Monday, January 22, 2007

Purpose Driven....in a Lutheran context?

Purpose Driven Life, Purpose Driven Chuch, 40 days of Community are popular throughout many congregations of Christianity.....including some Lutheran ones

Some Lutheran congregations, Lutherans and Lutheran theologians have embraced this approach to mission and spiritual growth wholeheartedly.
Others have completely rejected it
There are also some who have adapted it so it is consistent with beliefs and teachings that Lutheran's feel accurately represent what God is saying in scripture.

To start find out more details about Purpose Driven Life visit their web http://www.purposedriven.com/

A Lutheran pastor Eric Burtress has embraced the Purpose Driven Life approach and adapted it for the Lutheran congregation...he has two web sites http://www.leadingonpurpose.org/ and http://www.alifeworthleading.org/ . These web sites accompany books he has written (see below). Read an interview with him that appeared in The Lutheran http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3942/is_200502/ai_n9478034 He is a

A Lutheran guide for reading pupose driven life can be found at http://www.gracelovespark.com/lutherans/new_page_9.htm

Here is a blog from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with notes on each chapter of Purpose Driven Life http://popjod.blogspot.com/2004/09/welcome.html

Here is a story of one Lutheran Church's journey in being purpose driven http://www.bethlehem-church.org/node/168

Concordia Lutheran Church has developed a dvd and study based on the purpose driven life for a Lutheran concept....called Got purpose? available at http://www.concordialutheranchurch.com/store/index.php

There are however some critics of purpose driven life and church, feeling it is inconsistent with the Lutheran understanding of ministry and mission as found in scripture... See http://www.ctsfw.edu/academics/faculty/pless/purposedrivenlife.htm, http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/purpose.htm, http://preachrblog.blogspot.com/2005/05/purpose-drivel.html, http://crosstiesministries.org/Purpose/new1.asp








Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Using resources to share the Good News

Using everything to share the Good News

The book, Badground: inside the Beaconsfield mine rescue, details the drama of the death of Larry Knight, and the resuce of Brant Webb and Todd Russell at Beaconsfield Tasmania.

Page 252 has an interesting fact
The media had been covering the story prior to finding Brant and Todd alive, however when the good news came to light that Brant and Todd were alive, media organisations throughout Australia tore up their budget sheets and used their best and whatever resources they had to spread the good news that Brant and Todd were alive and eventually the story of their resuce.

What are we using to share the good news that Jesus is alive.....that he has resuced us?
How are you sharing the good news that Jesus has saved you!!!