I Have Been Thinking About New Creation Starting Now (ICEWS eb2008)

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

I have been struck with a number of thoughts in Sacred Christianity relating to the ‘now’ and the ‘yet to come’ of the Kingdom. 

Interestingly, ‘the point of it all is not to go to heaven when you die’(Wright, Simply Christian, p.185).  This would be, I think, a shocking truth to those outside of the church and indeed to many within the church also.  It takes account of the bigger picture of the story of God and how His plans and purposes fit together as revealed to us through study of the scriptures.  Ultimately, a new heaven and a new earth will be created. 

I know from reading a book several years ago on the subject that this truth of a new earth was introduced to me.  It may be because of my early thinking as a younger Christian or even because of the prevailing views around me that my thinking easily slipped back into the old way of thinking that we simply go to heaven when we die.  It has reinforced to me the importance of the issue of who we will be with (the eternal presence of God) rather than where we physically end up.  Indeed, as much as this has raised the issue for me again, I don’t give a lot of time debating this issue over in my head of what happens after I die on this part of my journey. The comfort of who I know and the fact that I’ll be with Him when I move on is sufficient for me.

Another important topic discussed by Wright throughout his entire book is his focus on the overlap between heaven and earth.  As a result, ‘we are called to live in the present in the light of that future’ (Wright ibid p. 186).  Wilt also refers to this in the discussion of creating ‘liminal’ places where the boundaries between heaven and earth are thinned (Wilt, video teaching, week 3).  It is difficult at times to live for something we cannot yet see. 

When I haven’t got my thinking right, I always think that I am involved in ministry beacuse it’s simply what I’m meant to be doing.  To an extent, this is right.  We as Christians are called to obey the commands of God.  This line of thinking, whilst true, can be dangerous if taken on its own.  There is also an invitation of love Wright points out (Wright ibid p.177).  That which motivates us should be gratitude for what God has done for us and to model in our lives as an expression of worship and also to others around us as a witness, what is yet to come.  That which is yet to come is already a living reality within each of us as a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit allowing us to share in the new life that Jesus won for us on the cross.  The invitation of love and the call to obedience should each have their place in our thinking as we involve ourselves in ministry. 

‘Sin is not simply breaking the rules, but more of a missing the mark’. (Wright ibid p. 178).  This is a great thought and one which I find immensely helpful.  Sin has such a lot of negative connotations.  Even when discussing with the pupils in my class why Jesus came in the first place, the idea of a fallen, imperfect human race comes into play.  The way that children are taught is that humans were bad (inferring that rules that humans didn’t want to keep had been broken). 

Somewhere the message gets lots that God wants the best for us and He knows best.  I suppose it is many ways similar to when children are disciplined.  Children don’t enjoy it, yet it is necessary in their learning and also so that they know what will help them in life and what choices would be unhelpful. 

Even as adults, we don’t like being told what to do or even admitting we are wrong.  That is sometimes a hard pill to swallow.  It’s easy to take the view that God wants to spoil all our fun. This impression of God can find it’s way into how God is presented to children.  Indeed, many people outside the community of faith, and dare I suggest that even some within it, need re-educated in the bigger story of God.  Sin is not breaking predetermined rules, it’s missing out on all that God intended us to have and be blesed with.

I’ve Been Thinking About The Role Of The Worship Artisan In Community (ICEWS eb08)

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

I have been thinking alot about the role of the worship artisan in the context of what it means to be a human being this week. I have been struck again and again by the importance of relationship in what God has called each of us to be. 

We are made to be  in relationship with one another and with God (Wilt, Video tutorial, week 3).  The relationship with and what we learn about the character of God will influence what kind of relationships we build with others and how we conduct ourselves.  This is also true of how we lead worship. Do we lead with true  humility coming to serve those within our immediate community or do we thrive on the position and status that such a role offers?

I find this an honest question to ask myself and brings to the surface the motivations of why and how I lead.  God’s salvation is cosmic – involving the whole of humanity.  (Wilt ibid).  As we bring together the ‘we’, we are restoring the essentail expression of Edenic community (Wilt ibid).  We are participating and sharing in this when we gather together when we lead worship in singing. 

I recognise that the history of the church has held back from allowing the creative expression in many forms, and some still are uncomfortable with worship taking the form it has within the contemporary worship music format.  The position is indeed fraught with many dangers.  As Jesus was tempted on the mountain top by Satan, so we as worship artisans can also be tempted from our own platforms.  To recognise this danger is one step, to acknowledge how it applies to us in any given moment is another.

It is not insurmountable however.  It is not necessary to throw the baby out with the bath water in this instance.  Many who have gone before have shown that it is possible to lead with true humility and serve as role models pointing to the ultimate role model of Jesus Himself.  The inspiration comes from the response to what we acknowledge what God has done for us. 

We can keep ourselves and our role in perspective by worshipping in private, remembering who we worship and why. Theology also plays a vital role in us as worship artisans  keeping our attitudes and approaches godly.  ‘It matter that we learn more about who God is,so that we can praise more apporpriately’. (Wright, Simply Christian, p. 128). 

This presents us with challenges, ones to which we can rise and soar and feel the fresh breeze of the renewing and energising presence of the One who inspires and sustains us.

I’ve Been Thinking About The Role Of Israel (ICEWS, eb08)

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

In thinking about Chrsitianity, reading the Bible, hearing preachers and watching God TV, I have heards many talk about the importance of Israel and the importance of praying for Isreal.  Tom Wright (Wright, Simply Christian, p.69) puts it, ‘ When Isreal is free at last, that will be the time when the true God will fulfill all His promises, judge the whole world, and put it all to rights.’

This confirmed for me the importance of the role of Isreal in God’s plan.  But once again, I was left wondering why God had chosen Isreal over and above other nations and didn’t this show favouritism from an unbiased God?  It seemed to bea very odd one off decision by God and I couldn’t understand why He chose to do things this way. 

From reading Wilt (Wilt, Theoloy of Worship, Week 2), he discusses God as creator.  God cares deeply about that which He has put His heart into.  Therefore He care about creation and all that is in it.  He cares not just about Israel, but about every nation.  Indeed, there is a rescue plan in place to save the whole of creation. 

Wright made it clear for me in his book Simply Christian that the decision to choose Israel started back with His covenebt with Abraham.  He chose, through Abraham, to put his rescue into operation.  Abraham’s sons leads to the growth of the nation of Israel and so in choosing Israel, God is simply continuing the narrative and keeping the covenant that He made with Abraham.  Indeed, Jesus came from this line and so ultimately, His redemptive purpose was fulfilled as originally promised even when Israel itself could no longer be used for this purpose (ibid. p.65).

There are also remarkable parallels between the story of Israel and the life of Jesus.  The King promised to Israel ultimately came in the perfect rule of Jesus (ibid p.70).  Jesus Himself became a living temple where heaven and earth meet.  The longing that is within every human heart has been fulfilled now that the echo has become a voice that has been and can be heard (ibid p.71).  The Word (Torah) was given as a guide for people on how to live in justice and harmony, again refelcted in the person of Jesus (ibid. p72).  Many today refer to Jesus as the living Word and is an example for us as Christians as to how we should live.  Ultimately, a new creation would be brought into being through the story of Abraham, Israel and Jesus (ibid. p.72,73).

I have been surprised at the parallels between these two stories but now see that the life of Jesus comes to fulfill that which was already promised to the world through Abraham in the Old Testamant.

Israel therefore rightly takes its place as a nation to be prayed for by all Christians across the world.

I’ve been thinking about Worldview and Theology

For:The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

In the opening conference call, Dan made reference to a number of interesting points to do with our Theology and Worldview.  It was said that in today’s culture, we are asking more questions than can be answered.  I think that is also certainly true of many of the issues in this topic.

It is necessary as worship artisans that we communicate effectively, using the gifts and talents that we have under our stewardship, to the culture in whcih we live.  We communicate our theology i.e. what we believe about God.  But what shapes our theology?  We are influenced by our embedded and our deliberate theology (Wilt, Essentials in Worship Theology Wk1, p.4).  At what point however, do these intersect?  Necessarliy, our embedded theology comes first.  Our life experiences and all the goings ons around us, even in our young lives, influence what we make of the world.  This also may cause us to reflect on the Maker of what we experience. This may contain many false links between what a (young) person sees or experiences eg. a tsunami, and the God who created all under heaven and earth. 

This is where deliberate theology comes to liberate the misguided mind.  However, such misinformed views may lead a person to reject the study of such a seemingly uncaring God, in spite of all the wonders of creation that exist day to day.  Attempts to persuade such a person of the entirely true and good nature of God overseeing a fallen world may be cut short at the first hurdle as the embedded theology closes the door in the first instance ( ‘A God who lets this sort of event happen cannot be entirely good in nature’ may be a process of reasoning here). 

A person who does wish to study the true nature of God may yet fail to accept the existence of a God who, although described as good, nevertheless allows terrible events to happen in this world.  Although hearing and understanding the true nature of God may not be able to square that with a hurting and dying world.  Yet one more step of thinking is required here.

Is that not precisley why God came?  This world is groaning under the weight of the fall.  It needs a Saviour.  Jesus came and redemption followed for all time for those who believe.  Creation will also be renewed and restored to its original condition.  In working out this plan, God is acknowledging a problem and will see it through to its ultimate conclusion.

I think this way of thinking may cause problems to many today, precisley due not to embedded theology alone, but also due to prevailing worldview.  We live in an atmopshere of the here and now.  If we can’t see it, touch it, consume it, when we want it, then we can move on to the next available pleasure that we can have some measure of control over.  It is precisely this control of the timing of events in Gods plan that we surrender when dwelling on the redemption of creation (no one knows the hour or the day of His – Jesus –  return). 

The Christian does acknowledge the presence of a good God in bad times.  God does not ignore these.  God is aware of these, yet God has been, remains, and always will be good and perfect in nature.  Ultimately, Christians trust that all will be made good, but in His time.  Faith in the resurrection of Jesus for the redemption of creation and mankind is central.  The cross and ressurection is critical, and it is to the place of the cross where we return yet again with faith, expectancy and, perhaps, some temporarily unanswered questions.

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