Theology and aggies.


Before I get to a more serious post requested by Eron, I need to give some street cred to my man, Billy ,G of the Texas A&M Fightin' Aggies. I'll start off by saying that I expected to drop both the games to Kansas and Texas (i did still watch supporting them). After the Kansas victory I was a bit shocked, but proud of BCG and Icie Law for coming through in a clutch. Excellent play and coaching decisions in the final minutes. One of the bigger wins in a somewhat history-less program
Now I have watched Durant this entire year and been very, very, very impressed with him. Hands down player of the year. Oden doesn't even hold a candle. He's decent and has the size to be great, but Kevin Durant is above anybody else this year. His outside shooting is excellent as well as being money inside. He also has great D in the paint. The only downfall is his outside D and it can be improved. For the Aggies to come off of such a huge emotional upset win in Lawrence and come down to Reed Arena and take care of a very talented, athletic Texas team speaks volumes for the improvement of this team. I would love to see them play LSU or UCLA again. I don't know that they'd beat UCLA, but believe they could spank the cajuns and Big Baby if given the chance again.
I think that if the aggies continue this style of play, an elite 8 appearance at the least will be expected.


“You are in a reformed church but secretly long for more of an experience of God, you are in a charismatic church but secretly enjoy listening to preaching and reading books that teach substantial theology.”
-Adrian Warnock

Now to a more serious note. My friend Eron recently asked why I consider myself a reformed charismatic. He referenced my love for Matt Chandler, who is definitely a influence on my theology and approach to evangelism. But I would say that me getting to the point where I consider myself is far removed from the influence of one pastor. My time with calvinists in San Angelo as well as my pastor friends, LakanM and RyanD have had much more influence in that. While Lakan probably wouldn't call himself that... he has a very strict interpretation of the scripture and would put all of God's glory in salvation on God.
To answer this we need to look at what "reformed" and "charasmatic" are. I find it very interesting that separately these 2 words can bring about some negative connotations...
i.e.:
reformed - close-minded, calvinist, fundamentalist
charismatic - loose interpretation of scripture, holy roller, liberal

But when the words are put together it brings about an entirely different picture than either of them alone. People like Matt Chandler and Mark Driscoll are thought of when this term is used. What these men are known for is their commitment to the scriptures, as well as their passion for evanglism and knowing God. I will not say that these men are flawless in their study of the scripture, but they are bible believing men who love the Lord and lost people.

Before I go any further here's a great Blanket Statement: Certain things are absolute: the Trinity; the deity and humanity of Christ; his future second coming; salvation being by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone; and the complete trustworthiness of the Bible.

I have friends that I would define as charismatic. Holy rollers or whatever they may be called. Most are non-denominational and ended up that way because of being scorned from another denomination or pissed off at their previous church and denomination. Some remain very dogmatic to their original denomination, but choose to attend this church for various reasons. Why I would call myself charismatic is that I fully believe in the spirits acting and moving today. I think to discount its importance and presence would be foolish. I see no scripture that says otherwise. Speaking in tongues is a gift. I don't really care if you think that it is irrelevant today. 99% of the time, speaking in tongues is a misused gift, done in sin. I believe the Spirit of God heals people today. But I just can't believe that 1 Cor 14 is irrelevant Others call them miracles and good medicine... I call it God. I just cannot believe and buy into those gifts being useless in today's day and age... or dispensation or whatever. This believe must be taken w/ a grain of salt. How many people do I know that use their gift of tongues? very few. Healing as well. I don't know that I've met somebody with the gift of prophesy ever. For those that do believe that these don't exist, they are entitled to their own opinion. I do not believe however that they are able to judge somebody who does posess that gift, because they are judging on their interpretation of scripture and doctrine... not scripture itself. I don't see how we can say somebody has the spirit of teaching, faith, helps, evangelist, or of administration that we have today.... and say that Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment, Prophecy, Tongues, Interpretation, Faith, Healing and Miracles. ... meh... we stopped needing them early in church history.

On the flip side I don't think I'll ever be quite as "reformed" as several of my friends... and that's fine. I know they love scripture and doctrine as a result of loving our Lord. But the total sell out to the doctrines of grace is something I have never been able to do. It doesn't really matter at what point I can't agree... but it's something I've never been able to fully embrace. I can fully embrace the idea of the reformation and what it was truly about at it's time. Salvation is by the good graces of God alone (Rom 11:16). That includes his calling, our response and life as a christian... all up to his will and kindness. That being said, I don't believe my response is a work... but still a necessity.

I also believe in the 5 Solas of the reformation...fwiw

For some strange reason... in our christian culture, many believe that those two can not coexist... But I do. I have to believe that they can. I find both to be biblical and essential. I long for the deep things of God and know his scripture and be absolutely entralled w/ his glory and have that be the overwhelming theme of my life. But I also long to be filled w/ the spirit of the scriptures like the saints of old.

I can not believe the statement in John 4:24 that God told us to worship in spirit and in truth to not apply today. Or am I only supposed to worship in truth now that the spirit is not moving? Am I to be led by the spirit, but not let the truth of God take hold of me? I can't seperate them.