Recently I was having an enjoyable chat to Don Baker - a trusted friend of mine and a father in the faith to me. He made a comment that startled me and took me back somewhat. He said;
"I've been wondering what you've been up to -- your blogs are so quiet these days!".I wasn't aware that I was quiet! But Don went on to say that he hadn't realised I had been posting mostly on "Life on Wings" covering the Mark Driscoll coming to Brighton thing. He thought I was writing more on "Spirit of God!" and obviously hadn't checked "Life on Wings". Initially I slipped, oh so quickly, into legalism and condemnation. The devil had a hey-day. "Oh well - about the only thing you do for God is blog and clearly your closest friends don't think you do much of that!". I had a much needed and valued chat with my best friend Pete Day who made a classic quote to combat this ridiculous legalism;
"There is no law of blogging, no righteousness of gold dust. I would rather seek the glory and if the gold comes then that is a bonus".
The reference to the "gold" was that I was also struggling with why so many people who went to Hong Kong seem to be having manifestations of feathers and gold dust and oil on their hands yet I have got nothing. So as you can see - it was a very helpful comment that freed me wonderfully!
However ...
We did agree that some order was required to make some sense out of what on earth was going on in my blogging little world. Jesse Phillips from Orlando Florida (an SGM pastoral intern) probably did the most admirable job of summing what's where. Here's my attempt:
"Life on Wings" - the original blog and father of them all - set up 3 years ago now just after I left SGM in Bristol. I dedicated it to the memory of Dr Ern Baxter. It is still probably the blog where I do most of my writing as well as housing my archive of Ern Baxter's teaching. However I found that I was writing more and more about the Holy Spirit, His Person and His ministry and trying to defend charismatic life.So "Spirit of God!" was born. I now partner it with Pete Day and it is evolving into becoming a site for recording the prophetic - prophecies given to us and from us for the church. The longest post on the site is probably "Charismatic Resurgence" - a post that is long overdue for an update. It is our continued hope that more and more charismatics will break the traditional trend and begin to write and document what the Holy Spirit is doing in our age.
I was inspired by a "quotes" blog that Mark Heath (an old friend of mine) set up to launch an exclusive Charismatic/Pentecostal quotes blog. I am blessed to be joined on the blog by an excellent team of people who all share my hunger for more of the Holy Spirit and the Presence and glory of God. Jesse is one of them as are Julie Morris (a real fire-brand), Pete and of course my loyal Scott (my Caleb!).
And then Rob Rufus entered my life in July 2006 at "Together on a Mission 2006" and again in 2007. What a man! I haven't encountered a man of God since Ern Baxter himself who so brings together the Word of God and the power of the Spirit. I fast began finding that taking notes of his sermons was out-growing any blog I was using so he required his own. Here (I still can't believe anyone else had taken the domain name!).So where does that leave us? Well I am still attempting to post blogs as the Spirit inspires them on the appropriate blog posts. A couple of times I have transcribed a sermon or two and felt they are too key to be limited to just one blog. My fear is that someone will miss it so I have posted them on two. An example is Rob Rufus's first sermon of 2008. But if a friend like Don is missing some posts, then something needed to be done.
So what Pete and I have agreed is to set up a box at the side of each blog (thanks to Google Reader) under the name "Grace and Glory!". I did call it "Network" but Pete and I don't like the word "Network" for various reasons. Rather than tracking my favourite blogs (because why should you care what I read?!) - the idea is to follow the blogs of those of us who have been hugely blessed by Rob Rufus's ministry and which really seek to marry Word and Spirit - Doctrine and Experience - Grace and Glory.
I hope it proves a useful tool. If you feel your blog deserves a place in it, then please do let me know! I would be delighted to add it and follow what you have to share. I love the blogging world. It truly is a place of "No Well Worn Paths". I think our fore-fathers are looking down and applauding us and probably can't quite believe hopefully what it is achieving in making a statement for the glory of God on the internet.
16 comments:
Going to Brighton?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YE3FHMTAWHY
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Oh Ron ...
Thank you for this video - and people have been trying to persuade me that Driscoll really is loving to those in need in his congregation!
That's a really shocking video clip :(
I just read again Terry Virgo's blog; "With the aid of certain friends" ... would it be too much to guess that it was C J Mahaney who engineered Mark Driscoll coming over to speak at Brighton?
I think that would be my inspired guess Driscoll-skeptic.
Well if that is the case then why hasn't Mahaney got Driscoll to speak at any Sovereign Grace Ministries conferences?
I don't know Driscoll-skeptic - why don't you email and ask!? As I see it from the SGM website, there is no central SGM conference this year - the focus is on Together for the Gospel or whatever it's called. The website is here;
http://www.t4g.org/speakers.html
And Driscoll isn't on the list. It will be interesting to keep an eye and see if they do bring him in to speak in the future though I guess.
Ah I see we have taken a break and are back to Driscoll-sniping. Well at least it makes a change from SGM sniping.
Ah anonymous I didn't think it wouuld take much to see you rear your head from wherever you have been hiding and begin flashing that discernment detector of yours.
I've got a question - I wonder when these anonymous "discernment detectors" and defenders of orthodoxy get to heaven, what will their answer be when Jesus asks them what they did with their life? Isn't their angry position similar to those who buried their talents in the ground and "defended the ground"?
I agree this is a shocking clip. It is interesting, however, that Mark Driscoll speaks of going "Old Testament" on people. But aren't we under the new covenant now? So where is the biblical basis for going "old testament"? Hebrews tells us were are under a better covenant now, with better promises. And, I trust, better behaviour because we are (or should be) indwelt by the Spirit of God.
I think you are right to mark the disturbing contrast between Covenants Pete.
Mark Driscoll needs to be consistent. He speaks of going "Old Testament" on people - presumably his pastors that he fired. But Jesus said if you look at a woman with lust in your heart then you have committed adultery with her.
Under the Old Covenant the penalty for adultery was stoning wasn't it? So do we book our flights to Seattle with our rucksacks full of rocks now?
I am not being pedantic and I am certainly not threatening Driscoll's physical state. It sounds like he has got enough of that. But thank God we AREN'T under Old Covenant! Thank God we are under the covenant of grace! There is no call (joking or not) for making statements about wishing to be back under the Old Covenant surely.
Yes that's true. Doesn't the old hymn say;
"Lord if you mark our transgressions who would stand?".
Mark Driscoll like those he would like to go OT on stand under the same condemnation of the Law.
But thanks be to God!
"Where there is no law, there is no transgression"!!
Dan, I am sure Mark Driscoll will be at some SGM event within the year.
I am sure CJ hasn't been counseling with him just for the heck of it.
That's interesting to hear Ellie - thanks for the input. I too wouldn't be surprised to see that.
Hi folks, I know I don't weigh in here as often as I would like but I certainly read all posts and comments with interest and care.
So a Mahaney(SGM)/Driscoll(Emerging) Marriage eh?
Is that true unity for the Gospel? Or will something have to give?
Dr S A J Burgess
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