NeoZine

The Fears in Legalism

Keith McCallum — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:22:55 -0600

The Young, Restless Reformed are leaders of remarkable movements in the Reformed tradition.1 Their “bleeding edges” are split into the Emergent Church and Piper-Reformed Church movements racing away from the Reformed status quo still held by senior citizens. But dead traditions remain unchallenged in the new movements. The Restless Reformed are courageous, but they still [...]

The Fear Factor

Keith McCallum — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:06:33 -0500

People are aware of the big differences between various forms of Christianity, and it's confusing. But the differences are really quite simple: traditions! When Christian communities get tangled in traditions, the "Fear Factor" spreads and grows, and the Bible gets irrelevant and confusing. Grand institutions are built for security, but institutions also snuff-out spiritual life and relationships. The antidote? History proves the Bible is subversive against church traditions and institutions, but it requires courage and a willingness to start fresh. Spiritual revolution was often triggered in church history when people started reading the Bible with new eyes, and it produces a Christianity marvelously consistent with the earliest Christianity.

Heartless Institutions

kmcc — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:41:12 -0500

In The Dawn of Covenant Theology we described the rise of Reformed Theology and its distinctive characteristics, especially the phenomena of the Visible and Invisible Church. We now show how it further developed into a phenomena in church history we call Institutionalized Christianity.

Conversation and Cuisine: Challenging Initiatives, Contagious Enthusiasm

l.beech — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:02:20 -0500

If you build plan, prepare, and host it, they will come … or at least that was the dream of the Hughes Home Church. The desire to have substantial discussions in a friendly, open forum with non-Christian family and friends prompted the plan to host a Conversation and Cuisine. As this home church transitioned from a college-aged [...]

The Dawn of Covenant Theology

kmcc — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:33:57 -0500

A group of Gen-X Christian leaders are emerging (not Emergent) with innovative church-planting strategies and a refreshing, quasi-relevancy untypical for the old Reformed school of theology. In order to appreciate their (belated, but good) restlessness, we now continue to trace the development of this theology from part one in The Restless Reformed,

The ‘Restless Reformed’

kmcc — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:00:16 -0500

We love our Reformed brethren like Mark Driscoll, guest speaker at XSI, but we wince at Reformed theology evangelism! (See John Piper's eloquent sermon at Mars Hill.) Irregardless, it is useful to know some lively history of theology as NeoZine investigates "Reformed theology" and its implications today.

The Emergent Church

Keith McCallum — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:34:12 -0500

In the NeoZine's review of The Meeting House last year, the Emergent Church entered the discussion because Bruxy Cavey was using Brian McLaren's endorsement in his new book. Dennis McCallum posted an extended comment which affirms that the Meeting House is not theologically-aligned with the Emergent Village. Dennis continues with a useful critique of the Emergent movement, which we now publish here in article format. He quotes from Driscoll, who will be speaking at the upcoming summer institute.

Viral Church

Dr. Joel Hughes — Sun, 25 May 2008 10:01:34 -0500

Dr. Hughes explains what he thinks underlies the "revolution of the heart" that makes the Christian walk -- and fellowship -- so unique. This is one family's experience with the rather unique character of Xenos fellowship.

Prince Caspian, Part 2: the Prophet-Leader

kmcc — Thu, 22 May 2008 05:46:44 -0500

The movie 'Prince Caspian' extends our church leadership series and the implications on church growth. Here we consider the heirarchy within the Priest/Prophet/King leadership paradigm and why the Prophet-leader is so essential for spiritual church leadership.

Prince Caspian, Part 1: The Power of the Natural Man

kmcc — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:47:09 -0500

Go watch the movie Prince Caspian, and do it quickly! If you watch it knowing that C.S. Lewis was not only a Christian, but someone deeply in love with God’s Kingdom, it helps explains the “The Deep Magic” that governs the movie. Prince Caspian is the study of a Christian’s greatest weakness: “the Natural Man”, as [...]