Comments for Metamorpha http://metamorpha.com Explorations in Evangelical Spirituality Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:12:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on That Hideous Strength by Jared Begg http://metamorpha.com/that-hideous-strength/#comment-2859 Jared Begg Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:12:02 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156216#comment-2859 Thank you for the compliment. I agree with what you say. Inevitably we will have to find out that we have a weald. We will have to go there. We will have to endure others discovering it. It is hard to ignore a wildwood. Sometimes the path to Grandma's house leads through the dark woods. Often our neighbors see it before we do, they see it while we are ignoring it. Thank you for the compliment.

I agree with what you say. Inevitably we will have to find out that we have a weald. We will have to go there. We will have to endure others discovering it.

It is hard to ignore a wildwood.
Sometimes the path to Grandma’s house leads through the dark woods.
Often our neighbors see it before we do, they see it while we are ignoring it.

]]> Comment on That Hideous Strength by MarkU http://metamorpha.com/that-hideous-strength/#comment-2854 MarkU Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:37:33 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156216#comment-2854 This is an insightful article. The real question is one of confidence in who you are verses the vulnerability of openness concerning our inability to be perfect. I expect that each of us will either confront the weald of our soul or we will face the fear that it will confront us unexpectedly, one day in the future. This is an insightful article. The real question is one of confidence in who you are verses the vulnerability of openness concerning our inability to be perfect. I expect that each of us will either confront the weald of our soul or we will face the fear that it will confront us unexpectedly, one day in the future.

]]> Comment on To Know the Truth or to Love the Truth by Aaron http://metamorpha.com/to-know-the-truth-or-to-love-the-truth/#comment-2833 Aaron Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:28:39 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156213#comment-2833 i appreciate your thoughts. i think we as people (not just christians!) have really lost our ability to disagree well in today’s society. it’s something i struggle with for sure. it's very easy to get worked up and defensive over my convictions (after all, my opinion is truth, right?) i think as a society we’re so used to right vs. wrong that we refuse to accept a middle ground on anything (look at todays political discourse, religious debates, etc.) compromise has been removed from our vocabulary! i think we need to stop asking ourselves who is right/who is wrong, and begin with asking who is nice/who is mean. nobody will love the truth if we are mean about it. even when we are “wrong”, if we are nice about it, i would assume this will only illicit a nice response. i appreciate your thoughts. i think we as people (not just christians!) have really lost our ability to disagree well in today’s society. it’s something i struggle with for sure. it’s very easy to get worked up and defensive over my convictions (after all, my opinion is truth, right?) i think as a society we’re so used to right vs. wrong that we refuse to accept a middle ground on anything (look at todays political discourse, religious debates, etc.) compromise has been removed from our vocabulary! i think we need to stop asking ourselves who is right/who is wrong, and begin with asking who is nice/who is mean.

nobody will love the truth if we are mean about it. even when we are “wrong”, if we are nice about it, i would assume this will only illicit a nice response.

]]> Comment on To Know the Truth or to Love the Truth by Aaron http://metamorpha.com/to-know-the-truth-or-to-love-the-truth/#comment-2831 Aaron Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:27:52 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156213#comment-2831 i like your thoughts. i think we've really lost the ability to disagree well in today's society. it's something i struggle with for sure. i think as a society we're so used to right vs. wrong that we refuse to accept a middle ground on anything (look at todays political discourse, religious debates, etc.) i think we need to stop asking ourselves who is right/who is wrong, and begin with asking who is nice/who is mean. nobody will love the truth if we are mean about it. even when we are "wrong", if we are nice about it, i would assume this will only illicit a nice response. i like your thoughts. i think we’ve really lost the ability to disagree well in today’s society. it’s something i struggle with for sure. i think as a society we’re so used to right vs. wrong that we refuse to accept a middle ground on anything (look at todays political discourse, religious debates, etc.) i think we need to stop asking ourselves who is right/who is wrong, and begin with asking who is nice/who is mean.

nobody will love the truth if we are mean about it. even when we are “wrong”, if we are nice about it, i would assume this will only illicit a nice response.

]]> Comment on Audio by Understanding Spiritual Formation | Metamorpha http://metamorpha.com/audio/#comment-2796 Understanding Spiritual Formation | Metamorpha Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:56:00 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?page_id=155677#comment-2796 [...] I was asked to speak for a pastors conference for a denomination on spiritual formation. The denomination has always been very “pro” spiritual formation, so I thought I might be speaking to the choir a bit. In light of that, I decided to take a different angle. What came out of it was four talks that address how I think we need to start thinking about spiritual formation. It, in a sense, re-starts the conversation from the ground up. Here are the talks. [...] [...] I was asked to speak for a pastors conference for a denomination on spiritual formation. The denomination has always been very “pro” spiritual formation, so I thought I might be speaking to the choir a bit. In light of that, I decided to take a different angle. What came out of it was four talks that address how I think we need to start thinking about spiritual formation. It, in a sense, re-starts the conversation from the ground up. Here are the talks. [...]

]]> Comment on MRI? …MRme. by Stephanie Spencer http://metamorpha.com/mri/#comment-2499 Stephanie Spencer Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:11:32 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156176#comment-2499 I am new to this blog, and I love this post. I think one of the most difficult parts of the spiritual life is that it is so abstract. We often don't see the consequences of our action (or inaction) until it is too late. This, to me, emphasizes the importance of prayer in the Christian life. Not just speaking, but listening. Taking intentional time to pause and interact with the Creator. Seeking eyes that are open to His presence with us all the time, a will that is open to His direction and correction, and a heart that is open to His compassion for those around us. I am new to this blog, and I love this post. I think one of the most difficult parts of the spiritual life is that it is so abstract. We often don’t see the consequences of our action (or inaction) until it is too late.

This, to me, emphasizes the importance of prayer in the Christian life. Not just speaking, but listening. Taking intentional time to pause and interact with the Creator. Seeking eyes that are open to His presence with us all the time, a will that is open to His direction and correction, and a heart that is open to His compassion for those around us.

]]> Comment on MRI? …MRme. by Sam Paschall http://metamorpha.com/mri/#comment-2466 Sam Paschall Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:40:45 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156176#comment-2466 Calvin said that the Psalms were an "anatomy of the soul." Not a bad start if I do say so. Calvin said that the Psalms were an “anatomy of the soul.” Not a bad start if I do say so.

]]> Comment on Debating Driscoll by Michael http://metamorpha.com/debating-driscoll/#comment-2455 Michael Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:27:35 +0000 http://metamorpha.com/?p=156173#comment-2455 Kyle, This is a response to both of your replies, as found directly above. 1. If you do not want to specifically discuss Driscoll, why mention him in the initial blog regardless of your intention? 2. I think that the issue of "all pastor's sin" is a cop out- I agree that there needs to be judgment wholly based on Scripture, not being impacted by ministry ability. Judgment should come from those who know him personally. Yes, there are cases where a Christian should stand up against the public ministry of pastors, but in some cases, to maintain a more accurate judgment of the situation, people like me are better of not involved. Yes, this area is not black and white, but I have personally made the decision on where I stand and what I can do in relation to many pastors resulting in my ability to judge, varying on the pastor. I am not running from a problem, but analysing a difficult decision in light of what is most effective. I am not, and definitly hope not, excusing sin because of this. 3.I am not dismissing the need to there to be qualifications for ministry. My main concern is who is making the judgment and what gives them the right? As I said in the above post, I have fought to have unrepentant pastors removed from ministry. I felt I had to. Was I right? Yes. Does everyone agree with me? No. I lost friendships because of it. It is a hard decision. 4. I will be very careful to judge pastors that I am not personally involved with to avoid gossiping about them. 5. Do you believe that pastors could be more accountable if the postition of 'pastor' is not an elevated seat, but more of a brother in Christ, passionate for the gospel and truth living a life in humility? Please give this your personal response. (And yes, I maintain here that biblically appropriate qualifications do apply even when the title changes). 6. Yes, I believe the evangelical church often forgets the part about giving up freedoms for the sake of a brother. I hope I have defended my stance- even though it doesn't actually matter. I regret initially responding to the blog. Kind regards, Michael Kyle,

This is a response to both of your replies, as found directly above.

1. If you do not want to specifically discuss Driscoll, why mention him in the initial blog regardless of your intention?

2. I think that the issue of “all pastor’s sin” is a cop out- I agree that there needs to be judgment wholly based on Scripture, not being impacted by ministry ability. Judgment should come from those who know him personally. Yes, there are cases where a Christian should stand up against the public ministry of pastors, but in some cases, to maintain a more accurate judgment of the situation, people like me are better of not involved. Yes, this area is not black and white, but I have personally made the decision on where I stand and what I can do in relation to many pastors resulting in my ability to judge, varying on the pastor. I am not running from a problem, but analysing a difficult decision in light of what is most effective. I am not, and definitly hope not, excusing sin because of this.

3.I am not dismissing the need to there to be qualifications for ministry. My main concern is who is making the judgment and what gives them the right? As I said in the above post, I have fought to have unrepentant pastors removed from ministry. I felt I had to. Was I right? Yes. Does everyone agree with me? No. I lost friendships because of it. It is a hard decision.

4. I will be very careful to judge pastors that I am not personally involved with to avoid gossiping about them.

5. Do you believe that pastors could be more accountable if the postition of ‘pastor’ is not an elevated seat, but more of a brother in Christ, passionate for the gospel and truth living a life in humility? Please give this your personal response. (And yes, I maintain here that biblically appropriate qualifications do apply even when the title changes).

6. Yes, I believe the evangelical church often forgets the part about giving up freedoms for the sake of a brother.

I hope I have defended my stance- even though it doesn’t actually matter. I regret initially responding to the blog.

Kind regards,

Michael

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