Mission, The Church and Psychology

The Church has by and large been ignorant of psychologies impact on it. It's become convinced that the gospel is about our individual lives becoming right with God. God somehow comes to serve us. Psychology and the Church has come to have a strange relationship. If one looks at the Theology of Psychology, for psychology definitely has a theology, we would find that its a theology of self, creating the self to be God and anything else to serve that. Christ can not be integrated with anything either it all of Christ or all of Psychology. Missionary organization have by and large followed the rest of the church and said we need to be pragmatic and psychology is a science its not based on theology.
They have started to use psychology and its interpretations on the human condition not just for recruitment but also for working with mission member who are living in very challenging situations.  This is saying that the gospel and its ways of thinking and working have been wrong for 2000 years and their new understanding of taking"science" and theology combining them is the best form, but is that not a new gospel.

Transforming Spirituality: Integrating Theology and Psychology [Paperback]
The twenty-first century has given rise to a growing interest in the intersection of science, religion, and spirituality.....Transforming Spirituality. In this book Shults and Sandage address the subject of spiritual transformation through the lenses of psychology and theology. 


* theology = Study or Doctrine of
God

Mark Dever on the pastor, preaching and the Church

2013 Desiring God Conference for Pastors

Is the primary role of the senior elder, pastor, of a church to preach a sunday sermon. I like Mark Dever's exposition of the word a lot, but I have a big issue with the concept that the primary role of a pastor is to preach the word.

Now I don't doubt that there are many ministers of the word who believe that this is the role of a pastor. Preaching in a church on a sunday morning is not discipleship! It might make up a part of discipleship, but it is not the foundation of Discipleship even as that is only a small part of the role of an elder.

To address why it is not the primary role we need to address one primary question. This is what is the Lords role for a pastor.

Marks says its to preach, now this is not uncommon, and many people who come from academia are likely to say the same, because it makes use of their gifts, and the are affirmed by the body for it, but they are called to shepherd the flock not to educate the flock. We have replaced shepherds with superstars, and while many of these men that are well known and respected are great, many have fallen for the beliefe that education is the solution. While they say that seminary or other degrees don't make a minister, their actions and words say something different.

I will still listen and enjoy Mark Devers exposition of the word, but always in the back of my mind will be the belief that in some way he is truly confused about what the purpose of the church. What is the purpose of the church? Is it to have people soaking up exposition of the word? No. Mark Dever would never say that was the role of the church, but if the primary role of a shepherd is to preach than that is the role of the church and everything else comes secondary. If that is the primary role of a shepherd than there is very little difference between Mark Dever and Joel Olsteen.

A church is not made up by the minister or even the elders but all the parts. All the parts are the church, the head is Christ and Christ appoints elders to lead and shepherd it. Leaders are called to lead that Church, but all to often that concept is lost and distracted to other things. The church is what we are called to be, a united team working to see the Kingdom of God built. When a paid for senior pastor comes on the scene all to often it slowly shifts to him focused away from the King. Even though the preaching is about the king the subtle shift becomes about the leader and what He is doing and how he is ministering and what they are doing, even how to pray for the people. The focus is pulled away from the unity of the fellowship of all believers to the preaching on sunday, and that can become idolatry.

The most expensive thing we can ever own....

The most expensive thing we can ever own is.....
  Critical thought.
Critical Thought Cost Us everything and consumes most of our energy.
If critical thought were a commodity to be traded there would be an over abundance from lack of its consumption.

Purpose

This is to be the catchall for thoughts and other things dealing with the church its mission to the world and the rest of everything. From thoughts on the justice system to concept on being the church in the world.