10 Ways to Pastor Adoptive Parents | Desiring God
Posted by Todd Engstrom in adoption on March 5, 2009
Below is the beginning to an excellent post by Jason Kovacs on pastoring adoptive parents.
There are many ways that you can express your pastoral care for those considering adoption and those who have adopted already. As an adoptive father and former pastor, I offer a few thoughts on how to help adoption become a biblically based, heart-led, missional movement in your church and not merely another program on your church’s list.
via 10 Ways to Pastor Adoptive Parents and Those Considering Adoption :: Desiring God.
Jason continues with ten practical ways to facilitate adoption ministry. As Olivia and I pray and think through adoption, I am grateful for the ministry of men like Jason who have an incredible heart for orphans, and a passionate desire for the church to minister through adoption.
Get in the Fight
Posted by Todd Engstrom in austin stone on March 4, 2009
This post contains a link to one of the most convicting sermons I have heard Matt Carter preach, and it is a clarion call for the consumer church to engage in the mission of God.
It’s called “Get in the Fight”, and it is an exhortation for the individual believer to use their spiritual gifts in obedience to the Scripture. I would highly recommend giving it a listen!
image: One on One by: ElMarto
Coffee Kills
Posted by Todd Engstrom in personal on March 3, 2009
Ever wondered how much caffeine it would take to kill you?
Below are my results:
Coffee Kills
Scriptural Election: The Third Way
Posted by Todd Engstrom in theology on March 2, 2009
I found this article as I was preparing for my teaching on the doctrines of salvation, and particularly on election. The quote below is very insightful
Thesis 23: We must affirm that God creates what he elects rather than that he selects out of what exists.
Israel is called into existence. Election is tied to promise and the seed of Israel is not the product of selection but of creation. God created what he elected. Election is the creation of something out of its opposite—possibility out of impossibility. It is a matter of creation rather than a parallel to rejection.
The focus in our doctrine of election, therefore, must not be on selection. Election is a creative act. In biblical thought Israel, Christ, and the Church are not “existing realities that God selectively chooses out of a number of extant Israels, Christs, or churches. . . . They are created by the dynamics of election, for they are what they are only by virtue of their election.”
The thought that election is out of God’s creative, life-giving power is an excellent one, and a great demonstration of why I cherish the doctrine. In election, He is calling the dead to life, not sifting based on some selection criteria. This helped me to articulate a good defense to those who see election as mechanical and deterministic, and ultimately cold and unfair.
Touchpoint » Blog Archive » An Encouraging Mega Church View
Posted by Todd Engstrom in austin stone, megachurch, missional on February 28, 2009
A great viewpoint from David Watson on mega church involvement in church planting movements.
From my perspective as a champion for rapidly multiplying small church planting, I do see a need for and appreciate mega churches. Mega churches could be the nexus for information, training, networking/connecting, strategy, and resourcing of all kinds, including human, vocational, business, educational, and financial. Please do not hear me say that mega churches should drive all this. They should be facilitators and servants who connect God’s people with the needs of those who work very hard to serve and reach the lost, wherever they may be found.
We must never forget that a church with 10,000 members is as much the Bride of Christ as a church with 10 members. Both are highly valued by God. Both have calls from God. Both have the same purposes and functions defined by the Word of God. All are needed if we are going to reach the +5 billion lost people on our planet. When we criticize any church, we criticize the Bride of Christ. As a husband, I am not too happy when someone criticizes my bride. How do you think Christ feels when we criticize His Bride?
via Touchpoint » Blog Archive » An Encouraging Mega Church View.
I love the externally focused mentality that this man has, and his vision for seeing all kinds of churches reaching all kinds of people. Secondly, I love his passionate defense of the bride of Christ, no matter the form. I pray that David’s vision will be caught by many throughout the church planting strategy spectrum.
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