Category Archives: Index

The Blue Parakeet: Corollaries — Positive Law

We’ve worked through several examples about how this Story/narrative approach to Bible study pushes us to rethink some familiar passages. Now that the quarter is nearly over, I want to sort through some additional hermeneutical principles built on the narrative … Continue reading

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CENI: A Better Way — The Acts of the Apostles

Let’s try the same thing with Acts. After all, Luke wrote Acts as something of a sequel to his Gospel. Let’s again purge from our minds the notion that Acts is all about baptism. It’s not. Let’s try to take … Continue reading

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CENI: A Better Way — The Gospels

Take a deep breath and repeat after me: “The New Testament is neither a constitution nor a blueprint. The New Testament is neither a constitution nor a blueprint. The New Testament is neither a constitution nor a blueprint.” Much of … Continue reading

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Elder Training Poll

Although opinions are split, it seems that most believe that a formal program of training — as opposed to only personal Bible study and church Bible classes — is needed for our elders. In an effort to get some solid … Continue reading

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Ed Stetzer on Reversing Our Decline: The Cure — Networking

In the latest issue of Outreach Magazine, Ed Stetzer makes a point that caught me a little off guard — but I think it’s exactly right: Networking will go a long way toward fixing our churches. It’s not the cure, … Continue reading

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CENI: The Laws Behind the Curtain

What’s really going on? Why do our leaders feel so comfortable — so insistent — that their interpretations are right, when it’s obvious that the scriptural support for many of their positions is very, very thin? Well, it all goes … Continue reading

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The Blue Parakeet: The Story and Women, Part 2

Let’s skip ahead all the way to the central controversial text of the controversy — (1 Tim 2:11-14)  A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority … Continue reading

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The Blue Parakeet: The Story and Women, Part 1

In The Blue Parakeet, Scot McKnight spends about half the book showing how the narrative approach to hermeneutics changes our thinking on the role of women in the church. In our lesson series, we’re not going to spend so much … Continue reading

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Communion Meditation: Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day means different things to different people. For many of us taking our mothers out to eat after church, it will mean a very long wait — followed by a great meal with great people. And that got me … Continue reading

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Ed Stetzer on Reversing Our Decline: The Cure, Part 2

So what do we do?We cannot simply mandate how churches, pastors, and believers live. Our theological convictions of the priesthood of all believers and local autonomy of the church lead us to allow each church to heed God’s will on … Continue reading

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