Ministry

Goodreads Review of The Dangerous Act of Worship by Mark Labberton

Kirk E. Miller

The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to JusticeThe Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice by Mark Labberton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

–Thought-provoking and interesting. Although I have qualms with a variety of things he says, his employment of various motifs, and some unnecessarily ambiguous explanations, I very much agree with his thesis: worship and social justice must be connected. This is a needed prophetic wake-up call to the evangelical church which is largely apathetic or resistant to matters of social justice. Also, he writes well and interestingly.

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Goodreads Review of Exploring the Worship Spectrum: 6 Views by Paul Basden

Kirk E. Miller

Exploring the Worship Spectrum: 6 ViewsExploring the Worship Spectrum: 6 Views by Paul Basden

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Typically I like books from this Counterpoint series. But typically the editor sets an agenda and framework for the subsequent discussion by presenting questions that the various authors must answer. This provides a certain amount of unity to the discussion and essays. This sense of unity is completely lacking in this book, except for the fact that they are all in some what talking about worship. The result is a collection of loosely related articles and responses that makes for a somewhat confusing and rather unhelpful read. It’s hard to compare the views because the different authors come at the discussion from very different angles and talk about very different things. In short, it’s not organized.

— Not very impressed this time.

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David’s Speech Hits Me in the Gut

Kirk E. Miller

A Meditative Reflection on 1 Chronicles 29:14-16

solomons_templeAfter David and his fellow Israelites make their offerings for the future building of the temple, David praises God. In 1 Chronicles 29:14-16 he says the following.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own.

David’s speech here hits me in the gut—

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Elements of Corporate Worship (Edmund Clowney)

Kirk E. Miller

Corporate Worship

The following is taken from “Presbyterian Worship” by Edmund Clowney in Worship: Adoration and Action (page 117), edited by D.A. Carson. Although some may skibble over certain aspects of this composition, Clowney provides a succinct summary of the elements of corporate worship according to the New Testament’s testimony. (I have reformatted his collection into a bulleted list.) He states, “The New Testament indicates, by precept and example [emphasis mine], what the elements of [corporate] worship are.” According to Clowney, they are the following.

  • Corporate prayer is offered (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim 2:1; 1 Cor 14:16).
  • Scripture is read (1 Tim 4:13; 1 Thes 5:27; 2 Thes 3:14; Col 4:15-16; 2 Pet 3:15-16.
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An Ecclesiological Concern with Messianic Judaism

Kirk E. Miller 2 Comments

Let me be very straight-forward (as if that’s unusual).

Messianic Judaism is something that makes me feel… uncomfortable, not for ethnic or cultural reasons, but theological ones. I say “uncomfortable” because, although I’m not sure I could clearly articulate my thoughts very well at this point, I have a sense of theological uneasiness in regards to this movement. I may be able to identify some of my concerns, e.g., Messianic Judaism seems to be a practical outcome of viewing Israel and the Church as two separate peoples of God (clearly an unbiblical concept). But I need to do some more thinking about what’s causing this theological nervousness.

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