.

A “buzzing” BN.

More on Paid Church Staff

bignorm — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:28:15 +0000

Teasing out the theme in my 2nd last blog Paid Church Workers: Worthy of Double Honour, in which I quoted Bonhoeffer saying that “..clergy must live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling..” I’d like to quote Chris Wright (who incidentally hails from N.Ireland) from NIV Biblical Commentary on Deuteronomy, commenting on Chapter 18:1-8:

…Churches or others Christian groups that fail to pay their workers adequate living wages are not “living by faith,” but are simply living in disobedience. (Wright p.216)

Strong, sure. But in the lead up to this statement Wright concurs with Bonhoffer in stating that God’s spiritual leaders, or Priests in Deut 18 – the Levites, would depend solely on material provision from an obedient people – Israel (in the promised land that they were soon to enter):

…the landlessness of Israel’s priestly tribe was not intended to impoverish them. They would be dependent, indeed. But dependence on an obedient people should have meant perfectly adequate provision for their material needs, just as Israel’s dependence on their faithful God would include full provision. (Wright, p.215)

Wright stresses that the Apostle Paul emphasises this point many times in the NT by quoting Deuteronomy 25:4 in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 stating that those who preach and teach deserve “Double Honour“. Although Paul voluntarily opted out of taking his own advice and took the even higher ground of providing for himself. Wright adds others verses to support his point from scripture such as 1 Corinthians 9:13:

You know, don’t you, that it’s always been taken for granted that those who work in the Temple live off the proceeds of the Temple, and that those who offer sacrifices at the altar eat their meals from what has been sacrificed? Along the same lines, the Master directed that those who spread the Message be supported by those who believe the Message. ~ Paul (Message)

–

So here’s to all the FT voluntary and inadequately paid church workers who, maybe secretly, feel undervalued and frankly unpaid for their labours (my wife and I have been there): You ARE worth it! God wills and instructs His Church to pay you adequately for your efforts!

The argument seems clear – church workers are to be paid adequately.

Define adequate?

Open Fridge Policy

bignorm — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:24:18 +0000

Loving our neighbors as ourselves is easier said than done. Especially when they call at all the wrong times, begin to rummage freely amongst your belongings, even delving boldly into our new stocked refrigerators.

I remember Dave Gibbons Pastor of Newsong in California at the WCLS banging on about having real community; a place where we have more than an open-door policy for our homes; a more intimate stage of sharing life: an open fridge policy. As uncomfortable a thought as it may be, I believe this stage of intimacy and trust amongst those committed to living as part of a community, and particularly, those trying to live-out the Gospel, is healthy.

After moving into Skerries, we’ve already set a precedent within our community of an open-door policy; a ‘call anytime’ but take us as you find us type of thing. Our door has not stopped. I used to get really uncomfortable about people coming to my home at the wrong times, making the place untidy, even eating my precious food. How selfish was I? All we have is the Lord’s; we only have it to share and be a blessing to the rest of the word: the first Great Commission for us to obey as God’s people.(Genesis 12:3)

We’re inspired by the model of Pricilla and Aquila, who were renowned for their homely hospitality and house church in the NT (Acts 18:24-26; 1 Corinthians 16:19). It seems that although they had a nomadic lifestyle, partly due to fleeing from persecution (Acts 18:2), they managed to keep their home open and organised somewhat for the Lord’s service. I bet they had an open fridge policy.

Does the thought of an open fridge policy in your home (for your immediate community) make you thrive and dive?

Paid Church Workers: Worthy of ‘Double Honour’?

bignorm — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:12:39 +0000

This blog has bcame pretty crap lately, I know.

Forgive me.

I just can’t get everything right. Life — in a healthy sense — has consumed me lately with college, moving home, and now getting it ready for our baby girl.

Ironically, I’m like a coiled spring, ready to unload a heap of ideas and discussion topics. But they’ll just have to wait until I get a reasonable pattern back into my life in the coming weeks. Until then, it’ll just be a random blurb like this:

Fredrickson and Gibbs, and also, Scot McKnight (although I can’t remember where), all recently challenged me to think about the professional side of church life. I am beginning preliminary research on my final year dissertation this August and I am already thinking about including this topic with the overall church related heading (which I will discuss later).

So:

All three aforementioned sources make their point quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer who wrote during the Nazi era from a prison cell:

The church is only the church when it exists for others. To make a start, it should give away all its property to those in need. The clergy must live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling. The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men (sic) of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others (Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison, 1997, 1953:282)

Considering this, is their a case for paid church staff? Do you think Bonhoeffer is portraying a sound exegesis of 1 Tim 5:17-18?

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.

And, why do think scripture does not recommend that Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets (Eph 4) get the same perks? (or maybe it does and I’ve missed it?)

Nski

House in a Box

bignorm — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:19:53 +0000

Just when I though i was going to blog again…

Due to moving home, I will be taking a short break from blogging. Next time I’m on it will be from my new location in Dublin – Skerries.

Thanks for droppin by.

Busy; Brave; Funny; Sad

bignorm — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:04:27 +0000

After finishing all my essays for college this month, and preparing for three major speaking engagements (after an approx 12 month rest), I’m packing up my house ready to move to a new home. Normally, this would be easy with Emily around, but since she is ready to ‘pop’ with our new baby, things are slightly more complicated. Wish me luck.

Hence, blogging has not been priority, and may not be over the coming weeks, but I’ll see what I can do.

In the Spirit of bgnmdtnt, I leave you with a video especially geared for all of you involved with a church. Emily and found great humour, stark truth, and sadly, a contemporary reality in this because we’ve both worked at a church. And like Dorothy in Oz, we’ve seen the man behind the curtain.

Does the church that you go employ clever coercion (technical, programming etc.) to create a spiritual atmosphere more than they should?

The Wise Road of Uncertainty

bignorm — Sun, 09 May 2010 20:51:53 +0000

Another lazy blog during my prolonged season of healthy chaos. This image from Nakedpastor captures my journey perfectly right now.

Derry Sasquatch Sighting

bignorm — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:32:41 +0000

Im struggling to get time to blog at the minute. Essays are climaxing, we’re getting ready to move to Skerries, and I’m speaking this May a lot. Its really all go.

Check out the Google Maps image of my old house in Derry (below). I zoomed in and guess who is going into the garage after cutting the lawns?