Caminos Olvidados: Reactivemos la Iglesia Misional

Missional Press announces the publication of Caminos Olvidados: Reactivemos la Iglesia Misional, the Spanish edition of Alan Hirsch’s book The Forgotten Ways.

The retail price of the book is $19.99 and will be available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and other online retail sites as well as in select stores in the US and Latin American.

You can also purchase the book through Missional Press for the discounted price of $17.99 by using our reseller CCNow.

Descripción del producto
Alan Hirsch está convencido de que las fórmulas de crecimiento heredado el Cuerpo de Cristo no funcionan más. Y en lugar de confiar en soluciones ligeramente revisada del pasado, él ve una visión de futuro crecimiento de la iglesia viene por aprovechar el poder de la iglesia primitiva, que pasó de tan sólo 25.000 fieles en el año 100 a un máximo de 20 millones de en el año 310. Esa también es increíble el crecimiento que experimenta hoy en día en la iglesia en China y en otras partes del mundo. ¿Cómo lo hacen? ¿Ha olvidado la formas explora el concepto de genio apostólica como una manera de entender lo que causó la iglesia para ampliar en diversos momentos de la historia, la interpretación de que para su uso en nuestro propio tiempo y lugar. A partir de la bases teológicas para la aplicación práctica, Hirsch lleva al lector a través de esta dinámica mezcla de pasión, la oración y la encarnación práctica de redescubrir el potencial latente de la iglesia moderna en Occidente.

Wright's Newest Book: Justification

NT Wright has taken on one of the most important topics in theology, that of the meaning of righteousness and justification in Paul. Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision was necessitated by John Piper’s critic of Wright’s understanding of the topic, found in his book The Future of Justification: A Response to N. T. Wright. The main argument concerns the concept of imputed righteous of Christ. Imputed righteousness “means that upon repentance and belief in Christ, individuals are forensically declared righteous. This righteousness is not the believer’s own, rather it is Christ’s own righteousness ‘imputed’ to the believer.” (1) This particular form of imputed righteousness insists that Jesus had to live a sinless life (in addition to dying a representative, substitutionary, atoning death for the sins of humanity, which having heard him in person I know he affirms) so that the “active” obedience of his life and not just the “passive” obedience of his death could replace our sinful status in Gods eyes.(2)

He is saying that if that is such an important focus in theology, why it not found explicitly in scripture even in Paul. For Wright, we have been reading into Paul a more contextual understanding of the concepts rather than letting the the first century context of the text teach us. In other words, is it the text or tradition?

On a side note, I have a friend who was able to talk to Wright about Piper’s book. According to my friend, Piper sent Wright the text, which generated a 40,000 word response from Wright on how he had failed to understand Wright’s position. Little, if any, of that was included in the published copy of Piper’s book. NT thus determined to explain his position clearly through the publication of this book.

The Issues

The issues that need to be discussed when considering this vital theological topic, according to Wright, are: God’s righteous and its meaning, the focus of soteriology -- an individual vs total creation focus -- and what was the purpose of the Law.

The Law, according to Wright, was a covenantal law for God’s people. Now that they were God’s people through the covenant God established with Abraham, they received the Law as defined through the ten commandments and the Torah. This Law was not meant to be a means by which people, either individually or the nation as a whole, gained entrance into eternal life with God. The Law was set up to provide a guideline by which they would live now that they were covenant people. This redefines how so many of us were taught and now teach/preach the religion of Judaism. It was not a works-based salvation. It was a covenant lifestyle.

An interesting angle in this discussion is the difference, according to Wright, between how John Calvin and Martin Luther viewed the Law. Wright notes, “For Martin Luther, Moses was regularly cast as the bad guy, the one who gave the wicked law that did nothing but condemn. For John Calvin, the Mosaic law was given as the way of life for a people already redeemed.” (53) Wright notes that he has for some time thought that if the Calvinistic view of the law and Paul had dominated biblical scholarship rather than the Lutheran view, there would have not been the need for the “new perspective” on Paul nor the polarizing debates that have existed for the past several centuries.

Another issue is the focus of salvation. For Wright, God planned to save all creation through Israel, culminating in the “Faithful Israelite” who was Jesus the Messiah. Wright states it this way: “God had a single plan all along through which he intended to rescue the world and the human race, and this single plan was centered upon the call of Israel, a call which Paul saw coming to fruition in Israel’s representative, the Messiah.” (19) However, so many simply focus on the goal of salvation being individual. Salvation is only individualistic when placed in the sphere of the complete salvation of creation.

The big issue in all of this discussion, however, is the topic of righteousness. Wright states:

But if ‘righteousness’, within the lawcourt context refers to the status of the vindicated person after the court has announced its verdict, we have undercut in a singe stroke the age-old problem highlighted in Augustine’s interpretation of ‘justify’ as ‘make righteous’. That always meant, for Augustine and his followers, that God, in justification, was actually transforming the character of the person, albeit in small, preliminary ways (by, for instance, implanting the beginnings of love and faith within them). The result was a subtle but crucial shifting of metaphors: the lawcourt scene is now replaced with a medical one, a kind of remedial spiritual surgery, involving a ‘righteous implant’ which, like an artificial heart, begins to enable the patient to do things previously impossible.

But part of the point of Paul’s own language, rightly stressed by those who have analyzed the verb dikaioo, ‘to justify’, is that it does not denote an action which transforms someone so much as a declaration which grants them a status. It is the status of the person which is transformed by the action of ‘justification’, not the character. (70)

Thus for Wright, Paul’s view of justification is the action of pronouncing that a person is in right standing before God, not a transformation of the character of a person or imputation of Christ’s character onto a person. Righteousness, therefore, is the status a person has before God and justification is the pronouncement of that status.

The argument against this reasons that “God requires a moral righteousness of us, and that since we have none of our own God must reckon or impute such a moral righteousness from somewhere else” which, in Piper’s scheme is the righteousness of Christ. (71) While understanding this scheme, Wright argues that in the precise language of the lawcourt, righteousness is not ‘moral righteousness’ but the status of the person whom the court has vindicated.

Analysis

I confess that I have not read Piper’s critic of Wright’s view of justification so I do not have first-hand knowledge of his research. With that said, if Wright has accurately expressed Piper’s research, Piper has left out important issues and exegesis that Wright has included that seems important to the discussion. That goes to the credibility and comprehension of the topic. Because of the exhaustive nature of his exegesis, in fact the majority of the book is his exegesis of important and relevant Pauline texts, Wright demonstrates a complete grasp of all the issues. While someone may disagree with his exegesis, one cannot discount his thoroughness.

Wright makes his case extremely well. He sometimes is known for painting with broad strokes and not going into the details. That is not the case here. From my perspective, he is clear and articulate on the topic. However, he is not burdensome in his presentation. His thoroughness should not be taken to mean boring or uninteresting. In fact, it is quite the opposite. He is quite passionate in his arguments, and having met him myself, I can hear him saying the words of the book in his own unique way.

As well, Wright does not argue against other important reformation topics such topics as substitutionary atonement.

While there may be minor disagreements on exegesis, one cannot dismiss the major and important contribution that Wright makes to biblical theology with his book. His research and writing clarify an important theological principle and understanding of what it means to be justified before God from a biblical, not a systematic theology perspective. While I have great respect for Piper, and others like him, I believe Wright makes his case in such a way that I would agree with his premise.

Other Reviews

Tony Stiff at Sets ‘N’ Service has put together a list of reviews of both Piper and Wright in addition to writing his own 4 part review. In addition, IVP has put out a video of Wright summarizing his position.

Notes:
1. http://www.theopedia.com/index.php?title=Imputed_righteousness&oldid=38179, accessed May 18, 2009
2. http://www.denverseminary.edu/news/justification-gods-plan-and-pauls-vision/, accessed May 18, 2009

The folks over at Missional Press have informed me of a great new book that is near publication. The book is entitled, “Movements That Change the World,” by Steve Addison.

Steve Addison is a life-long student of movements that renew and expand the Christian faith. Steve distills the characteristics of dynamic movements and makes them available to leaders committed to the multiplication of healthy churches.

Steve began his research into Christian movements in the late 1980s while serving as a church planter in Melbourne, Australia. He carried that interest into his Doctor of Ministry with Fuller Seminary. Steve currently serves as Director of Church Resource Ministries (CRM) Australia, a member of the CRM global community. CRM empowers leaders for the church.

Steve’s calling is to empower godly leaders who strengthen and multiply churches, everywhere.

Steve has been married to Michelle for twenty-four years. Together they have four children and one dog and live in Melbourne. Steve loves to walk, read historical novels, see Shakespeare performed and support the Collingwood (Aussie rules) Football Club.

The book is how Jesus founded a missionary movement that now spans the globe. His followers are called to continue his mission in the power of the Holy Spirit.

A movement is a group of people pursuing a common cause. Movements are characterized by discontent, vision, and action. For good or for evil, movements change the world.

From biblical, historical, and contemporary case studies, we can identify five recurring characteristics of dynamic missionary movements.

1. White hot faith
2. Commitment to a cause
3. Contagious relationships
4. Rapid mobilization
5. Adaptive methods

Jesus calls us to participate in a missionary movement that will one day reach every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation. These five characteristics point the way to how we can obey his call.

The book has received some great endorsements as well:

Steve and I go a long way back. We were enrolled in seminary together and shared many of the same classes. It became clear early on that we shared a similar passion for the idea of movements and their relevance for the mission of the Church today. And as we met together regularly over the years, we have shared many ideas that we think are vital to recover in our day if we are going to reverse the decline of the Church at the dawn of the 21st Century. The net result has been one of the most theologically fertile friendships that I have ever had. Certainly we argued some, agreed mostly, and refined our thinking all the time, but definitely we mutually enriched each other’s views on this vital topic over the last twenty years. Speaking personally, I would have to say that Steve’s friendship has also been a kind of mentorship that has left me a much richer person than before and for which I am profoundly thankful. His influence can be found throughout my own writings on this topic.

Steve is a veritable gold mine of useful information. But even more than that, he brings a passionate love for God and his people to the task of writing. In reading Movements that Change the World you will discover a thoroughly readable description of the dynamics of missionary movements, as well as how to initiate, maintain, and extend them. Trust me, behind this unencumbered, non-technical portrayal of the examples of history and their ongoing witness to us lies is a lifetime of dense research that brings together disparate insights from theology, church history, sociology, business studies, change processes, missiology, leadership studies, spirituality, and anything in between. This book is indeed a labor of love that has taken decades of loving service to prepare.

Instructed as it is by the educative experiences of history, fueled by a missionary’s vision of what the world can be, and guided by deep commitment to orthodox, historic Christianity, Steve Addison’s book should be read by all who wish to rediscover what it means for Christianity to be a missional movement again in the West.

Alan Hirsch

Founding Director of Forge Mission Training Network and Shapevine.com
Author of The Forgotten Ways and co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come
www.theforgottenways.org

I had the privilege of meeting Steve for the first time in 2008 at a small global gathering of influential pastors who had all planted churches and were planting churches out of their churches. I’ve followed Steve’s blog and writings for years, and I’m delighted he has gathered his insights into book form. Studying church planting movements is challenging because of all the history, facts, and contexts – it isn’t easy work, and sometimes it is not easy work to read! That’s where Steve comes in!

Steve has done his homework and has all the academic qualifications necessary to identify the five core characteristics of a church planting movement – maybe any movement. The good news is he does it in a way that enables all of us, not just the academics, to understand it. After all, it’s going to be our “everyday disciples” that will make this happen. He then gives both historical and contemporary examples of how it works to illustrate.

The character and experiences of the book’s author are huge in terms of how much can you trust what’s written. That is another point where Steve really stands out. He lives this stuff. He has planted churches, been involved and is recognized as one of the top global leaders in training church planters, and is also a student and researcher of church planting and movements.

I not only endorse this book but also will require all of our interns, students, and residents to read it. Thanks, Steve, for a great gift to the body of Christ!

Bob Roberts, Jr.

Pastor, NorthWood Church in Keller, Texas
Author of Transformation; Glocalization; The Multiplying Church; and Real-Time Connections
www.glocal.net

“There are very few who have truly studied, dissected, and understood church multiplication movements at the core. My friend Steve Addison is one who has done his homework. I have anticipated this work for some time and am pleased to report it is better than I ever expected. In a single volume vast amounts of experience, wisdom, research, and testing have been synthesized into an easy-to-read book that all of us should be familiar with. Steve has put in the years of research, and now you and I can benefit from all of his hard work in a few hours of reading. It would be foolish to not take advantage of this resource.”

Neil Cole

Founder of Church Multiplication Associates and Awakening Chapels and author of Organic Church; Organic Leadership; Search & Rescue; and Cultivating a Life for God.
www.cole-slaw.blogspot.com

“I love this book! Every so often a book comes along that fuels the flame that was started in my heart years ago when I was a young and very passionate world changer. I love reading this type of book. I’m still a fanatical, passionate, fiercely focused, imbalanced, apostolic type guy. I’m older now, but more passionate than ever. If you’re looking for an intelligent and passionate book to stir you to dream big dreams, a dream of how a movement can begin through your life, and give you practical tools to help implement those dreams, then read Movements that Change the World!”

Floyd McClung

All Nations
Cape Town, South Africa
Author of You See Bones, I See an Army: Changing the Way We Do Church; The Father Heart of God; and Living on the Devil’s Doorstep.
www.floydandsally.org

“Steve has been tantalizing me with tales of this book for years. He has talked to me about the content on numerous occasions. The chapters are distilled from years of experience and thought, and the final product has not disappointed. Practitioners and thinkers with a passion for mission will want to read and re-read this book.”

Dr. Martin Robinson

Together in Mission, (UK based interchurch agency encouraging mission and church planting)
Author of Metavista: Bible Church and Mission in an Age of Imagination and Planting Mission Shaped Churches Today.
www.togetherinmission.org

An important book for our times- well-researched, well-written, and well thought-out. Steve puts his fingers on the essential qualities that have defined movements of the Spirit throughout the ages. And the stories he tells-biblical, historical, contemporary, and personal-give us hope for fresh movements of God in our day.

Dr. Robert E. Logan

CoachNet International Ministries
Author of Be Fruitful and Multiply

“As I read through your manuscript I felt that I had met a long lost brother. I had to read it through in a single sitting because it pulled me through from start to finish. Excellent work, brother! This will be a valuable contribution to our growing understanding of church-planting movements and their history, scope, and nature. I love the way you have woven together insights from sociology, history, Scripture, contemporary case studies, and even personal experience. I will be recommending this to everyone I know. Thank you for vividly reminding us that Jesus did not found a religion, but a movement!”

David Garrison

Global Strategist for Evangelical Advance,
International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention
Author of Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World
www.churchplantingmovements.com

“Adaptive, innovative and consuming…” Those words characterize the movements Steve Addison describes and prescribes in his book. They also depict the book–pick it up and it won’t let go of you. I couldn’t put it down till it finished re-arranging my mind. This is a keeper!

Ralph Moore

Pastor: Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Author: How To Multiply Your Church

If you would like to get a sample chapter of the book, simply fill in the information in this form and you can download the chapter as a pdf. In addition, the publisher will let you know when the book is available to purchase along with a coupon for a 20% discount off the recommended retail price.

Ecological Intelligence

Scientist Daniel Golemen has written a new book entitled Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything. The bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition; Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman reveals the hidden environmental consequences of what we make and buy, and shows how new market forces can drive the essential changes we all must make to save our planet. Ecological Intelligence draws on cutting-edge research to reveal why “green is a mirage,” illuminates inconsistencies in our response to the ecological crisis, and introduces new technologies that reveal with “radical transparency” the eco-impact of products we buy, with the potential to drive consumers to make smarter decisions and companies to reform their business practices.

Here are a few excerpts from found at a Goleman’s blog:

Every small step toward green helps, to be sure. But our craze for all things green represents a transitional stage, a dawning of awareness of ecological impact but one that lacks precision, depth of understanding, and clarity. Much of what’s touted as “green” in reality represents fantasy or simple hype. We are past the day when one or two virtuous qualities of a product qualify it as green. To tout a product as green on the basis of a single attribute—while ignoring numerous negative impacts—parallels a magician’s sleight of hand.

…

To be sure, there are relatively virtuous products, building materials, and energy sources. We can buy detergent without phosphates, install carpeting that exudes fewer toxins or flooring of sustainable bamboo, or sign up for energy that comes mainly from wind, solar, or other renewable sources. And all that can make us feel we have made a virtuous decision.

But those green choices, helpful as they are, too often lull us to more readily ignore the way that what we now think of as “green” is a bare beginning, a narrow slice of goodness among the myriad unfortunate impacts of all manufactured objects. Today’s standards for greenness will be seen tomorrow as eco-myopia.

And finally,

In a day when major players in every industry, and more and more consumers, are pressing for green, we would do well to understand the implication of improving impacts all along the supply chain and throughout a product’s life cycle. Green is a process, not a status—we need to think of “green” as a verb, not an adjective. That semantic shift might help us focus better on greening.

I get an email newsletter every so often from IVP about their new books. One that caught my eye talks about a new way to share the story of God. The author is Dr. James Choung is divisional director of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in San Diego, and is a faculty associate at Bethel Seminary San Diego on missional leadership development and evangelism. The book is called True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In and it’s companions book for seekers is called Based on a True Story (IVP Booklets).

The author wanted to present a more holistic faith — something closer to the gospel that Jesus taught. The video that follows below was “unscripted, and of course, many details will be painfully left out in such a short amount of time. So it’s not anything close to a perfect presentation.”

The author shares the story of God in this way: