I would like to comment on this statement you made,

“In our previous SBC church, I never saw folks like this seeking. Guess why? You were considered Biblical illiterate if you thought the earth was old. Guess this church will never reach the lost scientists. And they lost me, a Christian who lives to interact with folks like these professors.”

My concern with those you mention are those who cannot bring themselves to understand that the age of the earth is very old. They may not know about this study published in the NY Times.

Tubes of Ice Hold Record of Climate In Past and Future
By WALTER SULLIVAN
Published: July 20, 1993
The earth is at least 250,000 years

Plus

Reality Check on Old Ice, Climate and CO2
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Richard Alley’s name has been thrown around a bit by bloggers asserting that ice-core records from Greenland show that carbon dioxide has scant, if any, influence on climate. Dr. Alley, a glaciologist and climate scientist at Penn State, is a longtime contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, author of a nice history of ice and climate, “The Two-Mile Time Machine,” and — as many Dot Earth readers are aware — a teacher with musical and terpsichorean talents (see the YouTube video below for his orbital dance explaining how ice-age cycles help show the amplifying power of greenhouse gases).

The above discusses the the “Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2.”

There are other research papers that scientist have access to that a layman like me canot have access.

There are other studies that show the earth is over 2 Million years old which are part of the “Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2.”

Lots of scientific evidence on the age of the earth.
Which also shows, based upon an analysis I read in the NT Times Science section back in late 1993, that the atmospheric gases were to deadly to support any type of life from 2 million years ago until 13,000 years ago, and for some reason, which the scientists can not explain, the atmospheric gases stabilized such that life could be supported.

Maybe this kind of scientific information is helpful. And there are other earth temperature scientific evidence that the temperature of the earth was to erratic to allow the currents of the earth to flow. And again, the scientific evidence do not explain why 13,000 years ago the temperature of the earth stabilized such that the very deep and cold ice in the north melted, and this heavy water flows deep in the ocean, and created the deep ocean currents. It flows down the east coast of the US, around South America, and the up past the Hawaiian Islands where it circulates. It takes 5,000 years for a drop of water to complete this journey.

I want to thank you for the review of the Pagan Christianity. This has peaked my interest and will try to locate a copy and investigate this topic in more detail.
This seems to fill in a gap in my understanding.

In our previous SBC church, I never saw folks like this seeking. Guess why? You were considered Biblically illiterate if you thought the earth was old. Guess this church will never reach the lost scientists. And they lost me, a Christian who lives to interact with folks like these professors.

Thanks for your comment. While most churches claim to function as “families” of God, many of these “families” appear dysfunctional. Somewhere amidst the pageantry of the large elaborate church service, the purity of the character and person of Christ can be ignored.

I seek a church family whose values embody Christ and His righteousness, giving to the one who is hungry something to eat… giving to the thirsty something to drink…inviting in the stranger…clothing the naked…looking after the sick…visiting the prisoner (Mt25:31-46).

I am called to behave in this manner, in the context of this sort of church family. There is no room for pride here.

This is a refreshing breath of air in my search for the “Truth” regarding the behavior and belief from the members of the family of God.
Like all other families, the family of God has established rules, expectations, and we are taught what is acceptable, (biblical), and what is not acceptable (not biblical).
Jesus has instructed us on these family issues. Measure ones behavior and belief against the family of God values to find the charlatans in the Church.

I agree with your reply. The how to break out of the prison of passivity is a relating relationship with the One True God who does work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Even though the disciples messed up from time to time, they asked questions, they qalked to new places, their spiritual gifts werre activated and then they were filled with Holy Spirit from n action from The Father and Jesus. Faith works. Faith is not passive. Passivity is a fruitless connection or an indication of no connection. What curch, other than a small congregation , can listen and comment on the teaching or preaching. Church size increase seems to lead to passivity increase. Faith without activity is dead. May His light shine without incumbrance.

Thanks for your comment. One of the ways the modern church maintains separation of priest from laity is through polished entertainment up front. Heaven forbid we spectators interrupt a polished priest show!

Maybe it’s time to pick a church home where good expository teaching if followed by spontaneous comments from the whole church family during the service. How can we move from milk to meat? How can iron sharpen iron within the priesthood? In my view, me sitting in a pew being passively entertained brings little glory to God. Why not participate actively? Such was the case in the first century church.

Thanks for your comment.

I agree with Stott that many of our pressupositions about evangelicalism warrant careful review, with an eye on authenticity.

No question that we need to accept our Biblical responsibility as priests, but I would like to see the authors expand their discusssion beyond the house church model. As mentioned in the post, there may be some logistical problems with the “house church” concept (particularly for larger church gatherings)as an ultimate solution to the historical abdicaton of our role as priests.

Here are some of my questions for the authors:
-Are there OTHER viable solutions to the issue of church leadership and governance?
-What are our specific responsibilities as priests, and how can we carry them out?
-What are appropriate biblical checks and balances in church leadership?
-Should formal theological training be abandoned?
-Should pastors be paid for what they do, or should the notion of professional clergy be abandoned?
-Is the problem with hyperauthoritarian pastors the institution of professional clergy per se or is the problem more with a particular bozo ‘pastor’ who has selfishly ignored his scriptural calling as servant?
-All of us have experienced excellent teaching from the pulpit by gifted preachers or theologians…Are we to abandon the protestant emphasis (Luther/Calvin) on theological scholarship?

Responses to these and other questions would, in my view, strengthen the book. That said, I agree with you that the authors have opened our eyes to a bold and fresh look at our church institions.

Happy New Year!