Author Archives: Greg

This chapter is about disciple making, which Hirsch calls “perhaps the most critical element in the mDNA mix” (102).  While I’m in agreement with the most essential concept of the chapter, I’m not in love with most of the discussion itself.  A significant reason for this is the extended aside on the context of discipleContinue reading “The Forgotten Ways: Ch. 4”

We’ve been studying Galatians here on Sundays. The conversation has caused me to reflect on why it is so difficult to communicate effectively the challenge that exegesis issues to the traditional Reformation and evangelical readings of the letter. I’ll let N. T. Wright speak for the exegesis: What, then, is Paul attacking under the labelContinue reading “Galatians Is Not About “Works Righteousness””

The Heart of It All: Jesus Is Lord By way of reminder, starting with this chapter we’re diving into the various components of Hirsch’s Apostolic Genius. The first is the christology at the heart of the proposal. To cut straight to the problem from my perspective, there is a strong tendency in both Restoration andContinue reading “The Forgotten Ways: Ch. 3”

Charles Kiser has written a thought provoking article on his blog. Rather than clutter his comments section with an overlong reply, I’ll post it here. I’ve just been thinking similar thoughts. I recently asked a mentor whether he was ambitious. He said, “No, because I don’t have ego needs. I don’t need anyone’s approval orContinue reading “On Ambition”

The introduction of Acts (1:1-5) summarizes the end of Luke and reminds Theophilus about “the promise of the Father.” Luke undoubtedly focuses the reader on that promise, which is the Spirit. The proofs, the appearances, and the continued kingdom teaching all hang in a cloud of unmet expectation. God has proven himself faithful in Jesus,Continue reading “Missional Eschatology in Acts 1-4: Why are you standing there staring toward Heaven?”

In this post I’ll deal with the introduction to section 2. Section 2 is the bulk of the book, wherein Hirsch deals with each aspect of his Apostolic Genius. The intro. to section 2 overviews the idea of mDNA, Apostolic Genius, and “missional” once more before launching into the in-depth treatment. Since each subsequent chapterContinue reading “The Forgotten Ways: Sect. 2 Intro.”

The old-school Church of Christ laid the smack down on me recently. I should have been ready for it, but I wasn’t. I should have, because I know from whence I come. I wasn’t, because much of the old school was never actually a part of my immediate experience; it was a caricature. My familyContinue reading “The Lord’s Supper and Reading the Bible”

I come from a church tradition established most notably by a man who founded a journal called The Millennial Harbinger. Alexander Campbell was a postmillennialist–he believed that Christ would return after a thousand year utopian period. Moreover, he believed that he was part of ushering in this “millennium.” Commentary abounds on the these heady EnlightenmentContinue reading “Millennials and Global Justice: The New Optimistic Activism”

“The problem we face is that while as a sociopolitical-cultural force Christendom is dead, and we now live in what has been aptly called the post-Christendom era, the church still operates in exactly the same mode” (61). In chapter two, Hirsch sketches the contours of Christendom and makes the case for its inadequacy. The emergingContinue reading “The Forgotten Ways: Ch. 2”

William Baker of Cincinnati Bible Seminary and the Stone-Campbell Journal has been facilitating a conversation on Evangelicalism and the Stone-Campbell Movement for some time (see vol. 1 (2002) and vol. 2 (2006)).  This is a fascinating discussion about some of our fundamental agreements and disagreements with broadly “evangelical” Christianity.  Yet, there is a great deal of diversityContinue reading “The New Restorationism”