Comments on: Review: The Reformed Pastor http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/ Life, adventure and faith in south Arkansas Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:10:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Caffeinated Thoughts - » Twenty Items of Interest (v.24) http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-69211 Caffeinated Thoughts - » Twenty Items of Interest (v.24) Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:20:16 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-69211 [...] Jeff Noble reviewed The Reformed Pastor by Richard [...] [...] Jeff Noble reviewed The Reformed Pastor by Richard [...]

]]> By: Linda http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-69103 Linda Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:16:59 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-69103 Yes he did! I really enjoyed hearing all the messages. Yes he did! I really enjoyed hearing all the messages.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-68752 Jeff Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:36:29 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-68752 @Mandy: Thanks, deeply and truly. I am grateful for your comments. Many times, I've related to Ryan and other leaders how hard it is to lead and teach the way we do with little to no feedback each week. It's occasional notes like this that help us see and renew our confidence that the passionate preaching and teaching of God's Word is exactly what all peoples need. @Linda: That is awesome and a great idea! Did he share <i>Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God</i> by Edwards with you? @Andy: From what you describe, the UK's experience with passionate Puritanism in the 1600s and the US's experience with 1900s revivalism and Great Awakening are similar. Our "Bible Belt" (the south) is eerily similar to what you describe and are frustrated with. I too, share many of the same frustrations. Great to hear from you and that you're still kicking this thing! @Mandy: Thanks, deeply and truly. I am grateful for your comments. Many times, I’ve related to Ryan and other leaders how hard it is to lead and teach the way we do with little to no feedback each week. It’s occasional notes like this that help us see and renew our confidence that the passionate preaching and teaching of God’s Word is exactly what all peoples need.

@Linda: That is awesome and a great idea! Did he share Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Edwards with you?

@Andy: From what you describe, the UK’s experience with passionate Puritanism in the 1600s and the US’s experience with 1900s revivalism and Great Awakening are similar. Our “Bible Belt” (the south) is eerily similar to what you describe and are frustrated with. I too, share many of the same frustrations. Great to hear from you and that you’re still kicking this thing!

]]> By: Andy http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-68736 Andy Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:04:57 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-68736 Richard Baxter was a great guy. I live in Kidderminster, the town that was on its way to hell when he stepped up to the plate. But here is the thing - these things are cyclical: Kidderminster is on its way to hell again. I am sick of hearing church leaders talk about the 'days of Baxter', and how those days will 'come again'. No, they won't - unless we stop <em>talking</em> about how Baxter's courage unleashed a God-sized transformation on our town, and actually <em>stand up and show that same courage</em>. It drives me mad, and is a reason why we are looking to leave. In fact, if we can get visas, we are coming to your side of the pond and soon. You see, we tried to stand up and be counted, to step up to the plate and to show that same courage, to bring others with us, to reignite passion; and we got trampled on - not by the unchurched but by the churched, who would rather sit around and <em>pray</em> for the days of Baxter to come again than get off their lazy arses and go seize them. Forceful men, scripture says: Baxter was a forceful man, but here, in this town at this time, we have only passive wimps. OK, that's it, rant over - every time I see the name Baxter, I rant. It's an affliction. Richard Baxter was a great guy. I live in Kidderminster, the town that was on its way to hell when he stepped up to the plate.

But here is the thing - these things are cyclical: Kidderminster is on its way to hell again. I am sick of hearing church leaders talk about the ‘days of Baxter’, and how those days will ‘come again’. No, they won’t - unless we stop talking about how Baxter’s courage unleashed a God-sized transformation on our town, and actually stand up and show that same courage.

It drives me mad, and is a reason why we are looking to leave. In fact, if we can get visas, we are coming to your side of the pond and soon. You see, we tried to stand up and be counted, to step up to the plate and to show that same courage, to bring others with us, to reignite passion; and we got trampled on - not by the unchurched but by the churched, who would rather sit around and pray for the days of Baxter to come again than get off their lazy arses and go seize them. Forceful men, scripture says: Baxter was a forceful man, but here, in this town at this time, we have only passive wimps.

OK, that’s it, rant over - every time I see the name Baxter, I rant. It’s an affliction.

]]> By: Linda http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-68528 Linda Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:16:22 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-68528 My pastor just finished up a series titled "Sermons of our Fathers". He took sermons from "old dead guys" like JC Philpot, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Spurgeon and shared them with us. I encourage everyone to read not only books from God fearing men, but read or even listen to some sermons @ www.sermonindex.com. My pastor just finished up a series titled “Sermons of our Fathers”. He took sermons from “old dead guys” like JC Philpot, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Spurgeon and shared them with us. I encourage everyone to read not only books from God fearing men, but read or even listen to some sermons @ http://www.sermonindex.com.

]]> By: Mandy http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-reformed-pastor/#comment-68498 Mandy Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:08:26 +0000 http://www.journeyguy.com/review-the-barbarian-way-rated-5-stars/#comment-68498 Great post! Sounds a lot like what was briefly discussed in our article. I can tell you that after years of going to different churches, I learned almost nothing. Sad, isn't it? I never left feeling condemned or uplifted. I just felt the same. (which led to feeling spiritually dead as time passed.) Had I not been raised in church, and was seeking information on how to "become saved" I would never have even heard that message. This is where I have to praise you guys, our leaders, at <a href="http://www.journeychurch.us" rel="nofollow">Journey</a>. Seriously. You have perfectly melted together preaching and teaching. I haven't figured out exactly how yet, but I leave each Sunday feeling like I need to change SOMETHING about my life with God, without feeling attacked or necessarily "condemned." I also leave feeling like I just obtained so much information that I had possibly never heard before that my brain might explode. I love it! :) I'm so glad that your vision and passion for our church (and churches the world over) is so Christ led. God definitely has definitely given you the gift of teaching his word effectively! Mandys last blog post..<a href="http://peaceandcraziness.blogspot.com/2008/07/do-pink-boxers-keep-men-out-of-prison.html" rel="nofollow">Do Pink Boxers Keep Men Out of Prison?</a> Great post! Sounds a lot like what was briefly discussed in our article. I can tell you that after years of going to different churches, I learned almost nothing. Sad, isn’t it? I never left feeling condemned or uplifted. I just felt the same. (which led to feeling spiritually dead as time passed.) Had I not been raised in church, and was seeking information on how to “become saved” I would never have even heard that message.

This is where I have to praise you guys, our leaders, at Journey. Seriously. You have perfectly melted together preaching and teaching. I haven’t figured out exactly how yet, but I leave each Sunday feeling like I need to change SOMETHING about my life with God, without feeling attacked or necessarily “condemned.” I also leave feeling like I just obtained so much information that I had possibly never heard before that my brain might explode. I love it! :)

I’m so glad that your vision and passion for our church (and churches the world over) is so Christ led. God definitely has definitely given you the gift of teaching his word effectively!

Mandys last blog post..Do Pink Boxers Keep Men Out of Prison?

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