more ready ch 5-11

11. Christian spiritual friendship is always about (finish this sentence according to McLaren's wording in chp 15). . .

...encouragement, empowerment, believing in people, whether we do so from "up head" as mentors from beside as peers, or even "from behind" as students ourselves.

21. _____________________ must precede believing. What is your response to this formula?

Belonging. I like it and agree with it. I love that he stresses that we are a community bound together by love and commitment to Jesus, and that even though you might share the faith, you are welcome to come get to know us and what we are about, and hopefully be transformed.

What is Robert Webber's definition of postmodern evangelism?

Process in a relational and communal atmosphere of embodied faith. An wakening of faith in a healthy community of believers.

22. What is the best "first step" we are advised to take after reading chapter 18?

To look for different ways to serve the world and have a sense of wonder instead of trying to make steps.

Summarize the main point of chapter 9. What is your response to it?

To understand the bible instead of trying to rewrite it you need to understand it as the early readers would have. Sometimes you just have to go back to the stories themselves instead of interpretations. Stories help more than any abstractions could.

In what sense are we, as Christians, "lost" according to McLaren?

We are like the letter that has been sent but never arrives to its destination. God has sent us out into the world and we haven't done a very good job of arriving to people, so we are lost.

22. Define "motivation by exclusion."

We're on the inside, but you're on the outside. We're right, and you're wrong. If you want to come inside, then you need to be right. So just believe right, think right, speak right, and act right, and we'll let you in.

In what sense are Christians converted in the Cornelius story

When Christians have conversations with non-Christians, they are learning and growing and being transformed by spiritual friendships.

18. Name one of the most negative effects of boundary thinking?

You are always asking the same question. You think in circles but never get any answers.

14. What is "foundationalism?"

a place were everything is settled, questions are answered, doubts are removed, knowledge is known.

24. Being reconciled to God means helping others ___________________________________________.

become reconciled too.

16. You don't start by being religious, you start by being _______________________________________.

human, relational, neighborly, friendly.

15. A powerful way to conceive of evangelism is as liberation from ____________________________.

overwhelming disdain of guilt and shame to a genuine experience of God's love

19. We simply come along to help them understand what already ________________ ______________.

surrounds them

25. Three kinds of humans: the sick, the healthy, and the _________________________.

the healers

9. From chapter 14, write down (copy) what you consider to be the best one or two sentences in McLaren's email(s) to April on the topic of prayer. Explain.

"I think a Christian belief is that God is all-powerful... but that doesn't mean that God "makes" everything happen or "controls" everything that happens. I think it's safe to say that the universe is never "out of control" (i.e. God can't stop it, intervene, etc.)... but that doesn't mean that everything that happens in it is controlled." I think that these are the best two sentences to describe prayer because it shows that God is in control but that we do have a choice and we need guidance.

From the Cornelius story, what words of Peter does McLaren see as most appropriate for our attitude regarding evangelism

"Only human myself." We feel unqualified to be spiritual friends because we are so human, but that's what being human is all about. God communicates his message, not in spite of humanity, but through it and because of it. Peter also talks about how it's illegal for Jew and Gentiles to converse, but he is beginning to see the importance of evangelism.

5 ways to see God

1. An uptight God who is about black-and-white easy answers and brittle, rigid logical and law, rather than about profound and many-faceted truth, self-sacrificing love, compassionate justice, and profound relationships 2. A conceptual God who is encountered through systems of abstractions, propositions, and terminology rather than through an amazing story, intense poetry, beauty, experience, experiment, and community. 3. A controlling God who is cold, analytical, and mechanistic rather than a mater artist and lover who is passionate about good and evil, justice and injustice, beauty and desecration, and hope and cynicism. 4. An exclusive God who favors insiders and is biased against outsiders rather than a God of scandalous inclusion, amazing mercy, and shocking acceptance, who blesses "insiders" so they can extend the blessing to "outsiders," thus making everyone an insider. 5. A tense God who prefers people to become judgmental, arrogant, and closed-minded rather than compassionate, humble, and teachable.

23. To which Not Welcome signs can you most relate?

1. Insider Language: zion, hell, circumsicion; how do these words sound to an outsider 2. Politcally correct sign: is it ok for people to think differently and still be accepted into the churhc 3. married only sign: if single, gay, divorced are you made to feel inferior or condemned 4. The unusual tolerance sign: insiders have learned to tolerate things, but does that make the outsiders feel odd

McLaren uses the term "modern" in reference to a Western culture dominated by what 7 characteristics:

1. Science 2. Consumerism 3. Conquest 4. Rationalism 5. Mechanism 6. Analysis 7. Objectivity

Discern McLaren's 3 step process for interpreting Scripture.

1. We let ourselves be absorbed into or abducted by the alien biblical word 2. We are able to let its message enter us. 3. We bring that message back into this world.

26. What is the mark of a good book? How do you evaluate this book according to this criteria? Explain.

A good book makes you want to put them down and go do something. They make you stop reading and start doing. I think that this book fits that criteria. I am inspired and reminded that I can't relax just because I have put on Christ. It is now up to me to go make spiritual friends and spread the word and love of God.

Describe the "new kind of Christian" that McLaren believes we need to become.

A person who joins Jesus and Peter's example and become friends of sinners, spiritual friends who love, accept, learn with, and teach those who are missed by God.

23. What is McLaren hoping to instill in his readers (it starts with a "W") instead of offering evangelistic formulas and models?

A sense of Wonder.

7. What is a good definition of spiritual friendship offered in chp. 13?

A spiritual friend tries to discern which spiritual process is happening in people and encourages the process rather than requiring people to fit into one of the categories.

6. Draw and explain each line graph in chapter 13.

A- Squiggly line. It represents the "punctiliar salvation" focus. One is born "dead in trespasses and sins" with no spiritual life an nothing happening between the soul and God. At some point, one turns to God, is born again, and a new life begins. B- Squiggly line. Represents the Pentecostal or charismatic focus. As line A, you are born and you don't grow spiritually until you are born again, and then you live at a higher but stagnant level until you are filled with or baptized in the Holy Spirit. C- Squiggly line. Represents catholic or mainline protestant. One is born and raised in the training and instruction of the Lord. You experience ups and downs spiritually. There may be defining moments (like conformation) and turning points, but basically life is seen as a gradual spiritual growt process, and no single conversion event is expected. D- Straight line. I have always believed and loved God. Example is John the Baptist.

What terms does McLaren suggest that we use to replace terms like "lost" or "unsaved."

Missed or treasured, loved, precious, sought after.

Name 2 important attitudinal terms from 1 Peter 3:15.

But your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

What does McLaren consider to be the best way to expand and deepen one's concept of God?

By having spiritual conversations with friends will provide an authentic relationship.

4. What is chapter 13 about? What is McLaren's main point? What is your response?

Chapter 13 is about being born again and following Jesus. McLaren is bringing up the point that there's not just some event where your saved and then the next day you live for Jesus for the rest of your life. It's a journey. I agree with him. I don't remember the exact day I was baptized, but I do know that over the years my lifestyle has changed and that I have put on Christ and that I have grown tremendously.

What was the surprising, simple, yet profound answer to the question?

Even though Jesus himself didn't want to die and was scared, he prayed in Gethsemane that the Lord's will be done none the less. It isn't about understanding, but obedience to the One who created us all. The point was doing what needed to be done.

How would McLaren respond to the statement, "The Bible is written for us"?

He would say that statement is false. The Bible was originally written for a culture way before our time. This fact is hard for our modern or postmodern viewpoints to not be limited, contingent, changing, not privileged. The Bible begins teaching us something about humility and perspective.

21. What is even better than recruiting people for heaven?

Helping people see that they are God's missionaries on earth, and that they also need to use their talents and go into the world and help others.

"There is an integration of truth, beauty, and goodness that must come together to give a person confidence to step from relative uncommitment into Christian commit." Agree or Disagree? Explain.

I do agree. Just because something is true doesn't mean you should participate in it. If the truth is good and brings about beauty, then you should absolutely participate, and that's what Christ is to us; good, true, and beautiful.

What is the profound and difficult question that one of McLaren's friends asked? What made it difficult?

If God was going to forgive us, why didn't he just forgive us? Why did Jesus have to die so that we could be forgiven? The reason why this question was difficult is because having an innocent person die for quilitiy people didn't seem to solve the "injustice" of forgiveness. It only seemed to add to the "injustice"

13. Where did truth reside in premodern times? Where did truth reside after the Reformation/Renaissance?

In premodern times truth resided in people, in groups-people like the pope, groups like the Roman Catholic Church. These privileged people had the truth. After the Reformation/Renaissance truth reside in people or institutions with a belief that truth resides in logical statements, abstract proportions, objective concepts independent of people, existing out there somewhere. In this the best way to gain truth is through thinking, research , study-all efforts of the individual.

12. According to McLaren, what is the most unexpected lesson about Jesus? How does he support this idea?

Jesus believes in people. He knows what we're made of; our weak flesh, even when our spirits are willing. It's amazing how much Jesus entrusts to us. He looked up on his computer verses about trust and noticed how many there were about Jesus entrusting us with things such as wealth, duty and responsibility.

17. What is something practical you could do to practice the Narrative Factor?

Just slow down and take a moment to actually see peoples faces and help them along with their stories, because we are all apart of God's unfolding story.

20. What is the Learning Factor?

Letting evangelism be a part of your own discipleship and not just the other persons. You can continue to grow and learn as well.

______________________ is the more biblical term for evangelism.

Making disciples

10. In what way(s) does God relate to us like McLaren parents his college-age daughter? Do you agree or disagree?

McLaren uses the example of him and his daughter to say that he wants her to go to the best college, have the best friends and life, and to stay away from harmful sins. He wants what's best for her in the same way that God desires the best for us. If we disappoint our Father he still loves us and is there to give us guidance. He gently holds us accountable and is always looking out for our well-being. I agree with this completely.

8. List the four ancient stages of conversion.

Seeker, hearer, kneeler, and faithful

2. What is April's great surprise according to McLaren's interpretation of her dream?

She is more ready to be baptized and put on Christ than she realized.

What fear does Alice have in regard to becoming a Christian in chp. 7?

That if the world is still seeing God in a modern way does it even matter that there could be different interpretations and views of Christianity.

3. What is the point of "no turning back now" according to McLaren's interpretation of April's dream?

That she is ready to follow Christ and do as he would do.

5. To what is McLaren referring when he speaks of "event" and "process." What is your reaction to his view of conversion?

The event is that you get saved and become a Christian and it's a datable thing that is time-able down to the minute. If you can't give a precise date and time it's hard to believe that someone's a truly converted Christian. When he speaks of a process, he is referring to the fact that the whole "process" is more of a journey. I agree with him.

Summarize the main point of chapter 8. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

The main point is that the bible is hard to interpret. I think that it is hard if you don't realize that the scripture was spoken to that particular culture and time, which is much different to the time and culture of today. Once you realize that, it is easy to interpret and see the power of the words and the true meaning behind those words. And once you understand that, you can begin to love God.

1. What word makes McLaren bristle at the beginning of chapter 12? Why?

The word "just" because he thought that any spiritual experience should be both psychological as well as spiritual. This particular word seems to make the others less important and kind of makes the question not nearly as important as it could be.

What is the main difference between how we encounter Scripture and how ancient people encountered Scripture?

They had a completely different worldview than we have. They were also living through different experiences and culture, but we can use their experiences to learn.