Spurgeon and the Primitive Methodists

http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2012/08/look-unto-me-spurgeon-in-the-snowstorm.html

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is a man I greatly admire.  Not tall of stature, not handsome, he lead the Victorian era in England as the foremost preacher of the time.  Imagine Rob Bell and Bill Hybels and Rick Warren rolled into one.  He preached to huge assemblies.

His sermons was filled with wisdom and love, and sometimes a little vinegar.  Had I remained in the UK it seems likely that I would have attended Spurgeon College in London, which still prepares ministers to this day.

I recommend the blog posting from J D Greear in the above link.  It is a great story for me, a Wesleyan, to read.  You can pay as much money as you like to hear any of the great preachers and teachers of our day, and if they are a thoroughgoing Christian it all comes down to that great advice - trust the holy love of Jesus Christ to save you now and forever.  Amen.

Narrative Theology

     A brief conversation with a friend provoke later reflection about what is called 'narrative theology' (NT).  Briefly,  NT is viewing the Christian understanding of God in terms of 'story', especially God's story and our story transecting it, becoming one with it.  As such it is a communicative framework.  It's about communicating the gospel - it's an applied theology, but still essentially communicative.
     I love this approach but I do have strong reservations.
The problems come not with narrative theology itself, but with people's handling of it.  The key point is that it is GOD'S story, not ours. So we need to handle it with all the care and respect such ownership demands of us.  What IS God's story exactly?  Do we really know it inside and out? When we tell God's story do we do so in a Biblically correct way?  Or do we know a part of the story and tell it as if we are telling the whole story?  This would be to tell partial truth, which can do so much harm.
    Telling only the part of God's story that we know, or the part we feel comfortable with, can play havoc with people's precious lives.  With good intentions and perhaps unwittingly, a part-story can mislead people. Have you ever met anyone with an unBiblical view of God because they were told God is love, without being told that God is also just?  or perhaps that God is a fearsome judge, without being told of God the servant-King?  Or perhaps that God is transcendent and holy but not that God is imminent and personal?  In church we find people damaged by a partial gospel quite often.  The damaged one's who never come to church again worry me most of all.

So yes, narrative theology is good, but in my view, only as a secondary theology.  The danger comes when NR is our primary theology.  Rather I would suggest a thoroughgoing Biblical theology of God, Christ, The Holy Spirit and Humankind is what is needed as a primary theology.  This may not be easy to acquire, or hip, but it grounds us deeply in the whole gospel.  Only then, with our feet firmly in the whole Bible revelation of God should we add secondary paradigms such as narrative theology, liberation theology, feminist theology, pastoral theology etc.

Telling God's story is a noble task.  First, ensure we know all there is to know of God, and allow God to 'know' all there is to know of us.

How to Use the S.O.A.P Method of Bible Reading

By Kate Lee, eHow Contributor, reposted from http://www.ehow.com/how_2324318_use-soap-method-bible-reading.html

S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. It’s a great way to delve more deeply into your Bible reading, and record your thoughts, emotions and connections when studying scripture. S.O.A.P. is meant to be a journal you create with your regular Bible reading, using the process as you read each day, but it can also be an effective tool to help you connect with particular passages. You can use it with any Bible reading plan, whether you’re reading straight through from Genesis to Revelation, or following a reading plan from your church, study Bible or the internet.

Instructions
Use the S.O.A.P Method of Bible Reading

1. Find a quiet time and space to read your Bible, preferably at the same time each day. Many people find that reading scripture in the morning helps get their day off to a focused start.

2. Complete the “S” by reading the scripture. Don’t just skim through it, but really think about what it means. Imagine what the people involved were experiencing. Write down a verse or two that really stood out to you in your journal.

3. Complete the “O” by writing down observations about the scripture you just read. You may want to write your own summary of the passage, but more importantly, think about what God has to say to you through this part of his word.

4. Complete the “A” by writing down how this Bible passage applies to you right now, in your daily life. For example, in the parable about the prodigal son, which character do you identify with most: the loving and merciful father, the son who squanders his life and then repents or the resentful older brother? Do you see similar situations in your life right now? How can you respond in the way Jesus taught?

5. Complete the “P” by writing down a prayer. This is a personal message from you to God, so don’t worry about getting the perfect words down. Just make it honest and heartfelt. Remember that God always listens, and already knows your needs. He just wants to hear from you.