Mike King

Speaking of N. T. Wright

Since I quoted N.T. Wright in my last post, I thought I would mention a couple of other things about the world's leading New Testament Scholar.

First - Bishop N.T. Wright appeared on The Colbert Report, Thursday June 19th to discuss his new book Surprised by Hope. 

Second - Don Garlington reviewed John Piper's book The Future of Jusitification: A Response to N.T. Wright.   

Garlington writes, "As much as anything, the book is flawed by its near phobia of anything that smacks of newness and freshness, which, for Piper, must be suspect by definition. This is why we are exhorted to be suspicious of "our love of novelty" (neophilia) and eager to test the biblical interpretations by "the wisdom of the centuries" (38). Agreed, but surely "the wisdom of the centuries" included our own century. Wright is precisely correct: we are "to think new thoughts arising from the text and to dare to try them out in word and deed" (quoted on 37. emphasis added). Piper would do well to recall Matt. 13:52: "And he said to them, Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.'" I would say the appropriate response to matters "new" and "fresh" is not skepticism but the Berean spirit of searching the Scriptures to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11)."

Mike DeVries comments on this issue here.

Reclaiming Paul

This week we had another organizational meeting for the Reclaiming Paul: The Apostle in the Emerging World conference.  The conference is going to be seminal.  The conference will be in Kansas City and the dates are October 22 - 24.  The registrations will be limited to around 300 and we are well on the way with the registrations that have come in so far.  Here is why I am excited about this conference.  I believe that there is a significant correction taking place in North America concerning ecclesiology.  A surfacing generation of church planters and leaders having been exploring what it means to be missional in our culture and set forth a biblical and robustly spiritual proclamation (both verbally and non-verbally) of the Great Good News.  I believe that Jesus and the Gospels have largely guided this movement and that an engagement with Paul has been mostly ignored.  I am passionate about the conversation moving theologically in a broader context with the serious embrace of the Pauline corpus.    I am excited that more followers of Jesus Christ will see Paul through more biblical lenses and get a glimpse of the amazing narrative that Paul sets forth in the New Testament.  This has huge ramifications for church, culture, youth ministry, spiritual formation, creation and narrative theology, soteriology, Kingdom of God, missio dei, and on and on...  The other cool thing about this conference is that it will not be the typical academic conference where the scholars come in and read a scholarly paper.  The scholars will be giving short presentations and then interacting with the practitioners and conference attendees.  It really is a different conference format that should impact the academic and practical ministry worlds.

The line-up of scholars is stellar.
 
    "Reclaiming Paul:  An Invitation"
    Michael J. Gorman, Professor of Sacred Scripture
    Ecumenical Institute of Theology
    St. Mary's Seminary and University (Baltimore, MD)

 "Paul & Narrative (Story)"
    Stephen E. Fowl, Professor of Theology
    Loyola College (Baltimore, MD)






   "Paul & Salvation (God's Story)"
    A. Katherine Grieb, Associate Professor of New Testament
    Virginia Theological Seminary (Alexandria, VA)








  "Paul & the Church (Our Story & Stories)"
   J. Ross Wagner, Associate Professor of New Testament
   Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, NJ)






Conversation Moderators &/or Workshop Leaders:
David B. Capes
Interim Dean of the Honors College
Houston Baptist University
(Houston, TX)
Senior Theological Review Director
The Voice Bible Project

Daniel Kirk
Assistant Professor of New Testament
Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA)

John Franke
Professor of Theology
Biblical Seminary (Hatfield, PA)

Brent Laytham
Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics
North Park Theological Seminary (Chicago, IL)

Andy Johnson
Professor of New Testament
Nazarene Theological Seminary
(Kansas City, MO)   

Kara Lyons Pardue
Ph.D. student in New Testament
Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, NJ)

Tony Jones
National Coordinator
Emergent Village (Edina, MN)

Doug Pagitt
Pastor
Solomon’s Porch (Minneapolis, MN)

Tim Keel
Pastor
Jacob’s Well Church (Kansas City, MO)   

Danielle Shroyer
Pastor
Journey Church (Dallas, TX)       

Mike King
President
Youthfront (Westwood, KS)

More information on the conference focus and content

Registration information

Conference itinerary

Reclaiming Paul

This started out as a conversation between me and Dr. Andy Johnson, Professor of New Testament at Nazarene Theological Seminary, concerning the Apostle Paul.   We were discussing the views of Paul within the Academy along with how Pauline thinking is impacting the ecclesial conversations in and out of the emerging church world.  Before long we had Tim Keel, Andy, Michael Gorman, Keith Schwanz and myself in the same room to serve as the planning committee for what is now called Reclaiming Paul: The Apostle in the Emerging World.  Check out more here.  It should be quite a stimulating theological conversation.

Do you have any "Left Behind" stories?

In light of the post "You've been left behind???," do you have any memories or stories related to this eschatological nightmare?  I have many that come to mind.  One of the earliest recollections (remember, I'm old) was in the year 1974.  I was a Junior in high school.  I had gotten a hold of Hal Lindsays' book The Late Great Planet Earth.  Hal wrote with a major level of certainty about the precise series of events that were unfolding and would lead to a rapture that was surely only years, if not months away.  Anyway, I was sitting in class in a daydream mode when I heard in the distance the sound of a horn that continued for more than 45 seconds.  I was seized by the fear that this is it - the trumpet of the Lord is sounding and all hell will soon break loose if I am left behind.  I was relieved to realize that someone in the band room down the hall was testing their lungs. 

I also have plenty of Thief in the Night and Distant Thunder stories.

You've been left behind???

This video features a song written by Randy Bonifield at Christ Community Church here in Kansas City.  Christ Community is a significant partner with YouthFront.  Many of our staff attend there and we have great relationships with their staff.  Pastor Tom Nelson is working through a series on Eschatology.  Randy, who obviously was scared to death (put me in that category) by the eschatological imagination and tactics used by many post 1970 Left Behind advocates (also put me in this category from 1978 - 1991), wrote a song expressing his experiences.  Very funny and appropriate critique.

Evacuation Gospel

Claude Nikondeha from Burundi, Africa and the Founder of Amaharo delivered a lecture last night entitled, "The Transformational Gospel vs. the Evacuation Gospel."  He described the missionary mindset which impacted Africa during colonialism as an Evacuation Gospel.  The message was that Jesus was coming back soon and would take African Christians out of their cursed environments and take them to heaven.  Claude demonstrated through quotes and examples how this message was communicated and carried out.  He examined the theological, sociological, economic, ecclesial, and psychological impact this has had on Africa. Claude presented a theology of the Transformational Gospel which engages life more holistically and is concerned not only about the salvation of individual souls but the salvation of the entire cosmos and a co-operation with God for the return of the Amaharo (Shalom) of God.

Postcolonial Theology

Dr. Kenzo Mabiala from the Republic of Congo opened up our first session with a presentation called The Future of Postcolonial Theology: the Imperative to Differ. Dr. Kenzo did his doctoral work at Trinity and served there as an Associate Professor of Theology. Interestingly, D.A. Carson was his dissertation advisor. Kenzo stated that postcolonialism and postmodernity are largely the same thing. Postcolonialism isn’t a time period (following colonialism) it is a condition. He shared how the African church has been infected with colonialism and will not move forward well until the church deals with the influence of colonialism. Kenzo said that the first generation of African Theologians dealing with colonialisms influence on the African church suggested that Africans should reclaim Africa’s past. Kenzo believes this to be impossible. “We must contextualize the Good News and move forward. Christianity must be connected to culture. If I am only a ‘Christian’ and not also an ‘African,’ I have betrayed the Incarnation.” He showed how Western Evangelical Theology came of age during the height of Imperialism. It is Western arrogance that describes “Pure Theology” as coming from Calvin, Luther and perhaps Wesley and theology you do in Africa and other places as “Contextualized Theology.” All theology is contextualized theology. Kenzo declared that he believes the truth but he does not “possess” the truth. A critique of modernity and enlightenment rationalism is as relevant in Africa as it is in America. Conservative Christianity in the West sees itself as protectors and defenders of The Faith! This faith was set forth for the saints, not just saints from the West. Kenzo said that Francis Schaeffer saw the slippage of modernity. His response to this reality was defensive but he did ask the right question, “How shall we then live?” Dietrich Bonhoeffer asked, “Who is Jesus Christ for us today?” D.A. Carson, whom Kenzo loves and respects, asked Kenzo why he was sympathetic and intrigued with the emerging church conversation. His response, “Because they are asking the right questions.”

Professor King for the first time

CED790 - Missional Leadership and Discipleship - Summer 2007

Subject Topic: An investigation into the life of the missional church and its practices, with specific attention to formative process that occur in the midst of cultural engagement

Course Narrative & Rationale

Hearkening to the works of Leslie Newbingen, Darrel Guder and Brian McClaren, new churches emerge that take seriously the missional mandate of God. How do contemporary churches discern and engender life engaged in missional practice? What formative processes guide congregations whose task remains transformative engagement of local communities? This course explores contextual and organic ecclesial practices, dispositions, and communal structures to answer these questions.

Instructors: Professor Dean Blevins; Professor Mike King

Course Outcomes:  At the end of this course the student will be able to:

1)      Articulate a working theology of missional leadership

2)      Assess a local setting for missional ministry potential

3)      Utilize specific practices for the sake of missional ministry

4)      Conceive of a specific structures to guide a missionally shaped ministry

Required Texts & Course Materials

Brafman, Ori and Rod Beckstrom The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

Frost, Michael. Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture.

King, Mike. Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation.

Minatrea, Milfred. Shaped by God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches

Roxburgh, Alan J. The Sky is Falling: Leaders Lost in Transition.

Recommended Texts & Course Materials

Frost, Michael and Alan Hirsch. The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21^st-Century Church.

Guder, Darrell L. (Ed.) Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America.

McClaren, Brian. A Generous Orthodoxy.

Padgitt, Doug. Church Re-Imagined: The Spiritual Formation of People In Communities of Faith.

Roxburgh, Alan, Fred Romanuk, and Eddie Gibbs. The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World.

Wesley, Paul (Comp.) Leslie Newbigin, Missionary Theologian: A Reader.

Most Important Theology Books in Past 25 years!

David Tatum tagged me to contribute to a list of best books of theology published in the past 25 years.

This is the criteria:

Name three (or more) theological works from the last 25 years (1981-2006) that you consider important and worthy to be included on a list of the most important works of theology of that last 25 years (in no particular order).

The Nature of Doctrine: Religion and Theology in a Postliberal Age By George Lindbeck (1984)

         

                                                                              

The Politics of Jesus By John Howard Yoder (written in 1974 but it makes my list as a second edition 1994)

                                                                                                            

    

The Crucified God: The Cross of Christ as the Foundation and Criticism of Christian Theology By Jurgen Moltmann (1993) 

    

                    I will tag Chris Folmsbee on this topic   

A Feast of Theologians

                       “Is the Reformation Over?”
                    A conversation among friends
    George Lindbeck, David Burrell, and Stanley Hauerwas                                        January 18 – 19, 2007
                              NTS Chapel

On Thursday night and all day Friday, I - along with around 100 others - spent nine hours engaged in a conversation between George Lindbeck, David Burrell and Stanley Hauerwas.  What a privilege to hear three world class theologians sharing their stories of how they were formed spiritually and theologically.  They engaged with each other and the rest of us on the subject of ecumenism without doctrinal compromise.  It was great to experience this historic gathering with fellow students, professors and other friends.  I sat with Shayne Wessel, Moe Didde, Aaron Mitchum and Tera Yakel.  This was so good.  I will let you know if these discussions are made available in audio form.  It was amazing to experience how sharp George Lindbeck still is at the age of 84 years-old.