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HOW NOW SHALL WE LIVE? Providing Theological Leadership for the Church Volume 23, Number 1: Spring 2016

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HOW NOW SHALL WE LIVE? Providing Theological Leadership for the Church Volume 23, Number 1: Spring 2016 CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY FORUMSPRING 2016 Missional Living of Scripture HOW NOW SHALL WE LIVE? Providing Theological Leadership for the Church Volume 23, Number 1: Spring 2016 Articles From the President: How Now Shall We Live? 03 by Jul Medenblik Every Believer Called to Mission 04 by Cory Willson Prayers from the Missional Conference 06 by Mary Vanden Berg and Sarah Schreiber Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics 08 by John Bolt Meet Herman Bavinck 09 by Jessica Driesenga The Calvin Theological Seminary Forum is published three times Fostering Formation for every academic year. 12 Calvin Theological Seminary Mission in Our Classrooms 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand by Kristy Manion Rapids, MI 49546. © 2016 Calvin Theological Is There a Future for Sacrifice? Seminary 15 Publications Mail Agreement No. by Erin Zoutendam 40063614 Return undeliverable Canadian Taste and See Israel Trip addresses to: 16 by Paula Seales Calvin Theological Seminary 3475 Mainway, LCD STN 1 BURLINGTON, ON L7M 1A9 Church Growth and Its Challenges in Ethiopia email: 18 by Fikre Norcha [email protected] 2 | CALVIN SEMINARY FORUM | Spring 2016 From the President by Jul Medenblik, How Now Shall We Live? President As President of Calvin Theological two of which I would like together scholars, pastors and Seminary, I am blessed to be in to highlight: missionaries from three continents the middle. I am in the middle of When framed as selfish, to discuss what it looks like to equip various conversations related to individualistic, drive for sexual churches and Christian leaders church renewal, church planting fulfillment, it is obvious and clear to creatively align their ministries and leadership development as the that obedience and sacrifice are the with God’s mission in this world. seminary trains servants of the gospel only appropriate responses. Perhaps Here is a link to videos from who seek to form more servants of framing these dilemmas in the the 17 presenters: https://www. the gospel throughout the world. In context of the God-given desire for calvinseminary.edu/igcpr/resources/ the same day, I can speak to someone kinship within covenant marked by videos-from-missional-living-of- who has served over 60 years in self-emptying love might deepen our scripture-2015/ ministry and someone who is in the reflections and rein in our certainty. We are glad to present the new voice first six weeks of seminary training. of Professor Cory Willson who joined I am glad to be in the middle. We always need to be on the lookout that we don’t twist scripture and that our faculty this past summer and I have found myself in the middle we don’t fall for twisted teaching. teaches in the area of Missiology and of many conversations, emails, and And we all have our biases and Missional Ministry. He also serves as letters related to the last issue of prejudices. The danger of twisting Director of The Institute for Global the Forum which had the theme, scripture to fit ourselves and then Church Planting and Renewal. In “Biblical and Hermeneutical to justify our behaviors is a lurking addition, we are pleased to also hear Reflections on Same-Sex danger no matter what side you take. from Professor John Bolt who teaches Relationships.” In the middle, I have in the area of Systematic Theology. heard contrasting voices and even of Professor Bolt has faithfully worked I am glad that the FORUM contrasting actions: at bringing the treasured insights reader community does seek of Herman and J.H. Bavinck into “Thank you for addressing a complex to be centered and rooted on the current context, also writes to topic with clarity and thoughtfulness” being faithful witnesses to the set the “missional” conversation in a is countered by “I am very gospel. broader framework. Finally, you will disappointed in the tone and content have the opportunity to “overhear” a of the articles.” In this issue, the Forum Editorial conversation among faculty members A telephone call from a church pastor Committee hopes to continue to as to forming students for ministry. who asks for 100 more copies of serve the church by helping the As we continue to learn from one the Forum for their congregation is church explore the wider lens of the another as brothers and sisters shaded by hearing of another pastor “Missional Living of Scripture.” in Christ may we, as one person who tossed the same issue of the This issue of the Forum takes its wrote to me, “join in praying that Forum in the garbage. theme from the title of a recent God grant us humility for the I received many thoughtful conference held at Calvin Theological conversation, willingness to listen, comments in response to Seminary: “Missional Living of and submission to the Spirit the last issue of the Forum, Scripture.” This conference brought of Christ.” Spring 2016 | CALVIN SEMINARY FORUM | 3 Every Believer Called to Mission by Cory Willson, Jake and Betsy Tuls Assistant Professor of Missiology and Missional Ministry A few months into my job I had several encounters with local CRC pastors that have proved helpful to me in my new position as the professor of missiology and missional ministry at Calvin Seminary. “I have a church filled with really good folks,” the pastor will say to me. “They are hard-working, generous and eager to lend a helping hand to those in need. The only challenge is that they are insular as a group and are not good at reaching out to others.” This communal trait is not an isolated lives: home, work, and public spaces. imagination to be guided by tradition phenomenon among CRC churches Being a Christian means we are called as we attempt to follow the Holy in Grand Rapids or, for that matter, to seek opportunities to share with Spirit’s leading in our contexts today. in Christian communities throughout others the good news of what God Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and the North America. Decades before has done in Jesus to rescue us and this community of believers are needed for Darrell Guder and his colleagues world from the tyranny of sin, Satan such a calling. coined the term “missional” in the late and death. 90’s, Hendrik Kraemer, J.H. Bavinck In 2013, the Institute for Global and Lesslie Newbigin critiqued the There is a lot that these missionary Church Planting and Renewal hosted “introverted” and “insular” Church in theologians have to teach us about the Missional Reading of Scripture the West that had separated Christian how to see ordinary events of daily conference at Calvin Seminary. Plenary identity from God’s mission, and life as opportunities to show how the speakers N.T. Wright, Christopher called for a missionary encounter with Lordship of Jesus can bring shalom Wright, Darrell Guder, and Michael Western cultures and not just far-off into our jobs, neighborhoods, and Goheen explored how the Bible not lands.1 Being a Christian means that cities today. But faithful discipleship only conveys Christian truths and there is an inherent, intentional calling today requires more than simply moral principles but also tells the story of every follower of Jesus to live under restating what has been said in the of God’s ongoing mission in the world. the reign of God in every area of their past; it requires the courage and Like any good piece of literature, they argued, this unfolding biblical story invites the church into this drama as we participate in God’s mission in the world today. Reading Scripture as a story of God’s mission helps us make sense of the Bible and of our world today. But this hermeneutic also raises practical questions as we move from Bible reading to faithful living in our context today. Christopher Brooks illustrates his holistic approach to ministry in his urban context. 4 | CALVIN SEMINARY FORUM | Spring 2016 Missional Living of Scripture The 2015 Missional Living of Scripture After the conference I received an to embody a deep and winsome conference revolved around this email from an evangelical pastor who Reformed theology and missiology in central question: what does it look attended the conference that reminded the contexts to which God calls them. like to align your ministry with God’s me of why I was first drawn to the creative and redemptive work in your Reformed tradition during my early city? The conference gathered ministry ministry days. The email read: practitioners, scholars, students, and community members to examine “I have always been drawn to the way God’s mission impacts our the Neo-Calvinist tradition and day-to-day life, our ministries, and this conference reminded me our cities. why. [It] was utterly unique … there are plenty of conferences that celebrate reformed theology Speakers came from divergent and gospel-centered piety, and contexts, both rural and urban, in there are others that talk about Latin America, Europe, and North social justice, others which talk America. The diversity of contexts about worship, preaching and Janice McLean presents Living and experiences provided stories, mission, and still others which Scripture Missionally in New York City. frameworks, and practical tools talk about the intersection of faith for ministry and preaching. A few and culture. But, the conference The Institute for Global Church examples from the conference speakers at Calvin Seminary uniquely Planting and Renewal at Calvin will offer a taste of the rich experience. brought all of these themes Seminary seeks to be a critical link Christopher Wright and Michael together … and within the context between academia and the church, Goheen explored the relationship of a rich and beautiful liturgical enabling the seminary to learn from between biblical interpretation experience.” the needs of the church so that it can (hermeneutics) and Christian living provide theological resources to help (mission and ethics).
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