http://missionalorder.com Helping to foster contemplative missional communities Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:27:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It is now old news that people in the church and people out of the church are similar in the way they behave and make decisions on moral issues. A regrettable development to be sure. New converts and long time converts, researchers tells us, are not shining stars of holiness, reflecting ... http://missionalorder.com/ethical-relativism-nonconformity/ John Stott impresses me greatly in his last book ever: Radical Discipleship. Stott claims that the church has challenges to overcome to regain its influence back. He names four: Pluralism, and materialism, ethical relativism, and the challenge of narcissism. 3. Ethical relativism, Stott labels an insidious spirit... seeping into the church. He ... http://missionalorder.com/radical-discipleship-nonconformity-2/ Radical Discipleship is the title of John Stott's most recent and last will and testament. In chapter one, Nonconformity, Stott challenges his contemporary Christians for look and refrain from four issues that plague the Church today. We are not to be conformists to the ways of life in the world. But we ... http://missionalorder.com/radical-discipleship-nonconformity/ Paraphrasing parts of Colossians 3:1-17 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath…put on the new self…after the image of God…compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (bearing with and forgiving one another… put on love… let Christ’s peace rule in your heart… Be thankful… let the word abide ... http://missionalorder.com/the-slow-cure-of-anger/ I cut my spiritual teeth on John Stott's Basic Christianity. I preached with his tacit permission from his commentaries and others books. John Stott has lived well and is exiting this world well as well. His farewell book to his beloved church is called Radical Discipleship: Some Neglected Aspects of ... http://missionalorder.com/radical-discipleship/ Chapter 7: 39-43 continue Benedict's understanding of how to climb the ladder of humility. He says: And secure in their hope of the divine reward, they go forward with joy, saying: But in all these things we overcome, through the one who has loved us (Romans 8:37). And so in another ... http://missionalorder.com/rule-of-benedict-51/ We come finally to the last deadly sin: Wrath or anger. Listen to this Jeremiad: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all nations to whom I send you drink ... http://missionalorder.com/anger/ Psalm 1: Another look. Walking on the way is a  familiar metaphor in Scripture. It pictures the pursuit of the moral life as marked by God. People of faith (all kinds of faiths) have known that more than human wisdom is needed to negotiate a life well lived, a good life. ... http://missionalorder.com/psalms-1-2/ 7 is the chapter the Rule elaborates on living humbly with God and others. Verses 35-38 address the fourth step on humility: quiet obedience and acceptance of life in spite of hardships. The fourth step of humility is that if in this very obedience hard and contrary things, even injuries, ... http://missionalorder.com/rule-of-benedict-50/ What do you do when you are faced with sorrow in and around you? What happens in your soul when you encounter tragedy or experience a sacred moment? There is certainly no shortage of pain and hurt in our world, in our lives. And if we live attentive lives we ... http://missionalorder.com/fasting-2/