I always love it when Aaron White (The Salvation Army 614 Vancouver) posts his thoughts on the ArmyBarmy blog. Here's what he had to say today. It's got truth and a pursuit of unity as its foundation. (Thanks, Aaron!)


Saturday, October 29, 2005

...and dance like John Travolta...

I received an interesting quote from a friend the other day.

"I want to prepare like an evangelical; preach like a Pentecostal; pray like a mystic; do the spiritual disciplines like a Desert Father; art like a Catholic; and social justice like a liberal."(I know some people will be upset about the liberal bit, but there has been a very strong liberal tradition of social justice. And the word means different things to different people, so don't get hung up on it).

If you haven't read Richard Foster's Streams of Living Water, you really should. It talks about how different streams of Church tradition (Justice, Evanglical, Contemplative, Incarnational, Holiness, Charismatic) all have their root in Jesus, and all express something of the character of Christ.

We are at our strongest when the streams flow together in one river, and we recognise the value that other streams bring.

Grace,
Aaron


I love the "one body, many members" part of the church of Jesus. It's one of our greatest strengths (and sometimes one of our greatest stumbling points). We often think of this concept congregationally or in reference to individual people, but Richard Foster hits the mark in this book when looking at the bigger picture of the denominations of the church. Whether God intended the church to be fragmented in this way or not, He can still use it for good. We know He will.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)




40 DAYS OF PURPOSE
Chapter Thirty-Five: God's Power In Your Weakness

Main idea: God chooses to use weak people so as to maximize the display of His power.
Most impactful verse: "We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7 TEV)"
Most impactful concept: Ministry begins with vulnerability. You can impress people from a distance, but you must get close to them to influence them.
Other thoughts: Ministry beginning with vulnerability - it makes me wonder how often the attack against God's ministers (all of us in the body are ministers) makes us 'gun shy,' so to speak, and therefore we protect ourselves from further hurt. And while we are busy protecting ourslves, we cannot be as vulnerable, and therefore there is less intimacy and perhaps less effective ministry? Certainly if we are only attempting to show our powerful or "together" side of ourselves, God's great power is not seen as easily. If we show what we can do, where is there a peep-hole to see what God can do? The concept is Biblical and true, but oh, Lord, help us to understand that when we place our trust in You, even for the protection of our hearts and emotions, that You will never prove Yourself false.