Barnabas File

Those who take the time to examine the history of the Christian church over the last two thousand years recognize that the church has always been in the process of reinventing itself.   Manifestations of the church that start out as fresh, creative approaches to impacting the surrounding culture ultimately become commonplace and stale as the world changes.   This calls for renewal and reimagining the way that we “do church.” Missional, Monastic, Mainline:  A Guide to Starting Missional  Micro-Communities in Historically MainlineTraditions by Elaine Heath and Larry Duggins is both a call to action and a guide for renewing the church by implementing a contemporary expression of a renewal methodology that is very familiar in the church—the monastic tradition. The first part of the book deals with the rationale for this approach—the need, the theological basis, and possible concerns.   Heath and Duggins are proponents of a missional ecclesiology, defin...

A couple of years ago, I resigned from a committee in our church.   I was chair and had served on the committee in the past.   My resignation was prompted by my lack of passion for the work the committee was assigned and a feeling that the committee had outlived its usefulness.   I was both surprised and appreciative when a member of the committee on committees called and asked me the reason for my resignation and any comments she might share with her committee.   I explained my reasons and she expressed her thanks for my candor.   Of course, the committee still exists and I was simply replaced. The point of my sharing this incident is that it illustrates how difficult it is to kill a committee even when it has outlived (in my humble opinion) its usefulness.   In an effort to share leadership, Baptist churches in the 20 th century learned how to do committees well.   Most committees had specific responsibilities and helped to involve larger...

The life and accomplishments of the saint we call Patrick have certainly been embellished and enhanced by early hagiography and centuries of veneration.   Historians assume that some acts attributed to Patrick were either done by others or are simply good stories that have become part of his legend.   In death, Patrick is undoubtedly a much larger presence that he was in actual life.   This is true with so many religious and historical figures.   They may have been decisive, even heroic, figures but we can no longer separate the person from the legend. Not only is Patrick an iconic figure, he has also become linked with what we know call Celtic Christianity.   Thomas Cahill’s book How the Irish Saved Civilization introduced the rich tradition of the Celtic and specifically Irish contributions to a mass audience.   George Hunter drew on similar ideas for The Celtic Way of Evangelism.   Just as we add much on to the lives of honored individuals...