Come join us in Abilene September 21-24 for ACU’s Summit (The Event Formerly known As Lectureship). You can find a full schedule here.
Among the many new features, there will be three main theme classes at 1:30 — taught by Rubel Shelly, Rick Atchley, and Jeff Walling. I love this description of Jeff’s class: “Come discover the amazing power in the ancient wisdom of the world’s greatest lover as he gives us a pattern for living in dynamic community.”
On the plus side for Jeff, he’s been named “the world’s greatest lover.” On the down side, his words are now being called “ancient wisdom.”
(Ok, I consider it possible that this description is referring to someone else . . . I’m guessing Jesus.)
When I saw the three teachers I suspected ACU as going off the deep end. When I saw Brian McClaren, I knew it for sure.
Aww Chris, don’t ya know it’s more exciting to explore deep waters than to stay in the shallow end?
The deep end brings unexpected underwater currents that can sweep you away.
don’t all lovers want to be swept away
Hilarious. Thanks for always giving Jeff Walling a hard time, Mike. Somebody’s got to keep him in check!
One of these days I’ve got to make my very first trip to Abilene, TX. This lineup certainly does tempt me!
I am so weary of hearing about that slippery slope and the keep waters sweeping you away. Can’t we get past this?
I don’t think Jesus ever was that cautious. I am so thankful I can live for Jesus and not worry about whether I am dotting every i and crossing every t.
Sounds like a wonderful lineup, including Brian McClaren. Should be superb learning, even from those not amoung the “tribe.” Hummmmm!
Completely OT however ….
“Where have all the potlucks gone?
Gone to Highland this afternoon!”
And what a party it was.
To whomever thanks are due - Blessings!
Let’s do it a couple/three times a year if at all possible. Thanks again!!!
I’ll bet Gene Wilder is disappointed to learn this.
I can think of nothing more enticing than being swept away into the deep waters by the love of Jesus. We experienced a level of that in our high school soaking yesterday afternoon. Not one of us wanted to leave that room and go back out. We literally had to make ourselves get up and leave.
Rubel Shelly taught on “missional” at the Tulsa Workshop a year or so ago and I listened to the mp3 of his talk. It was disappointing. I respect him a great deal and consider my perspective essentially missional, but his facts were way off. There was a special problem with his understanding of the clergy/laity division and how it came about.
I say that to show that though there are people I love listening to, I don’t always think they are on the mark. Who among us every is 100%? There are also people who I tend to think get it wrong more often than not, but this is a prejudice I shouldn’t indulge. They could be right, after all. I just need to listen, think and give the person the benefit of the doubt.
I’m a ‘recovering legalist’ - helped out of this jail by several onion skin peelers, if I may call them that.
One was a wonderful teacher in Mexico City that peeled off several layers of my legalist onion - some were painful, some were joyous.
A preacher in San Diego was the first to peel off the layer of feeling not a full-fledged part of a congregation because I was divorced.
Rubel took off several of those layers when I heard the idea that women could actually be “allowed” to actively exercise their God-Given Gifts in open worship time. Wow! That was a real healer and set my foot definitely on the out journey from legalism and its jail.
I’m fully aware that some of my terminology is considered out of style these days. However, for one that has lived this - has had the very marrow of spiritual beliefs shaken, torn out by the roots at times - one that is still trying to hold onto what Rubel has called “core, immutable beliefs” of our faith, all the while opening heart, mind and soul to prayerful study of this whole new world of thinking, the terminology fits.
Rubel is one of my spiritual heroes. I don’t fully agree with anyone, as all who know me can confirm
- but these freshly presented and sometimes radically different ideas are fascinating, pulling me into FREELY seeking discernment than ever while under legalism’s could of “no doubt permitted.”
As much as I’d love to hear all three speakers in September, I’ll probably indulge myself by listening to Rubel, if I must choose between the three.
I hope it was clear that I actually respect and appreciate Rubel Shelly, among others. That doesn’t mean I feel obligated to agree with everything or fail to notice when some comments are inaccurate. That’s just normal.
I’ve put it before that I became negative, pessimistic and fundamentalistic to a point that left me completely unprepared for a failed ministry (with an ultra-conservative independent Christian Church) and the death of my father. It took three years and the assistance of C.S. Lewis and N.T. Wright to get me to where I am now, together with A LOT of repentance.
I’d love to hear any of the speakers on ACU’s lectureship agenda, but I’m afraid ACU Summit’s going to be one more gathering I’ll have to miss.
Jeff Walling will be great. I saw him give this presentation at the North American Christian Convention last summer. Uses the Beatitudes in to teach about relationships in your home and family.