Comments on: Get the Good News Right (2 of 3) http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/ Pondering the South African Memesphere - Looking for the Good in Everything Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:43:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A Christian Language Problem? http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-3763 A Christian Language Problem? Sun, 23 Dec 2007 15:00:21 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-3763 [...] For more on the misunderstandings of the label “Christian”, check out Get the Good News Right. [...] [...] For more on the misunderstandings of the label “Christian”, check out Get the Good News Right. [...]

]]> By: Fearing The Golden Compass? How small is your God? http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-2708 Fearing The Golden Compass? How small is your God? Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:31:08 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-2708 [...] the wisdom of Jesus, encourages us to not fear foreign culture. Go, Walk the Streets of Athens (1, 2, 3). Learn to understand “their” culture. In the process, you not only get an improved [...] [...] the wisdom of Jesus, encourages us to not fear foreign culture. Go, Walk the Streets of Athens (1, 2, 3). Learn to understand “their” culture. In the process, you not only get an improved [...]

]]> By: Language Differences (3 of 3) http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1974 Language Differences (3 of 3) Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:02:49 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1974 [...] evangelicals in the field more successful in their ministry to atheists. The previous post was Get the Good News Right. (Getting the Good News right is really the crux of the [...] [...] evangelicals in the field more successful in their ministry to atheists. The previous post was Get the Good News Right. (Getting the Good News right is really the crux of the [...]

]]> By: Hugo http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1969 Hugo Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:38:43 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1969 Aaaargh! Steve! You did that on purpose, didn't you? Yea, I know you did... You're still bullying me about not having watched Heroes yet... ;) Aaaargh! Steve! You did that on purpose, didn’t you? Yea, I know you did… You’re still bullying me about not having watched Heroes yet… ;)

]]> By: skroon http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1966 skroon Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:23:09 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1966 Heh: we can call it "Victims of Sylar" (Heroes reference). Heh: we can call it “Victims of Sylar” (Heroes reference).

]]> By: Johan Swarts http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1960 Johan Swarts Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:18:58 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1960 hehe dankie vir jou email, ek waardeer die info. maybe moet ons eerder self 'n society begin. open minded humanist 0wnz0rz, dalk? ons slogan kan wees: we ar3 t3h 0wnage ;) hehe

dankie vir jou email, ek waardeer die info. maybe moet ons eerder self ‘n society begin. open minded humanist 0wnz0rz, dalk? ons slogan kan wees: we ar3 t3h 0wnage ;)

]]> By: Hugo http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1957 Hugo Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:28:23 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1957 @rightsaidreverend: Ek het "The Last Week" ook op my rak, co-authored by Marcus Borg + John Dominic Crossan. Nog nie kans gehad om hom te lees nie, wel al na stukkies geloer. @Johan Swarts: Daardie "Freethinking Society" lyk maar nog te veel soos 'n "anti-theistic society". Hulle wil graag 'n society hê vir die "non-religious". Dit raak bietjie moeilik dan, wanneer ek nie mooi onderskei tussen secular/sacred, religious/non-religious nie. Ek sien nog uit daarna om die eerste persoon te wees wat ge-"excommunicate" word deur 'n Freethinking Society. Daarvoor moet hulle my natuurlik eers in laat in die eerste plek. My "How to Convert an Atheist" post het sommige van hulle 'n bietjie bekommerd, blykbaar, so asof hulle bang is ek lei hulle nog na Jesus toe. ;) Self weet ek nog nie veel wat aangaan nie, ek moet nog iewers vir iemand my R10 en my hand-tekening gee, of so iets, dink ek. @rightsaidreverend: Ek het “The Last Week” ook op my rak, co-authored by Marcus Borg + John Dominic Crossan. Nog nie kans gehad om hom te lees nie, wel al na stukkies geloer.

@Johan Swarts: Daardie “Freethinking Society” lyk maar nog te veel soos ‘n “anti-theistic society”. Hulle wil graag ‘n society hê vir die “non-religious”. Dit raak bietjie moeilik dan, wanneer ek nie mooi onderskei tussen secular/sacred, religious/non-religious nie.

Ek sien nog uit daarna om die eerste persoon te wees wat ge-”excommunicate” word deur ‘n Freethinking Society. Daarvoor moet hulle my natuurlik eers in laat in die eerste plek. My “How to Convert an Atheist” post het sommige van hulle ‘n bietjie bekommerd, blykbaar, so asof hulle bang is ek lei hulle nog na Jesus toe. ;)

Self weet ek nog nie veel wat aangaan nie, ek moet nog iewers vir iemand my R10 en my hand-tekening gee, of so iets, dink ek.

]]> By: rightsaidreverend http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1954 rightsaidreverend Thu, 11 Oct 2007 07:39:28 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1954 Nog 'n boek wat mens anders oor hierdie goed laat dink is John Dominic Crossan se The Historical Jesus. Nog ‘n boek wat mens anders oor hierdie goed laat dink is John Dominic Crossan se The Historical Jesus.

]]> By: Johan Swarts http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1944 Johan Swarts Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:27:37 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1944 Terloops Ek weet hierdie is van die topif af, maar - ek sien daar's posters vir die freethinking maties society op kampus. Weet jy dalk van details wat jy my kan mail? Terloops

Ek weet hierdie is van die topif af, maar – ek sien daar’s posters vir die freethinking maties society op kampus. Weet jy dalk van details wat jy my kan mail?

]]> By: rightsaidreverend http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1927 rightsaidreverend Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:05:51 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1927 Bertus! maak 'n meer as geldige opmerking oor sommige Christene se sg. kommer oor ander wat hel toe gaan. Ek kenin nie iemand wat in vrees en bewing lewe oor ander se verlorenheid nie. Ek ken wel party mense wat sê dat hulle hyyyyyl as hulle dink daar is mense wat hel toe gaan. Ek dink hulle sê net so. Hulle huil nie regtig nie. Meeste evangelicals wat ek ken, kan nie wag dat die verlore mense verlore gaan nie. In alle geval, ek geniet jou blog. Jy's bevoorreg om op jou ouderdom al so 'n denkraamwerk te hê. Ek was op 27 nog te veel van 'n benoude boud. Dis nou tien jaar later. En ek het eers die laaste drie jaar van my lewe 'n noemenswaardige kopskuif gemaak. Dis darem nie te laat nie, maar laat genoeg om dit 'n seer een te maak. Bertus! maak ‘n meer as geldige opmerking oor sommige Christene se sg. kommer oor ander wat hel toe gaan. Ek kenin nie iemand wat in vrees en bewing lewe oor ander se verlorenheid nie. Ek ken wel party mense wat sê dat hulle hyyyyyl as hulle dink daar is mense wat hel toe gaan.

Ek dink hulle sê net so. Hulle huil nie regtig nie. Meeste evangelicals wat ek ken, kan nie wag dat die verlore mense verlore gaan nie.

In alle geval, ek geniet jou blog. Jy’s bevoorreg om op jou ouderdom al so ‘n denkraamwerk te hê. Ek was op 27 nog te veel van ‘n benoude boud. Dis nou tien jaar later. En ek het eers die laaste drie jaar van my lewe ‘n noemenswaardige kopskuif gemaak. Dis darem nie te laat nie, maar laat genoeg om dit ‘n seer een te maak.

]]> By: Al Lovejoy http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1918 Al Lovejoy Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:09:54 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1918 In my experience there are "Frankenstein" evangelists who paint a warm picture of huge angels - row, rowing like galley slaves into the centre of a lake of fire to toss your sorry ass into it with cement takkies if you don't do shit God's way. Works pretty good on the desperately poor who understand the currency of fear, pain and the value of a good pair of Reeboks. Then there is "Father Xmas" evangelism (very popular among those rather more monied) in which, Jesus is going to get you a second mortgage, upgrade the wife's car and keep Medi-clinic off your back - IF you accept Him, get baptised, pray in tongues and start coughing a 10% Holy Retainer of all your income - including the mortgage, tax returns and credit cards. And you better not try and weasel out of any inheritances either - after death duties of course. Then there is the type of evangelism that realises that you cannot preach the gospel to a tattered man with hollow eyes - who has no shoes, an empty belly and the sound of his hungry children ringing in his ears, because long before you open your mouth to preach - you are going to have to water and do a lot of spade work to break the desert of that man's spirit - and when you have done that properly you might have earned the right to plant a seed, like Christ demonstrated when took a man even His disciples rejected and tried to silence - spat on the ground to make mud and gave that man His eyes in the face of their disgust. If you don't understand this and cannot live it - you simply could never have understood or accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ in the first place. God is the Author and Finisher of our faith. God will not hear a prayer without faith. Faith without works is dead... In my experience there are “Frankenstein” evangelists who paint a warm picture of huge angels – row, rowing like galley slaves into the centre of a lake of fire to toss your sorry ass into it with cement takkies if you don’t do shit God’s way. Works pretty good on the desperately poor who understand the currency of fear, pain and the value of a good pair of Reeboks.

Then there is “Father Xmas” evangelism (very popular among those rather more monied) in which, Jesus is going to get you a second mortgage, upgrade the wife’s car and keep Medi-clinic off your back – IF you accept Him, get baptised, pray in tongues and start coughing a 10% Holy Retainer of all your income – including the mortgage, tax returns and credit cards. And you better not try and weasel out of any inheritances either – after death duties of course.

Then there is the type of evangelism that realises that you cannot preach the gospel to a tattered man with hollow eyes – who has no shoes, an empty belly and the sound of his hungry children ringing in his ears, because long before you open your mouth to preach – you are going to have to water and do a lot of spade work to break the desert of that man’s spirit – and when you have done that properly you might have earned the right to plant a seed, like Christ demonstrated when took a man even His disciples rejected and tried to silence – spat on the ground to make mud and gave that man His eyes in the face of their disgust. If you don’t understand this and cannot live it – you simply could never have understood or accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ in the first place.

God is the Author and Finisher of our faith. God will not hear a prayer without faith. Faith without works is dead…

]]> By: skroon http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1913 skroon Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:05:23 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1913 To Pienk Zuit: of course, the challenge to Christians evangelizing atheists is to try and explain sensibly in what way our lifestyle differs from Kissing Hank's ass. So, while finding it funny is a natural human reaction, it's also rather sad if as a Christian one can't find the points where the metaphor doesn't match up with (our(?)) reality. Which is why I think discussing it in our cell group will be useful. (Hugo: discussion is scheduled for Monday). To Pienk Zuit: of course, the challenge to Christians evangelizing atheists is to try and explain sensibly in what way our lifestyle differs from Kissing Hank’s ass.

So, while finding it funny is a natural human reaction, it’s also rather sad if as a Christian one can’t find the points where the metaphor doesn’t match up with (our(?)) reality. Which is why I think discussing it in our cell group will be useful.

(Hugo: discussion is scheduled for Monday).

]]> By: Bertus! http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1912 Bertus! Tue, 09 Oct 2007 08:34:06 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1912 Ek wil ook daai Borg-boek leen. Ek het al baie daarvan gehoor, maar dit nog nooit gelees nie. Ek dink jy maak 'n interessante punt oor egosentrisme. Ek dink die helfte van die mense wat evangeliseer doen dit meer vir hulself (om vissers van mense te wees verhoog jou kans om hemel toe te gaan) as dat hulle regtig besorg was oor die siele van sondaars. Ek meen, as jy regtig geglo het almal wat ongelowig is gaan vir ewig brand, sou jy mal geraak het. Jy sou heeldag rondgeloop het, omring deur die damned - dis soos om in Nightmare on Elm Street te lewe. Ek wil ook daai Borg-boek leen. Ek het al baie daarvan gehoor, maar dit nog nooit gelees nie.
Ek dink jy maak ‘n interessante punt oor egosentrisme. Ek dink die helfte van die mense wat evangeliseer doen dit meer vir hulself (om vissers van mense te wees verhoog jou kans om hemel toe te gaan) as dat hulle regtig besorg was oor die siele van sondaars. Ek meen, as jy regtig geglo het almal wat ongelowig is gaan vir ewig brand, sou jy mal geraak het. Jy sou heeldag rondgeloop het, omring deur die damned – dis soos om in Nightmare on Elm Street te lewe.

]]> By: Hugo http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1911 Hugo Tue, 09 Oct 2007 08:23:53 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1911 @Pienk Zuit: Naah, I think that makes you a *good* Christian. ;) You can give me a call when you're in the area, and have time to read. @Steve: thanks, brilliant comment as usual. @Johan: jou opmerking bly nog te diep vir my... ;) @Pienk Zuit: Naah, I think that makes you a *good* Christian. ;) You can give me a call when you’re in the area, and have time to read.

@Steve: thanks, brilliant comment as usual.

@Johan: jou opmerking bly nog te diep vir my… ;)

]]> By: Pienk Zuit http://www.thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1910 Pienk Zuit Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:16:53 +0000 http://thinktoomuch.net/2007/10/08/get-the-good-news-right-2-of-3/#comment-1910 My feedback: I found it funny. It's hilarious in fact. Does that make me a bad Christian? I'd like to borrow the Borg and/or McLaren books some time. My feedback: I found it funny. It’s hilarious in fact. Does that make me a bad Christian?

I’d like to borrow the Borg and/or McLaren books some time.

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