Barnabas File

This is the third in a series of posts on movements written by my friend, Stephen Currie of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Gospel movements are not about reforming complex theological dogma, restoring past traditions and recapturing the past glories.  These movements are happening when the Gospel is simply and faithfully shared and God’s Spirit works to reconcile groups of people to Himself.  The Gospel spreads through oikos  (household, home, or family) groups, just as it did in New Testament days with Cornelius of Caesaria and Lydia of Philippi.    God puts new wine into new wine skins.  When Jesus tells us that new wine must be put in new wine skins, he goes on to say, “ But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.” (Luke 5:39 NLT).  The focus of movement energy is not on reform or renewal, but regeneration and rebirth that comes from the life-transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus....

This post continues observations by my friend Stephen Currie on Christian movements. Leaders do play a vital role in catalyzing movements, but movements cannot be dependent on key personalities.  A movement is not about attracting people into crowds, but inviting people to participate in the redemptive work of Jesus.  So God raises up many leaders within a movement and established leaders are intentional about mentoring emerging leaders.  Movements are not dependent on the energies of one person or an inner circle of people.  Naturally, some movement leaders will develop a greater sphere of influence than others.  But leaders cannot control or direct the growth of the movement.  This was true of the Apostle Paul.  He had a long list of individuals he was developing to be next-generation leaders--Titus,  Timothy,  Epaphras,  Onesimus,  Priscilla, Erastus,  Trophimus, Lydia,  Luke, ...

My friend, Stephen Currie, is involved in Partnership Development with Wycliffe Bible Translators.  We had an e-mail conversation a while back about the role of spiritual movements.  Over the next several days, I want to share some of Stephen's observations, then wrap up with some observations about the "movement" emphasis as it applies to the church and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship today.  I think you will find Stephen's comments interesting and a bit controversial.        "Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.     So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’   The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”  John 3:6-8 NLT When I think about the church today and its mission in the world, I can’t help but think that w...

Kenda Creasy Dean is a United Methodist  ordained elder and professor of youth, church and culture at Princeton Theological Seminary and the  author of   Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church .  In a recent blog , she suggested several questions those considering seminary should ask about prospective schools.  One that particularly caught my attention was “ How will I be prepared for ‘the Church of 10 Years from Now’”? The question caused me to stop and think about the kinds of competencies that ministers will need in order to be effective in the churches and ministries of 2022.  Here are some suggestions. The minister of 2022 will need to not only understand the Bible but be able to see how it intersects with her or his own story and that of the people in the congregation.  If one fails to make that connection, the biblical message is only an historic artifact of little importance.  Creativ...

The Dark Knight Rises , the final installment in this incarnation of The Batman franchise, will be forever linked to the murders of innocents by a lone gunman in Aurora, Colorado.   This is sad but also ironic because the film is the story of how a vigilant is redeemed through community. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has always been an obsessed and troubled person, but at the beginning of the film we see him hurt, withdrawn, and disillusioned. The millionaire has rejected his role as The Batman and become a recluse on his estate.  He is not only detached from people but he is in the process of alienating his servant Albert Pennyworth (Michael Caine), the only person who seems to care about him.  He begins to break out of his self-imposed exile when his safe is robbed by Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway).  Wayne quickly finds himself and his empire at the center of a plot to destroy his beloved Gotham City. Wayne/The Batman’s ultimate redemption comes when he begi...

Several years ago I attended a conference in California made up of people who had an interest in what has come to be called “the emerging church.”   One session featured the pastor of a church that was known to be committed to reaching young adults.   One of the participants asked, “How long does it take to get a new ministry going in your church?”   The pastor, visibly uncomfortable and embarrassed, fumbled around without answering the question directly.   Evidently his congregation had a number of “hoops” one had to jump through in order to begin something innovative or unusual. In each church, there are systems that can either encourage innovation or smother it in the crib.  Very often these are formal systems—committees, deacons, elders, or the session—that are concerned about accountability, liability, and expense.  Sometimes they are more informal entities—staff members, entrenched leaders, or influential persons—who are concerned about prestig...

The door closed on one aspect of my ministry yesterday when I stepped down as coordinator of Central Baptist Theological Seminary Tennessee and passed the mantle to Dr. Sally Holt.   Seven years ago, three entities came together to initiate a new approach to theological education in middle Tennessee. Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Shawnee, Kansas; First Baptist Church of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and the Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partnered to offer classes that would allow students to receive a Master of Divinity degree or a Diploma in Theological Students without leaving home.   Seminary president Dr. Molly Marshall embraced the concept, pastor Dr. Michael Smith came alongside as partner and instructor, and I agreed to serve as volunteer coordinator. Seven years later, we have graduated six students with the Master of Divinity degree.   Although several students were already ordained ministers, four others have received ordination by th...

Since I was raised in a tradition that not only valued but almost idolized congregational autonomy, I hesitate to suggest that a church might need help from outside in dealing with any concern. I concur with Alan Roxburgh’s idea that the Spirit of God is at work among the people of God to provide both direction and means to accomplish the missio Dei (mission of God).    There are times, however, when an outsider might best facilitate healthy dialogue and discernment.   Often church leaders and members are too close to a problem to help the congregation address it.   Usually we assume that a congregation needs help when its numbers (nickels and noses) are  declining or people are shouting at each other in the business meetings.   Numbers and lack of civil discourse are only the tip of the iceberg, however. If you want to recognize when your church is really in trouble, listen for these statements. “A new pastor will fix all our problems.”  On...

I was talking with a friend recently about the vitality of our downtown area. My friend commented that when the head of a manufacturing company was deciding whether to locate a plant in our town, he asked to see the downtown area.   If the downtown area was alive, he felt that the community was open to growth.  In many smaller communities like ours, the real action is at the fringes of the town, usually close to the major highway or interstate.  Although this is true of our town as well, the downtown square continues to be an active area where people can gather for various events.  On a recent Saturday, there were several events going on at the same time.  The weekly farmer’s market was being conducted while folk dancers from several countries were performing on the east side of the Courthouse.  Just a few blocks away, a group was observing Juneteenth with music, games, and speakers.  Our downtown is a unique part of our community because people...