FWE AND THE GRAND BIBLICAL NARRATIVE. Core Lecture #1 Tod Bolsinger

Transcription

1 FWE AND THE GRAND BIBLICAL NARRATIVE Core Lecture #1 Tod Bolsinger

2 Leadership is disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb. Ronald Heifetz

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5 What FWE success looks like

6 A well-meaning but heretical testimony

7 Dying Theological Camels

8 Our Central Integration Question At this point in your Christian journey, how do you envision your call to God s mission in the world?

9 CIQ in the Elevator You have exactly five minutes to write your answer to the Central Integration Question: At this point in your Christian journey, how do you envision your call to God s mission in the world?

10 Reflecting Together 1. How is your emerging sense of call being enacted right now? What are you actually doing that reflects your emerging sense of call? 2. In what ways has your background, culture, or life experiences shaped your emerging sense of call? 3. What scripture texts, practices, or traditions have shaped your emerging sense of call? 4. What stories from your life or stories that you have heard have shaped your emerging sense of call?

11 Practical Theology Method

12 Practical Theology Method 1. EMBODIED: How are you enac%ng your beliefs right now? 2. EXPERIENCE: In what ways has your background, culture, or life experiences shaped you? 3. SCRIPTURE: What scripture texts, prac%ces, or tradi%ons have shaped you? 4. STORIES: What stories or narra%ves have shaped you? 5. EMBODIED: What new ac%ons could you consider in light of these quesoons?

13 Matthew 6:9-10 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (NRSV)

14 + A Play, a Bit Part and an Unexpected Actor

15 If you were summoned to the stage. What would you need to know? What help would you need?

16 The Bible s Script Act 1: Creation Act 2: Fall Act 3: Israel Act 4: Jesus Act 5: Church

17 + The Bible is best understood as a five-act play with the last act unfinished.

18 To improvise well you must know the Script that is unfinished We do know that it is a happy ending...we don t know how it gets to be that way...

19 The story the way we usually tell it keeps us in the audience. God is calling us to the stage.

20 + The powerful play goes on and you will contribute a verse. Walt Whitman

21 What will your verse be?

22 Bishop Tom and The Question of the Kingdom

23 What would it look like if God was running the show?

24 + The powerful play goes on and you will contribute a verse. Walt Whitman

25 The FWE Grand Narrative Act 1: Creation Act 2: Fall Act 3: Redemption (Israel/Jesus/Church) Act 4: Consummation

26 Start at the Start end at the end... The Biblical Narrative Starts at Genesis 1, not Genesis 3 The Biblical Narrative ends at Revelation 21-22, not Revelation 20

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28 CREATION

29 My Really Big Bang

30 Creation (Gen 1:28, 2:15) The Grand Narrative is about the Triune God who creates. It s a story about relationship and work. community and love.

31 IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMICS God s intention for God s imago: Shalom Justice Freedom Stewardship FLOURISHING

32 FALL

33 What are you aiming at

34 IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMICS Work is hard and toilsome Work and economics marked by alienation Work and economics marked by injustice and violence Work and economics twisted by idolatry

35 REDEMPTION

36 Far as the curse is found

37 IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMICS Jesus invites us into the mission Dei Church should be people of hopeful realism Promote Kingdom Economics

38 CONSUMMATION

39 The Kingdoms of this world will become

40 IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMICS The renewal of all things causes us to rethink Work now for the renewal of all things Resist what is anti-shalom

41 + Does the decision that you are making, the thing that you are doing, the words that you are saying move God s script on God s stage toward God s ending?

42 Expert Advice on Improv from a Drama teacher Yes and... (faith) When in doubt do something. (Practice)

43 Discerning your role in God s show At this point in your Christian journey, how do you envision your call to God s mission in the world?

44 Practicing the Kingdom 1. What are your current economic pracoces? 2. How does your background and social locaoon impact the way you read and hear about FWE? 3. What texts do you use to teach or preach about FWE? 4. What narraoves about FEW are running, restoring, or ruining your lives? 5. What new steps of faithfulness could be auempted?

45 SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS For your team s chapter, Identify at least 2 additional implications Identify at least 3 key scriptures from which to teach Identify 2 practical sermon applications Identify at least one missional experiment that you could imagine doing as a congregation that would embody this part of the narrative.