What happens when you ignore genres???

Lets take well known example.
Proverbs 22:6....Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

This proverb, is a wise saying and is not to be equated with a promise. If wise parents raised up their children in the way that they should go (probably the Mosaic covenant), the vast majority of the time these children would continue in that way throughout their lives. This was not an ironclad 100 percent promise, but what wise parents do with their children.

Godly men and women have placed their hope in this passage, thinking it to be a promise to be claimed. One husband and wife hold onto this "promise" for 30 years, claiming it hundreds of times when they faithfully pray for a spiritually wandering adult son. Finally, they see this "promise" not coming to fruition.....how detrimental that can be. Decades of false hope from which people could be saved simply with better attention to the genre of Proverbs. Multiply this misunderstanding by dozens of verses interpreted contrary to their genres, and we can only imagine the unneeded confusion and heartache. The stakes are far too high to ignore the Bible's genres. (Russell, playing with fire, 158-159)

Don't be lazy. Learn to read the Word. How reverently do we come before scripture?

Think about it.

Tigers Slay Indians!!!

"Tigers Slay Indians"? What does that mean? Well, it depends on the genre in which it is communicated. Let me explain.

If you saw "Tigers slay Indians" on CNN.com, you might assume that there was some tigers that killed some Indians, perhaps in the jungle somewhere. However, if you saw the same title on any sports website like espn.com, you'll automatically know that it's probably referring to some type of sport, for instance baseball, in which one team, the Tigers, defeated another team the Indians.
The meaning is genre specific. Though we think we know the meaning of the individual words, we really dont know what they mean until we know the genre or specific context in which it was communicated.

Sadly, most Christians today are more skilled reading the newspaper than they are their bible. We pick up the newspaper, and we know exactly how to read each section within it. Comedy, business, periodicals, obituaries, etc. Each section we read it differently, expecting different things. It would be foolish of me to read the comedy section in the same way I read the obituaries. Or if I read the advertisements section, thinking it all to be promises.

Genres are like shopping bags. If I was carrying a GAP bag in my hand, you would expect certain things to be in it...Perhaps overpriced clothes, jeans, etc. But if I was carrying a CHILI's bag, you would expect some good food to be inside. The bag gives you appropriate expectations, as well as applications. You would say "hmmm let me smell..." for the chili's bag, but that wouldn't be appropriate for my GAP bag.

Yet, when we read the Bible, we ignore the individual genres. Books like Proverbs, we read it in the exact same way as we would Paul's epistles. Yet, as i'll get into later, this is dangerous...How silly it would be to get into Proverbs asking "What has God promised me..."God has communicated in unique and different ways, we need to learn them.

All this to say...we need to study God's word in a more disciplined manner. We need to handle it accurately, with fear and trembling. Learn how to study and read your bible in a smart manner. I'll get into it more, but I believe it is of the utmost importance. The Church must step up and teach its members how to read the book we claim to hold on high.

Think about it. (Props to Walt Russell for helping me see this)

In Christ

Click the picture =P

¹Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. ²I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. ³You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 1 Cor 3:1-3

But..

¹³For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live Rom 8:13

Sin no longer has mastery over us. Do you believe it? Then put to death your flesh, and live and walk by the spirit.

Work it out

Whats your role on the team? pt.4

Lately, i've been figuring out more what i'm good at as I think more about my spiritual gifts.

But a side effect of that is that I now realize what i seriously suck at. Honestly, i hate it. I come from a background where i've had to do everything. And usually everything goes well, or atleast decent. But lately, I realize, i seriously am horrible at those things im not gifted in! It's been extremely humbling, God has shown me my complete inadequacy. I know its good for me, but I hate the feeling of being humbled.

I realizeI wanted to be the point guard, shooting guard, forward, and center (Forgive me for using a sports analogy). I realize I can only be one. And there are those around me that are soooo gifted it makes me envious at times. My self-centeredness makes me think of my role, but I forgot that there are others on the team! In a sense, I was being hypocritical. I wanted to find my role on the team, but I hated finding out what my role on the team is not.

So perhaps an important step in realizing your spiritual gifts is to realize your not gifted in everything, and that you are in desperate need of the body of Christ to fill in.

Think about it

Whats your role on the team? pt.3

Perspectives...
A. How different gifts respond to a situation (I stole this from Prof. Mick Boersma, I thought it definitely showed me atleast what my gifts definitely are not =P)

Situation: A person is hospitalized and is visited by another believer. Depending on the giftedness of that visitor, the following might be their response to the patient:

Server- "Don't worry, everything at home is being taken care of' After which a practical gift is shared (new magazine... etc)
Exhorter- " How can we use what you are learning here to help others"
Teacher- "I did some research on your illness and..."
Giver- "How are we going to pay your bills? Can I help?"
Merciful- "How do you feel? Are you going to be alright?"
Administrator- "I've assigned your job to two others. Work is getting done."

B. What motivates people with different gifts....

Situation: At the dinner table, Susie spills her dessert. The motivational factors unique to each gift come out in how others respond.

Server- "Oh let me help you clean it up." (Motivation is to fulfill a need)
Exhorter- "Next time, lets serve the dessert with the meal.' (Motivation is to utilize for the future)
Teacher- "The reason that fell was because the dish was set too near..." (Motivation is to discover why it happened)
Giver- "I'll be happy to buy you a new dessert" (Motivation is to give to tangible need)
Merciful- "Don't feel bad, it could happen to anyone." (Motivation is to relieve embarassment)
Administrator- "Jim, would you get the mop? Sue, please help pick it up and Mary help me fix another dessert" (Motivation is to achieve the immediate goal of the group.)

Obviously this doesnt represent all the gifts nor is concrete. But I found it interesting =P

Think about how you think.

Whats your role on the team? pt.2

Just to continue off of what I started in my last blog...I took the general gist of this from my professor boersma.

Discovering your gift...

- Be informed- Every believer is given a spiritual gift, according to Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. Look it up.

- Be willing- For example, someone may have the gift of teaching. But they are simply not willing to do the hard work necessary to cultivate and discover it. Whatever it is, be willing and open.

- Be active- Hopefully your at a place where their are opportunities around you that will allow you to see and try out different areas. "Give it a go" and see what happens, even if it doesn't seem to fit your perfect mold.

Here's a spiritual Gift test. Take it with a grain of salt. It may help point you in the right direction. And i find them fun. Just copy and paste the link into your web addy and press enter =P
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Patrick/Desktop/Spiritual%20Gifts%20Test.doc
Heres the Score sheet for the test. If you take it, let me know what you get =P
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Patrick/Desktop/SG%20Score%20Sheet.doc

Some other assessment sites with free gift inventories. Churchgrowth.org