11/23: Planting Churches

We'll be posting here some photos from our church planting efforts today (Remember, there'll  be a question on the final related to today's session, click "final" tab at top)
If you have time before class, take a look at the folling texts, and make a list of characteristics/DNA of the early church/community
(CLICK EACH TO READ, listen to, or download audio)

• John 17:20-26
• Acts 2:42-47 , 4:32-36
• Romans 12:3-8    
• 1 Corinthians   12:12-31  and 14:26
• Ephesians 4

PS: Guess how many times the word "pastor" shows up in the New Testament...then click here to see. 
Surprised by that result?  Make it a plural.  How about "pastors" (plural)?
Here are all the uses of the word "church" in the New Testament


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UPDATE: Here (on Facebook, feel free to tag yourself and comment over there) are the photos of the awesome churches you designed today..

Happy Thanksgiving
(and do let the turkey in this photo know if
you have no place to go
on Thursday..we would
love to have you over for a meal)

BONUS NEWS:

 HERE is one more alternative assignment to the final:





Write a   6-8 page "Three Worlds" paper on the "temple tantrum" of  Matthew 21: 12-17.
Consider the context of the rest of the chapter, especially focusing on the entrance into Jerusalem and the cursing of the fig tree.  What do these episodes have to do with the temple tantrum?  How does the rest of the chapter relate thematically and  literarily to the temple tantrum?
Do you note any chiasm, inclusio, intercalation, or other literary devices?  If so, what help do these offer in interpreting this passage for our contemporary world.


How do the other gospel writers tell the same story differently (compare here)  What do you make of the differences?  Note the context that each writer places the story into.


What does a study of the "historical world" background reveal?
Include insights from three or four sources, such as the Bible Background Comemntary, Matthew Green's Commentary,  IVP Commentary here,  Keener's   Commentary on Matthew ,
Keener's more "historical world"
Commentary on Matthew....others listed on right hand sidebar.



Incorporate insights from Kraybill's "The Upside Down Kingdom" (see chapters 1, 3, and 8..especially chapter 8's "Fumigating the Temple" section).  Use some information from the links on the 12/14 class session post here,  Here  and  here  are some Vander Lann teachings on the temple courts.m You are welcome to include other insights from class and your own reserach


Conclude the last two pages or so of your paper summarizing your conclusions as to what the passage means in our contemporary world, and  suggesting practical applications of the text for today.  What does the passage mean for individual Christians?  What might churches learn from this passage?










.Also, if you have a passion for a research paper (related to a 
topic from class, maybe a passage from Matthew you'd like to study in depth) you might like to do as an alternative, let me know so I can consider approving it.



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