Comments on: N.T. Wright for Children? http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:52:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Russell Roberts http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-6583 Russell Roberts Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:28:37 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-6583 Now that's what I'm talking about. N.T. Wright for Children. Awesome idea. Now that’s what I’m talking about. N.T. Wright for Children. Awesome idea.

]]> By: Bible Churcher http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-4866 Bible Churcher Wed, 20 May 2009 18:50:15 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-4866 What is sad is that so many in the "emergent church" are acting as if a new truth is being discovered through the reading of NT Wright. We have gotten so swayed by Reformed Lordship views, Baptist individualism, outright liberalism, counterbalanced by touchy-feely heretical jibberish from people like Rob Bell, that we seem to not even recognize that the Christian life is about one thing: The Believer's Position in Christ. If you can grasp that, you will understand grace. If you understand grace, you will live as you ought. If you live as you ought, your character will be transformed into the identity he has predestined for you. When he transforms you, your life will be lived out of love for him, and you will do your part in carrying out the Great Commission. These Postmodern parents think the faith needs to be re-invented. Too bad that so many of their gurus are doing nothing to dispel that notion. We don't need re-invention, only rediscovery. Make disciples, make disciples! What is sad is that so many in the “emergent church” are acting as if a new truth is being discovered through the reading of NT Wright.

We have gotten so swayed by Reformed Lordship views, Baptist individualism, outright liberalism, counterbalanced by touchy-feely heretical jibberish from people like Rob Bell, that we seem to not even recognize that the Christian life is about one thing:

The Believer’s Position in Christ. If you can grasp that, you will understand grace. If you understand grace, you will live as you ought. If you live as you ought, your character will be transformed into the identity he has predestined for you. When he transforms you, your life will be lived out of love for him, and you will do your part in carrying out the Great Commission.

These Postmodern parents think the faith needs to be re-invented. Too bad that so many of their gurus are doing nothing to dispel that notion. We don’t need re-invention, only rediscovery. Make disciples, make disciples!

]]> By: Lila Ferguson Buchanan http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-4286 Lila Ferguson Buchanan Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:55:16 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-4286 down through all that we have learned since we were ourselves in Sunday School. Just think of the wonderful advantage you are giving your children! To start them with the more correct (at least as we understand it now) interpretation of scripture, think what heights they can climb for the Kingdom. We have begun to change a few words in the old hymns (i.e. substituting "Renew our home" for "take me home") and carefully choose newer worship songs, believing that even this small correction will filter through the spirit of the people. As a parent of 4 grown children, three in full time ministry, andmany Foster Children, I believe that your prayer and conversation with your children will have more impact than any change in VBS or Kid's clubs will have. Just be yourself, let them see you "work out your salvation, in fear & trembling" as a good role model and they will learn. Trust Jesus to speak to their much more open hearts with His understanding and you will find them much more insightful than you can know. It is a joy now, to have long distance conversations to discover that God is showing them the same things He is showing me through different people and avenues of learning. Be encourged! down through all that we have learned since we were ourselves in Sunday School. Just think of the wonderful advantage you are giving your children! To start them with the more correct (at least as we understand it now) interpretation of scripture, think what heights they can climb for the Kingdom.
We have begun to change a few words in the old hymns (i.e. substituting “Renew our home” for “take me home”) and carefully choose newer worship songs, believing that even this small correction will filter through the spirit of the people.
As a parent of 4 grown children, three in full time ministry, andmany Foster Children, I believe that your prayer and conversation with your children will have more impact than any change in VBS or Kid’s clubs will have. Just be yourself, let them see you “work out your salvation, in fear & trembling” as a good role model and they will learn. Trust Jesus to speak to their much more open hearts with His understanding and you will find them much more insightful than you can know. It is a joy now, to have long distance conversations to discover that God is showing them the same things He is showing me through different people and avenues of learning.
Be encourged!

]]> By: Lila Ferguson Buchanan http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-4285 Lila Ferguson Buchanan Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:47:48 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-4285 Julie, Thank you for expressing so well what we, a small fellowship group, have been struggling with for some time now. It was best expresses by a friend who said, with a big sigh, "So, now what do I do?" It takes time for the new understandings being revealed to us by people like Bishop Tom, Rikk Watts, C. Baxter Kruger and the like to filter Julie,
Thank you for expressing so well what we, a small fellowship group, have been struggling with for some time now. It was best expresses by a friend who said, with a big sigh, “So, now what do I do?”
It takes time for the new understandings being revealed to us by people like Bishop Tom, Rikk Watts, C. Baxter Kruger and the like to filter

]]> By: Ang from Down Under http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-4012 Ang from Down Under Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:32:35 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-4012 Julie, I realise I am replying almost a year after you wrote this blog, but I must tell you of children's material available that is excellent, extremeley humorous, professional and spot-on THEOLOGY !! "Colin Buchanan" - he is an Australian singer-songwriter, doing a massive Children's ministry as well as country music. Get hold of his CDs and DVDs and enjoy, and praise God He created Colin Buchanan for our kids!! In his 'King of Christmas' DVD he impersonates CSI Miami - trying to discover the true meaning of Christmas. He has a great 'Countdown' song in "10, 9, 8...God is Great, and great impersonation of our Steve Irwin (RIP) Crocodile Hunter. All his 'enhanced' CDs include lyrics, music sheets, overhead projector sheets and colouring-in books. Extra bonus. Even better yet - is to see him perform. Totally Awesome !! Julie, I realise I am replying almost a year after you wrote this blog, but I must tell you of children’s material available that is excellent, extremeley humorous, professional and spot-on THEOLOGY !!

“Colin Buchanan” – he is an Australian singer-songwriter, doing a massive Children’s ministry as well as country music. Get hold of his CDs and DVDs and enjoy, and praise God He created Colin Buchanan for our kids!!

In his ‘King of Christmas’ DVD he impersonates CSI Miami – trying to discover the true meaning of Christmas. He has a great ‘Countdown’ song in “10, 9, 8…God is Great, and great impersonation of our Steve Irwin (RIP) Crocodile Hunter.

All his ‘enhanced’ CDs include lyrics, music sheets, overhead projector sheets and colouring-in books. Extra bonus.

Even better yet – is to see him perform. Totally Awesome !!

]]> By: lynn http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-2839 lynn Thu, 15 May 2008 09:58:42 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-2839 Hi I have discovered this blog post kinda months after the event but I felt I had to comment. I have discovered a glorious freedom in my work with children; a freedom from the controversy of teaching on death and hell and firey flames by observing, recognising and nurturing faith in the youngest children, out the deeply held conviction that children start with God. He knows them! He loves them! He blesses them. Doesn't mean they don't sin, but it means we teach them to keep loving Jesus and saying yes to him, working in partnership with parents to support them in their primary role of spiritual discipleship. Contemporary writings on the stages of faith development abound - I would personally start with Ivy Beckwith's Postmodern Children's Ministry book or J D Westerhoff's book "Will Our Children Find Faith". I've put two short summaries of current thinking on my blog, if you're more interested. http://helpiworkwithchildren.blogspot.com/2007/03/status-of-children-before-god-part-1.html and http://helpiworkwithchildren.blogspot.com/2007/04/status-of-children-before-god-part-2.html Thanks for all the thoughts and recommendations! Hi
I have discovered this blog post kinda months after the event but I felt I had to comment.
I have discovered a glorious freedom in my work with children; a freedom from the controversy of teaching on death and hell and firey flames by observing, recognising and nurturing faith in the youngest children, out the deeply held conviction that children start with God. He knows them! He loves them! He blesses them. Doesn’t mean they don’t sin, but it means we teach them to keep loving Jesus and saying yes to him, working in partnership with parents to support them in their primary role of spiritual discipleship.
Contemporary writings on the stages of faith development abound – I would personally start with Ivy Beckwith’s Postmodern Children’s Ministry book or J D Westerhoff’s book “Will Our Children Find Faith”.
I’ve put two short summaries of current thinking on my blog, if you’re more interested. http://helpiworkwithchildren.blogspot.com/2007/03/status-of-children-before-god-part-1.html and http://helpiworkwithchildren.blogspot.com/2007/04/status-of-children-before-god-part-2.html
Thanks for all the thoughts and recommendations!

]]> By: MattS http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-2718 MattS Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:41:37 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-2718 Same old stuff? Wow, I have a really hard time understanding your views of wanting to 'rethink' everything you learned as a child.. And regarding the gospel, wasn't it Paul himself who said "for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it's the power of God for salvation for all who believe." It sounds to me that Paul was speaking about himself there. Look throughout the book of Romans where Paul is speaking on HIS experience, or "what the Lord has done in me". Time to get back to teaching the full counsel of God through His word and not rely so much on the emerging church movement with Brian Mclaren and Rob Bell. Same old stuff? Wow, I have a really hard time understanding your views of wanting to ‘rethink’ everything you learned as a child..
And regarding the gospel, wasn’t it Paul himself who said “for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it’s the power of God for salvation for all who believe.” It sounds to me that Paul was speaking about himself there. Look throughout the book of Romans where Paul is speaking on HIS experience, or “what the Lord has done in me”.

Time to get back to teaching the full counsel of God through His word and not rely so much on the emerging church movement with Brian Mclaren and Rob Bell.

]]> By: Annette http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-2549 Annette Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:11:00 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-2549 My father (an avid student of N. T. Wright) sent me this blog entry and I could not stop reading all of these fascinating responses. My husband and I also have had VARIOUS conversations about the spiritual development of our two young children, and we have decided to venture into some unknown territories... as many of you other parents have. In saying that I mean that we have decided to raise our children quite differently (in the spiritual sense) than he and I were raised. We have never had "family devotions", we rarely pray before meals (though we sometimes go around and say what we are thankful for), we never read from children's story Bibles, and we do not quote or ask our children to memorize Scripture. Our reasoning is not to rebel against what our loving and wise parents did with us or because we are ashamed of our faith in Christ... not at all! Our reason is simply... we want our children to discover their Creator as their curiosity leads them, in an organic sort of way. We want them to be able to open the Scriptures when they are older and able to read with fresh lenses and to not have already "heard it all before." We want them to see a lifestyle in their parents and in our community of faith that is loving, peaceful, growing, nurturing, seeking justice, etc... and someday realize that we are the way we are because we decided to follow the God-man, Jesus. We want their relationship with God to be an exciting exploration and not somehow manipulated by us. I really resonated with the comments of Kim on how our lives should reflect the gospel message to our children in the daily acts of our days. I believe a sincere and loving faith in action is the best "milk" we can give our young children, and as they grow we can hopefully enter into more of the "meat" of our beliefs as their minds begin to make sense of and ask questions regarding faith. Again... we admit along with you... these are unchartered waters. May God give wisdom to all of us parents as we seek to live and teach a true and sincere faith in Christ. My father (an avid student of N. T. Wright) sent me this blog entry and I could not stop reading all of these fascinating responses. My husband and I also have had VARIOUS conversations about the spiritual development of our two young children, and we have decided to venture into some unknown territories… as many of you other parents have. In saying that I mean that we have decided to raise our children quite differently (in the spiritual sense) than he and I were raised. We have never had “family devotions”, we rarely pray before meals (though we sometimes go around and say what we are thankful for), we never read from children’s story Bibles, and we do not quote or ask our children to memorize Scripture.

Our reasoning is not to rebel against what our loving and wise parents did with us or because we are ashamed of our faith in Christ… not at all! Our reason is simply… we want our children to discover their Creator as their curiosity leads them, in an organic sort of way. We want them to be able to open the Scriptures when they are older and able to read with fresh lenses and to not have already “heard it all before.” We want them to see a lifestyle in their parents and in our community of faith that is loving, peaceful, growing, nurturing, seeking justice, etc… and someday realize that we are the way we are because we decided to follow the God-man, Jesus. We want their relationship with God to be an exciting exploration and not somehow manipulated by us.

I really resonated with the comments of Kim on how our lives should reflect the gospel message to our children in the daily acts of our days. I believe a sincere and loving faith in action is the best “milk” we can give our young children, and as they grow we can hopefully enter into more of the “meat” of our beliefs as their minds begin to make sense of and ask questions regarding faith.

Again… we admit along with you… these are unchartered waters. May God give wisdom to all of us parents as we seek to live and teach a true and sincere faith in Christ.

]]> By: Kelly http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-2542 Kelly Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:13:31 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-2542 Fantastic post. As my understanding/theology has changed over the last few years, mainly due to reading N.T. Wright and Brian McLaren, and coming up with new questions, I am now at a point where I have to figure out "how/what am I going to teach my son?" (He's only 7 1/2 months old but before I know it, it'll be time to start teaching him...) It bothers me that in church they will likely learn "the same old stuff" as children and then have to be confused later on as they are more able to grasp a different meaning. Why not start out on the right foot, you know? Fantastic post. As my understanding/theology has changed over the last few years, mainly due to reading N.T. Wright and Brian McLaren, and coming up with new questions, I am now at a point where I have to figure out “how/what am I going to teach my son?” (He’s only 7 1/2 months old but before I know it, it’ll be time to start teaching him…)

It bothers me that in church they will likely learn “the same old stuff” as children and then have to be confused later on as they are more able to grasp a different meaning. Why not start out on the right foot, you know?

]]> By: rethinking salvation with n.t. wright « signs of life http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/comment-page-1/#comment-2359 rethinking salvation with n.t. wright « signs of life Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:40:22 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/03/03/nt-wright-for-children/#comment-2359 [...] Clawson asks about the implications of Surprised by Hope for how we disciple our [...] [...] Clawson asks about the implications of Surprised by Hope for how we disciple our [...]

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