How is it possible that the gospel should be credible, that people should come to believe that the power which has the last word in human affairs is represented by a man hanging on a cross? I am suggesting that the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it. Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989, p. 227).
Working on some of my first reading assignments. Read this today from Eugene Peterson:
In taking “monestary” as a metaphor for “parish,” I found way to detach myself from the careerism mind-set that has been so ruinous to pastoral vocations and began to understand my congregation as a location for a spirituality maturing life and ministry.
The congregation is the pastor’s place for developing vocational holiness. It goes without saying that it is the place of ministry: we preach the word and administer the sacraments, we give pastoral care and administer the community life, we teach and we give spiritual direction. But it is also the place in which develop virtue, learn love, advance in hope-become what we preach. At the same time we proclaim a holy gospel, we develop a holy life. We dare not separate what we do from who we are.
A place for me to grow in Christ? BAM!