Welcome to Common Grounds Online. Readers of Common Grounds have suggested a website to continue the explorations they began in the book. In keeping with the interactions of Professor MacGregor, Brad, Lauren and Jarrod, the theme of this site is ‘learning and living the Christian story.’
I have invited friends, and a few friends of friends, to communicate aspects of the Christian story that have been significant in their own lives. We’re all trying to find joy and pleasure in this life and the next, but often we forfeit the joy that could be ours by living out foolish, competing scripts. What distinguishes Common Grounds Online Contributors is not our own goodness, achievement or service, but rather the recognition of our need of God’s grace abounding in our lives.
Matt Brown spoke at the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008 on the theme of "Renewing Ecclesiology." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of Matt's talk by clicking (here).
This is the fourth week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, and to read the essays from the previous three weeks, click (here).
During the week of October 6-9 we will host essays from Leo Schuster, Rick Lints, Diane Poythress and Russell Moore in response
to Matt Brown's talk. On Friday, October 10, Matt will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
-----
Diane Poythress earned her PhD in Reformation History and Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary.
-----
The title of Mr. Brown's paper suggests that his topic is the missionary call of the
Church. That topic needs stronger
exposition. Rather than appealing to
the Nicene Creed, he could have turned to the traditional passages--Isaiah 6; Matthew 10; 28; Acts 1:8; 2:38-39--or to the purpose for
Israel and the Church found in I Peter 2:5,9. In fact, his main subject is
denominationalism. This, too, could have
been presented more persuasively by appealing to Scripture rather than a
creed. He could have quoted more of John
17; I Cor. 1; 3; 12; Gal. 5; Eph. 4; James 2-5; or the injunction to love
the brethren, our neighbors, our enemies.
Matt Brown spoke at the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008 on the theme of "Renewing Ecclesiology." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of Matt's talk by clicking (here).
This is the fourth week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, and to read the essays from the previous three weeks, click (here).
During the week of October 6-9 we will host essays from Leo Schuster, Rick Lints, Diane Poythress and Russell Moore in response
to Matt Brown's talk. On Friday, October 10, Matt will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
-----
Richard Lints is the Andrew Mutch Distinguished
Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is an ordained PCA teaching elder and has
served as the church planting pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in
Concord, MA. He is the author or editor of The
Fabric of Theology, The
Westminster Dictionary of Philosophy for Theology, Personal
Identity in Theological Perspective and the forthcoming, Radical Ironies: Religion and the Rise of
Postmodernity in the 1960s.
-----
Our very best pastoral theologians in the PCA are our church
planters and RUF folk. The need to do
serious theological contextualization on campuses and in cities has produced a
generation of young missionary theologians of the first rank. Matt’s essay gives us ample evidence of this
emerging reality. A generation ago, the church growth impulse in the PCA
overshadowed the pastor-as-theologian vocation which had previously been such a
rich inheritance for us in the Reformed Tradition. I am grateful to the
Denominational Renewal folk for celebrating the intertwining of theology and
practice. Greg’s language of “ethos”,
Jeremy’s use of “theological vision” and Matt’s use of “missional ecclesiology”
all manifest this deep concern to appropriate the gospel as a living
conversation in the ordinary habits of the church.
Matt Brown spoke at the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008 on the theme of "Renewing Ecclesiology." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of Matt's talk by clicking (here).
This is the fourth week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, and to read the essays from the previous three weeks, click (here).
During the week of October 6-9 we will host essays from Leo Schuster, Rick Lints, Diane Poythress and Russell Moore in response
to Matt Brown's talk. On Friday, October 10, Matt will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
Big
thanks to Glenn for inviting me to be part of this discussion and for giving me
the pleasure of responding to Matt Brown’s very insightful talk.
Let
me highlight a few in particular of the many items I appreciated:
We do indeed have much
to celebrate within our reformed heritage and the PCA.
Reflecting specifically
about the PCA, I’m especially grateful for its church planting thrust, for RUF
(who’s philosophy of ministry is inherently reformed, missional and ecclesial),
and for MTW and the leadership of our current moderator.
I wholeheartedly agree
that viewing our ecclesiology through a missional lens is extremely
constructive and vital in promoting health within the PCA and avoiding destructive
tendencies, such as ecclesiological nostalgia and ecclesiological nihilism.
I appreciate the use of
Nicene categories (apostolic, catholic, holy and one) to help us recover
important biblical dynamics of the church in mission.
I’m challenged by Matt’s
admonition that we should cultivate sorrow in our hearts for the divided state
of the church and take steps to extend ourselves in mission across
denominational lines. Amen!
At the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008, Bill Boyd gave a talk entitled,
"Renewing Worship." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of
Bill's talk by clicking (here).
This is the third week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 29-October 2 we will host essays from
Reggie Kidd, Philip Ryken, Carl Ellis and John Muether in response
to Bill Boyd's talk. Today, October 3, Bill responds to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
-----
Bill Boyd serves as
founding pastor of All Saints Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Austin, TX.
Prior to planting All Saints, Bill served with Reformed University Fellowship
at The University of Texas at Austin for eight years. Martha is Bill's better
half, and William, August and Betsy (pictured) keep life hopping.
-----
It is a true privilege to have men such as Philip Ryken,
Reggie Kidd, Carl Ellis and John Muether take the time to listen and respond to
one's thoughts on worship. Further, when a "critical"
respondent sets a tone of: "there is so much to appreciate that I almost
wish I had been cast as a "simpatico" rather than a
"critical" respondent," you sense that a conversation conducive
to learning is at hand. And such has truly been the case for me.
I particularly appreciate the concern that Philip and Reggie have expressed,
namely that in emphasizing "the banquet hall" we not lose sight of
the biblical-historical heritage of gospel proclamation (reading and preaching
of Gods Word). Two things come to mind immediately: Read more
At the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008, Bill Boyd gave a talk entitled,
"Renewing Worship." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of
Bill's talk by clicking (here).
This is the third week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 29-October 2 we will host essays from
Reggie Kidd, Philip Ryken, Carl Ellis and John Muether in response
to Bill Boyd's talk. On Friday, October 3, Bill will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
Bill Boyd’s “Worship that Renews,” brings to mind a feature
that the New Yorker regularly ran, exposing
tortured and runaway rhetoric in journalism under the headline, “Hold that
Metaphor!” The proliferation of food
throughout Scripture is indeed food for thought, but how it shapes the nature
of public worship (Boyd’s phrase is “gathered worship”) goes largely unexplored.
If the Reformed have placed excessive emphasis on worship as a “lecture hall,”
it is surely no cure to gorge ourselves at the banquet table.
At the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008, Bill Boyd gave a talk entitled,
"Renewing Worship." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of
Bill's talk by clicking (here).
This is the third week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 29-October 2 we will host essays from
Reggie Kidd, Philip Ryken, Carl Ellis and John Muether in response
to Bill Boyd's talk. On Friday, October 3, Bill will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
-----
Carl F. Ellis, Jr. is
president of Project Joseph — a ministry that seeks to equip the church for
today’s challenges. He is also serves as
Dean of Intercultural Studies at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia,
PA. and is founding faculty of AtlSem — a theological education program for
ministry leaders in Chattanooga, TN. He
has authored several books and articles.
-----
Soon after moving back to
Chattanooga, TN in 1989, I was driving on Amnicola Highway listening to
Jazz-88. Lyle Lovett was singing about a
worship service to be followed by a fellowship dinner.1 As the story unfolded, instead of closing his
sermon at the appropriate time, the preacher continued to preach:
“I have one more thing to say.
Children before you think about
leaving,
You better think about the
Judgment Day.”
The scrumptious dinner aromas
must have been wafting throughout the church and distracting the
congregation. But the preacher
continued:
“You-all better pay attention
Or I might decide to preach all
day....”
Eventually:
“Every one was gettin’ so
hungry.
Old ones started feeling ill.
Weak ones started passin’ out.
Young ones, they could not sit
still.”
It seemed the preacher would go
on for ever. But, the story teller,
having asked the Lord’s forgiveness in advance, got the choir to interrupt by
singing:
“To the Lord let praises be.
It’s time for dinner now let’s
go eat.
We’ve got some beans and some
good corn bread.
Now listen to what the preacher
said.”
This memorable musical story was
amusing indeed. However, reading the
transcript of Bill Boyd’s talk, “Renewing Worship,” made me realize that Lyle
Lovett had more than an amusing point to make. He was in fact singing about “Moving
from the Lecture Hall to the Banquet Hall.”Read more
At the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008, Bill Boyd gave a talk entitled,
"Renewing Worship." Because of a contract with a publisher the
transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of
Bill's talk by clicking (here).
This is the third week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 29-October 2 we will host essays from
Reggie Kidd, Philip Ryken, Carl Ellis and John Muether in response
to Bill Boyd's talk. On Friday, October 3, Bill will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
There is so much to appreciate in Bill Boyd’s talk on
“Worship that Renews” that I could almost wish I had been cast as a “simpatico”
rather than a “critical” respondent.
My sympathies will always lie with anyone who commends
God-centered worship. I also resonate
with seeing respect for the worship traditions of the historic church as a
matter of obedience to the Fifth Commandment, although I would add that such
respect is one very good way to practice the communion of the saints—an
oft-neglected and badly-needed doctrine in the PCA today. No argument from me (or from Calvin, for that
matter) on the frequent celebration of the Lord’s Supper, either. Read more
At the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference in February of 2008, Bill Boyd gave a talk entitled, "Renewing Worship." Because of a contract with a publisher the transcript is not available. However, you may listen to the audio of Bill's talk by clicking (here).
This is the third week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 29-October 2 we will host essays from Reggie Kidd, Phil Ryken, Carl Ellis and John Muether in response
to Bill Boyd's talk. On Friday, October 3, Bill will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Bill's talk and/or the response essays.
Bill Boyd’s
talk invites comment on a number of things, but I will confine myself to two
points of particular simpatinicity:
The Meal:
Bravo for
the stress on the Table. I appreciate Bill’s telling the “story” of the meal in
Scripture. At critical points in redemptive-history, the Table marked a climax
of sorts, e.g., when the elders dined in God’s presence on Mt. Sinai (Exod.
24). Moreover, the Bible promises that the culmination of redemption’s story
will be a wedding feast (Rev. 19:1-10; 22:14-17). The Table makes the gospel a
matter of “show and tell”; it portrays the God who speaks and acts. The Table
powerfully weds head and heart. Moreover, I appreciate that what Bill is
talking about is the wedding of Table and the Word, not a reactionary elevation
of Table over Word.
Let the Word
be read! Let the sermon explain the text! Let the Table preach the text again!
Then let our lives preach it one more time!
A point
perhaps he could have made: greater frequency of Communion is not the only way
to guard against Gnosticism. Historically, Reformers voiced two biblically
derived concerns. First, that people be permitted to come, but second that they
be prepared to do so. Godly reformed leaders disagreed over which concern was
more important. Calvin lobbied for weekly Communion; his elders would not
permit it. To his credit, he did not cut and run. The conversation has been a
constant among us.
In February 2008, Jeremy Jones gave the second talk, "Renewing Theology," at the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference. The transcript is not available due to a publishing
contract, but you may listen to the audio of Jeremy's talk by clicking (here).
This is the second week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 22-25 we will host essays from John
Frame, Sean Michael Lucas, Howard Brown, and Michael Walker in response
to Jeremy Jones' talk. Today, September 26, Jeremy responds to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Jeremy's talk and/or the response essay.
-----
Jeremy Jones is an associate pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Memphis. He was the RUF campus minister at Southern Mississippi and then Emory.
-----
Thanks
to Glenn for hosting and all the other participants for responding; it’s been
encouraging to see this discussion take place.
I want
to do two things in this response: give some context for the original
Denominational Renewal talks that may assist everyone in understanding them
better. And respond to a couple of the issues raised this week during the
discussion of my presentation.
All of
the talks we’re interacting with via Common Grounds were first given at a
conference held last spring in St. Louis. The “Conversation on Denominational
Renewal” started with an opening introduction given by Joe Novenson (based on a
brief talk given by Jeff White at Covenant Seminary earlier that day). This intro set the table and tone for the
conference and made clear our purpose: to outline a theological vision for the
future of the PCA. Our explicit
intention was not to organize as some political action group, nor did we wish
to wade into current denominational “hot button” debates (FV/NPP, etc) and
argue for one side rather than another. In our understanding, the more specific doctrinal debates within the PCA
are often the result of conflicting theological visions that exist in our
church. Until we can identify, discuss,
and debate these alternative visions, the different factions in the PCA will
keep talking past each other.
We
wanted to start a conversation at this deeper level. Read more
In February 2008, Jeremy Jones gave the second talk, "Renewing Theology," at the Denominational Renewal
(DR) conference. The transcript is not available due to a publishing
contract, but you may listen to the audio of Jeremy's talk by clicking (here).
This is the second week of a five week forum scrutinizing the five
talks given at DR. For more on the structure of the five week forum at
CGO on this conference, click (here).
During the week of September 22-25 we will host essays from John
Frame, Sean Michael Lucas, Howard Brown, and Michael Walker in response
to Jeremy Jones' talk. On Friday, September 26, Jeremy will respond to
his
respondents.
We welcome discussion that is both robust and gracious. I [Glenn]
will moderate all comments and those comments that exemplify
graciousness and love for one's brothers and sisters will be approved. First and last name, and one's current, valid email address are required for comments. Also, please focus on Jeremy's talk and/or the response essay.
-----
Michael R. Walker is the Theologian-in-Residence at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX. He is the former Executive Director of Presbyterians For Renewal and a Ph.D. Candidate in History of Doctrine at Princeton Theological Seminary. The title of his dissertation is John Calvin's Pursuit of Happiness. His blog is at www.regulafidei.com.
-----
As an outsider to the Presbyterian Church in America, it is a privilege
to participate in this forum by responding to Jeremy Jones' paper on
"Renewing Theology" in the PCA. My own ecclesial context, namely the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is remarkably different from that of the
PCA, in ways that do not require much description for those interested
in the present conversation. Suffice it to say that the PC(USA) is
wrestling with all of the same root issues of ecclesial unity touched
upon in Jones' paper, though it's much less clear in the PC(USA) that
everyone is wrestling in the same arena. The doctrinal ambiguity of the
PC(USA) and the rigorous confessional particularity of the PCA have
played off of one another to such a degree that those who wish to
combine genuine confessional commitments with an openness to further
reform find themselves at odds with entrenched forces in their own
denomination, whether that is the PCA or the PC(USA). Unfortunately,
this circumstance will not be overcome easily or quickly.
Recent comments
3 years 36 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 37 weeks ago
3 years 39 weeks ago