Dr. Stanley D. Gale, founder of Community Houses of Prayer(CHOP), has developed a ministry to teach and encourage the use of strategic prayer to reach others for Christ. CHOP is designed for small groups and individuals to identify and begin praying for those within their personal spheres of influence who haven't been reached for Christ.
The CHOP manual begins with a four-part basic training course that sets the stage for an intensive 12 weeks of weekly study and daily prayer that is individually focused. During the basic training the participants identify the boundaries of their spheres of influence—school, work, neighborhood, family, or wherever you have been providentially placed by God. Then each person chooses someone in each of his spheres to pray for. CHOP seeks to induce prayer that will affect us as instruments of God's will, that will carry out his purposes for those for whom we are praying, and will restrain the spiritual forces of opposition.
Through training and practice, CHOP weaves four strands together: 1. lifestyle evangelism, 2. strategic prayer, 3. personal spiritual renewal, and 4. spiritual warfare The daily prayer guide provides Scripture to facilitate prayer along each of these strands.
Participants often remark that CHOP not only taught them the importance of strategic prayer, but how to pray evangelistically. It is being used by a growing number of churches to introduce new Christians to evangelism as well a focusing seasoned prayer warriors on expanding the Kingdom of Christ. The CHOP Manual is available at www.deovolente.net and you can find out more about the CHOP ministry at www.CHOPMinistry.net.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
More on Christian Fiction
I want to talk about the problem of sin. No, not the the usual straw-man argument that atheists think disproves the existence of God. This is the problem that Christian writers have in portraying sin in their fiction.
This problem first came to my attention a few years ago when a novel, that was written a member of our church, was mentioned from the pulpit. Another member protested because he thought the novel was too graphic in the way it depicted sin and shouldn't be implicitly endorsed. This got me thinking about this dilemma and how difficult it can be to reach the right balance between good writing and causing offense.
One of the first principles that writers get drummed into their skulls is "show, don't tell." The goal is to make the reader feel like he is actually seeing the scene not just reading about it. You may choose to solve this problem by minimizing or ignoring sin in their story. Or you can make your description so vague that it is left to the reader's imagination, then if your reader is offended it's his own fault.
Of course these solutions are not only bad writing, they are dishonest. I believe that we, as Christian writers, have to work harder to find ways to show sin so that it can be recognized for the insidious problem that it is. I believe we can do this without being lascivious or generating any emotion other than revulsion.
What do you think?
This problem first came to my attention a few years ago when a novel, that was written a member of our church, was mentioned from the pulpit. Another member protested because he thought the novel was too graphic in the way it depicted sin and shouldn't be implicitly endorsed. This got me thinking about this dilemma and how difficult it can be to reach the right balance between good writing and causing offense.
One of the first principles that writers get drummed into their skulls is "show, don't tell." The goal is to make the reader feel like he is actually seeing the scene not just reading about it. You may choose to solve this problem by minimizing or ignoring sin in their story. Or you can make your description so vague that it is left to the reader's imagination, then if your reader is offended it's his own fault.
Of course these solutions are not only bad writing, they are dishonest. I believe that we, as Christian writers, have to work harder to find ways to show sin so that it can be recognized for the insidious problem that it is. I believe we can do this without being lascivious or generating any emotion other than revulsion.
What do you think?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What is a Professing Christian?
I was disturbed but only a little surprised at the Pew Forum poll results that found 57% of professing Evangelical Christians believe that Christ is not the only way to salvation. It makes me wonder what it really means now days to call yourself an evangelical or a professing Christian. It's clear that it no longer means that you adhere to the objective standard of an inspired, Holy Scripture a a rule of faith. To me, when Christ, said,"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6,ESV), he didn't leave the door open, not even a crack, for other means of salvation.
So, how can so many who profess Christ deny this basic teaching? Is it reaction to our cultural mandate that exclusivity just isn't cool? I'll admit, Solo Christos, or through Christ alone, can be one of the harder things to accept, but it is equally hard to deny its truth. Or maybe it's not that the teaching is being denied, but that it's not being taught.
At one time, most churches had a confessional standard. It was required to be taught to and affirmed by potential congregants before they joined the church. The confessional standard was not intended to supplant Scripture, but to lay out the essentials of Christianity in a systematic form. Some churches still have confessional standards, fewer still hold to them.
My sad conclusion is that calling oneself an evangelical or a professing Christian doesn't mean very much in itself. When I consider a manuscript for publication, I ask the author for a written statement of faith. Sometimes this helps, sometimes not. I'm an advocate of confessional standards in churches, more discipleship, and stricter examinations for church membership.
Let me know what you think.
So, how can so many who profess Christ deny this basic teaching? Is it reaction to our cultural mandate that exclusivity just isn't cool? I'll admit, Solo Christos, or through Christ alone, can be one of the harder things to accept, but it is equally hard to deny its truth. Or maybe it's not that the teaching is being denied, but that it's not being taught.
At one time, most churches had a confessional standard. It was required to be taught to and affirmed by potential congregants before they joined the church. The confessional standard was not intended to supplant Scripture, but to lay out the essentials of Christianity in a systematic form. Some churches still have confessional standards, fewer still hold to them.
My sad conclusion is that calling oneself an evangelical or a professing Christian doesn't mean very much in itself. When I consider a manuscript for publication, I ask the author for a written statement of faith. Sometimes this helps, sometimes not. I'm an advocate of confessional standards in churches, more discipleship, and stricter examinations for church membership.
Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Christian Fiction
What do you think about Christian fiction? Some might think the term is an oxymoron. After all, Christianity is about truth. Others insist that Christian fiction must follow a formula: a Gospel presentation, somebody gets saved, then on to a sin-free life.
On the issue of truth, I believe that stories are an effective way to portray and teach moral truth. The parables of Christ are the foremost example. Of course we don't know for sure if the events and characters in the parables are factual or metaphorical, but it does it really matter? The truth is revealed in the message either way. This is true of all enduring fiction whether it is secular as from the ancient Greek classics or from our beloved Christian writers like Tolkein or C.S. Lewis.
We know that the story of redemption is the greatest truth in the history of man, but the story goes beyond the moment when the Holy Spirit enables us to accept the Gospel truth. It includes the the denial of sin before salvation and the struggle with our remaining sinful nature afterward. This is why we can't restrict our stories to the Gospel—salvation—sanctified life formula.
I'm in the experimental phase of publishing Christian fiction. It's difficult for a small publisher with limited resources to promote. We have tree novels in print: PROWL by Gordan Runyan, a Tom Clancy type military adventure; LOST PULSE by Bill Shumaker, an historical fiction set in Nazi Germany; and THE ALBUQUERQUE AFFLICTION, by L.L. Byars, a murder mystery set in the modern southwest. I would appreciate some honest reviews. www.deovolente.net/ChristianFiction
On the issue of truth, I believe that stories are an effective way to portray and teach moral truth. The parables of Christ are the foremost example. Of course we don't know for sure if the events and characters in the parables are factual or metaphorical, but it does it really matter? The truth is revealed in the message either way. This is true of all enduring fiction whether it is secular as from the ancient Greek classics or from our beloved Christian writers like Tolkein or C.S. Lewis.
We know that the story of redemption is the greatest truth in the history of man, but the story goes beyond the moment when the Holy Spirit enables us to accept the Gospel truth. It includes the the denial of sin before salvation and the struggle with our remaining sinful nature afterward. This is why we can't restrict our stories to the Gospel—salvation—sanctified life formula.
I'm in the experimental phase of publishing Christian fiction. It's difficult for a small publisher with limited resources to promote. We have tree novels in print: PROWL by Gordan Runyan, a Tom Clancy type military adventure; LOST PULSE by Bill Shumaker, an historical fiction set in Nazi Germany; and THE ALBUQUERQUE AFFLICTION, by L.L. Byars, a murder mystery set in the modern southwest. I would appreciate some honest reviews. www.deovolente.net/ChristianFiction
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
