I have been thinking the use of this blog for a while. For myself, the most obvious use of this tool is to allow me to record my thoughts, my encounters, and bounce ideas off people (if people respond). But a somewhat hidden benefit is it may motivate me to simply read and reflect more. I think an audience may be out there reading what I am learning (I certainly hope so). I think this tool will be useful as a virtual dialogue, as long as we bear in mind that it does not replace regular gatherings which I desperately need to get back to.
One theme I am really excited to share is my lessons learned from attending
TCS and reading the speaker's book. I went to TCS in L.A. on 7/5-9. The topic of this TCS is Spiritual Formation (which I didn't really know what's it's all about but I trusted Pavi that it would be good). I have been wanting to go to such summer courses for a few years. I finally had a chance to go and it did not disappoint me.
First I really needed a break from all the craziness in the past few months. Up to that point, my life had been pulled into different directions (Jeanie's work, family needs, some friends' family problems) and I was tired and lacked the motivation to serve and even connect with God. Going away to L.A. alone really refreshed my mind, heart, soul and body.
The speaker,
Graham Tomlin, is an excellent teacher and pastor. He is a professor of Theology and Evangelism from Oxford University. He is a true gentlemen with a genuine, humble and refreshing spirit. He speaks eloquently but his teaching will not drain you emotionally. In this course, he combined church history, theology and practical application in church building. He taught a lot about why churches believe and do what they do today (church history and theology), and how we can apply Jesus' teaching practically. I think I can summarize him in this way: he has a love for theology and a passion for people - a good mix of theology and ministry. Not many professors are like that.
If you haven't read his book, The Provocative Church, I encourage you to read it. It's a very easy book to read but it really challenges us the way we do evangelism. In this book, he tackled the fear and misconception of doing evangelism: is evangelism only about sharing gospel verbally? What is the gospel? What is the connection of doing good and evangelism? How does the Kingdom of God related to evangelism? Plus many other questions.
Let me share some excerpts from his book:
"Pascal pointed out that because of basic human sinfulness, we only tend to believe what we want to believe. If we don't want something to be true, we are remarkably good at thinking of reasons why it isn't. Second, he argued that the Christian God doesn't stand at the end of an argument, ready to be proved, then ticked off as something known and ignored. He is an intensely passionate God who, when he comes into relationship with people, 'unites himself with them in the depths of their soul...and makes them incapable of having any other end but him' You either have this kind of intimate personal encounter with God, or you don't have him at all. Those who are idly curious, who don't really want this kind of God and are only playing theological gams, will not find him.'
"The crucial factor in persuading someone to believe, then, is not to present evidence, but first to awaken a desire for God in them...'make it attractive, make good men wish it were true, and then show that it is.'"
Here is a great question:
"If all this is anywhere near true, the first stage in a church's approach to its non-Christian neighbours may not be in thinking 'how can we make them want to know more?' This might involve questions of personal lifestyle: ' How different are my values, my home and my behaviour from those of my neighbours and friends who are not Christians?"
-RL->>
