Search
【傳道的「人」！】 ◎專任老師╱凃偉文
講道學對傳道者品格的思考和反省源自於古典修辭學的傳統，但是在延續的同時也不斷添加並修正，產生出基督教的特色。兩者間的相似、差異與張力可以從不同作者的論述中看出來。下文將依序從古典修辭學、保羅的林前一~四章、奧古斯丁的《論基督教教義》（On Christian Doctrine）第四卷中，探究古典修辭學與講道學討論品格的異同之處，以及品格對今日傳道者的意義。
▪️更多閱讀：https://wp.ces.org.tw/newsletter202009-3/
Bad experiences in the past doesn’t mean we give up on being led to the right local church community for us.
I was in a few local churches before i finally felt happy and peaceful permanently settling down in New Creation Church in Singapore as my local church community.
What happens if the local church you attend is not completely share the same doctrine as you?
If you have a sure confidence in what you believe and it aligns with God’s word, then just listen and apply the parts that your church is teaching correctly and carry on with what you believe to be right.
If your beliefs differ too much from what is preached at your local church and you have no peace in your spirit, then continue to attend as you search for a new local church to settle in, as guided by the Holy Spirit.
Don’t give up on finding a Jesus-centered local church that exalts God’s love and Grace—continue your search patiently and I believe the Lord will lead you to one that’s a good fit for you.
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”” (Matthew 18:20 WEB)
There is a special anointing present when believers are physically gathered in Jesus’ name.
Jesus is in the middle of the group of gathered believers through His omnipresent Spirit.
Jesus our Bridegroom has to remain in Heaven and wait for the Rapture before meeting us face-to-face.
However, He is able to work and be present among us through the Holy Spirit which is also called the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19) and the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9, 1 Peter 1:11).
When the Holy Spirit simultaneously appears among the groups of believers, He is present with power to dispense gifts and set captives free.
You will receive breakthroughs and experiences when you’re worshiping together with other believers that you won’t when you’re alone.
The body of Christ is made of many members that care for each other. Believers are meant to minister to one another—using our gifts and ministries to impart life and strength to others.
“But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body. If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now they are many members, but one body. The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
(1 Corinthians 12:11-27 WEB)
You may be an eye and I may be a foot, but it doesn’t mean that either of us are inferior in any way.
We just serve different, unique functions and we are both needed—beneficial for the whole body of Christ.
There is no place for division or boasting in our different callings.
Not going to local church means you’re missing out on the ideal blessed life that God wants you to enjoy—fellowship with your family in God, benefiting from the gifts of others and having the sense of purpose from using your gifts to minister to others.
Like in the first verse I shared, there is a “one another” for the Christian life.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 WEB)
In different seasons of our life on earth, the strong ones in each season can lift up the ones who are weak.
Together, we can build up the body of Christ to reach its full stature—walking in love, good works and living according to what’s written for us who are under the New Covenant of Grace.
———————
At this link you can read more Christ-centered Bible Studies, devotionals, sermon notes and find ways to partner with our ministry to help us reach even more people with the Gospel ===> https://smart.bio/miltongohblog
#Church #Christian
[Meeting Martin Luther King Jr. in Boston]
Having lived in Boston for several years, I'm very used to a conversation with questions like "where are you from", "what do you do", etc at social events or church. Now, let's imagine that I lived in the year of 1953, just a few years after world war II. On an ordinary weekday morning, when I was on the Green Line B branch (which then was numbered "route #62") along Commonwealth Avenue toward downtown, I started a conversation with an African American guy who got up at the BU central stop. I quickly got into the typical Bostonian conversation:
"Hi, what's your name?"
"Martin." He said.
"I'm Jerome. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too."
"Are you a student at BU?"
"Ya. I go to the divinity school."
"That's cool. What do you study there?"
"I'm a doctoral student in systematic theology."
"Wow, that sounds very hard-core. So did you come to Boston to attend this program?"
"Ya. I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. I moved here two years ago after getting my bachelor of divinity."
"So are you a pastor?"
"Yes, I am."
"Cool. So where are you heading right now?"
"I'm going to downtown to meet my finacee. She's a music student at New England Conservatory. We're going to get married in Alabama next month."
"Wow, congratulations!"
That's true. I met the civil right activist-to-be Martin Luther King Jr. in the city of Boston, where it's never a surprise to randomly run into a doctor or a professor on the street. In a few minutes, I heard more about his story. While living in the south most of his life, he did spent 4 years in Boston, where he attended Boston University and got his PhD in systematic theology. While racial segregation (which came to existence after the civil war) was still prevalent in the south, Boston was the first city where I felt he was free to do everything without discrimination. He really enjoyed this city. And instead of living in the dorm of BU, he rented an apartment at 397 Mass Ave, right next to today's Orange Line Mass Ave station.
Boston was also the city where he met his wife Coretta Scott. They got married in June 1953. And he was incredibly young as a doctoral student -- he skipped two grades in high school and completed college at the age of 19. By the time he started doctoral study in Boston (at the age of 22), he already obtained his first seminary degree. By the way, he was also the assistant pastor at Twelfth Baptist Church, an African-American congregation near Dudley Square.
--------
Now the conversation continued. Martin and I started talking about Christian church and theology.
"Which church do you go to?" He asked.
"The XXX church. It's an evangelical church."
"Ah, Christian evangelism." From his eyes, you could tell there was probably something in his head.
"What do you think about it?"
"Well, I'm a pastor, and I do build my ministry on the teaching of Jesus. But I hope your church is not like one of the typical American churches today. I think really miss the point of the gospel."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, they've been focusing too much on individuals being saved and ignoring the injustice in this society. They miss their mission to liberate the oppressed."
"Well, isn't a Christian church supposed to share the gospel and convert sinners to God?"
"Yup, but doesn't the gospel free us? How can you say you're sharing the gospel while so many people in this country are oppressed and suffering from inequality?"
"You're right, but this should be the outcome of salvation, instead of the salvation itself..."
"(Sigh.) I think the some churches really need to shift focus." He breathed before continuing. "Old faiths like the bodily resurrection, virgin birth and miracles that contradict the science may not be necessary for Christianity today. Churches are called to realize the Kingdom of God on earth by exercising justice and mercy..."
Now I could sense where on the "church spectrum" he was. He was vastly influenced by Walter Rauschenbusch's social gospel, a theological thought popular in the early 20th century that called for a return to the "Kingdom of God" doctrine. Church's primary calling, in social gospel's perspective, is to bring God's kingdom on earth by applying Jesus' teaching to solve social issues and rescue the oppressed. Along with Mohandas Gandhi's nonviolent approach, it shaped King's theology and fueled the later movements he led.
And It was also interesting to see theologically how liberal his was. He casted his doubt on some essential doctrines that most Christian denominations held true back then. If you are from an evangelical background, this may get on your nerves. (But keep in mind that he lived before the age of neo-orthodoxy, and people often abandoned traditional views when running into doctrines that contradict scientific knowledge.) And this is probably why while many pastors today would say King's accomplishment was fueled by the Christian faith, but avoid talking too much about his view on doctrines.
--------
Let's get back on the train scene. At the Park Street underground station in downtown Boston, I said bye to the newly met friend Martin and saw him disappearing in the crowd. I could tell he's a brilliant and eloquent person, but might not expect two years later he'd be the person would be a key leader in the Montgomery bus boycott, nor decades later he'd deliver his famous speech in Washington. I might not agree with everything he said, but I'd definitely remember this conversation with Martin, a person that was once like me, who lived to Boston short-term to pursue a degree and was shaped by the personality of this city.
--------
[Afterthought] As a member of an American evangelical church (and also a foreigner of a minority group), the story of Martin Luther King Jr. continues to puzzle me. His view on certain doctrines are likely to be condemned as unorthodox by evangelical churches, but meanwhile, as the "saved" people, do we eager to live out and advocate the biblical justice in daily life as he did? Or we're always being "gospel-centered" while ignoring the all-inclusive nature of the biblical gospel?
(In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr.'s school, apartment and church in Boston.)
Christian Doctrine has introduced thousands of laity, students, and theologians to the tenets of the Christian faith. This edition reflects changes in the ... ... <看更多>
So what is doctrine? It is the way the central themes of God's revelation in Scripture are summarized and taught. This teaching builds on their ... ... <看更多>
christian doctrine 在 Christian doctrine - Encyclopedia Britannica 的相關結果
The basic meaning of the term doctrine is “teaching.” Christian doctrine, accordingly, is the attempt to state in intellectually responsible terms the message ... ... <看更多>