Key Question #6: What is the author’s intention for the passage being cited?

Most of us are concerned about being “biblical,” but this can mean many things, such as being aligned with biblical truth or using the Bible as a point of reference. As you listen to someone claim biblical support from a passage, are they even considering the author’s intention for the passage (or is it just a good verse that alone seems to support a particular idea)? Few of us would say that it is proper to pull verses out of context, but many do it anyway. A good question to ask when thinking about the use of a passage is whether the biblical author would recognize it as being a legitimate use of the passage. Is the speaker really using the text to bring some other picture to mind on which his emphasis really relies? Is the passage itself a controlling force in the use of the text?

Key Question #7: What is the global significance of what is being said?

We hear much about the relativism of the postmodern world (even though relativism has been strong for a long time). What are the universal principles that undergird what is being said? On what truth should the claim be judged regarding its legitimacy? In light of how many churches have become focused inwardly, it is good to consider how their emphasis relates to the priority of churches focusing outwardly. How does this teaching relate to church planting and God’s spontaneous expansion of the church? It is also good to think in terms of the global church (as a teacher, not just a mission field). How does this speaker draw on lessons learned through the massive movements of God elsewhere in the world in the last 100 years?

During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Key Question #4: Where do they focus on leadership development?

Perhaps the question of where should be preceded by the question of if. Do they even have leadership in view? In the trend to focus on good things, such as community life and giftedness, some have intentionally or unintentionally disregarded leadership. If they do address leadership, where do they see leadership being developed? Is a formal institution like a seminary or Bible college assumed to be the normal place for leadership development? Or do they focus more on forms of on-the-job-experience? Further, is leadership something that can be developed in nearly anyone? Or is leadership development something that is construed primarily in terms of other things such as giftedness and fruitfulness?

Key Question #5: What do they mean by discipleship?

When someone refers to discipleship, they usually have some core things in mind. Are those core things mostly about knowledge, character, or behavior? Are they mostly about rules, principles, or worldview? They also usually have some core Scripture passages in mind. What are those passages and do you think that these are passages that the biblical author’s intended to be normative regarding discipleship? In other words, would the apostles recognize their emphasis as fitting with their imperatives about “passing on the deposit” or “the teaching?” You may also want to think about the process of discipleship. Does it lead to spiritual maturity in an explicit manner that measureable and attainable?

During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Key Question #3: How do they picture Jesus?

Everyone points to Jesus as our model, but what does that Jesus look like? Here are some common recent images of Jesus, even though they aren’t always labeled as explicitly: Jesus CEO is like a business owner using lots of modern business and entrepreneurial skills; Jesus Servant-Leader with the emphasis mostly on the servant side; Jesus the Radical who is characterized more by the dynamic of stirring things up than any particular substance that is worthy of stirring things up for; and more. What form of biblical support do they use for their images of Jesus? How much is really just proof-texting? Ironically, one’s image of Jesus is really a mirror of one’s own values more than the product of careful Bible study. Here are a few biblical points of reference to help you compare how they picture Jesus. How does it compare with the description of Jesus that we get from the kerygmatic sermons of the apostles in Acts? How does it compare to the four portraits we are given in the Gospels?

During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Key Question #2: How do they treat the Pastoral Epistles?

All of us recognize the Pastoral Epistles (the letters from Paul to Timothy and Titus) as legitimate parts of our Bible, but not everyone uses them in the same manner. It seems that they are being given less attention these days in the books being written about how to do church. As you listen to people give instructions about how to do church, do they consider the Pastoral Epistles as normative instructions for how to do church in all times and all places? If they are something else, such as artifacts about what the early church did from which we can find principles, on what basis can we conclude that the principles are normative? It may also be informative to think about what they mean by the “Paul/Timothy” model of 2 Timothy 2:2. Is it just about an older guy mentoring a younger guy (talking about whatever the older guy likes or dislikes?) Or is it about a training process that sustains the exponential growth and health of a Great Commission church planting movement?

During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Key Question #1: What do they mean by “church?”

Most of us have assumptions in mind when we use the term “church.”  Some may think of local churches while others think of the universal church.  Some may think of denominations.  While most of us don’t define church as a building, we still tend to talk about “where we go to church” as if church is a location or event.  In the midst of the criticism of what is wrong with contemporary churches, there is a growing tendency to define church with the term “community.”  However, is it just an amorphous spiritual community?  What does it look like in local manifestations?  Does it have organization, membership, and leadership?  As you listen to people refer to church, consider from where are their definition or assumptions coming, particularly what parts of Scripture are being used and which parts are being neglected?

During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Tuition is still low for the Antioch School. And it seems even lower when compared to traditional higher education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that the average cost of tuition and fees for private 4-year colleges is now $23,712 per year or $94,848 representing an increase of 6.7% (Almanac, Aug. 29, 2008, p. 29). Tuition for Antioch School programs remains at $4800 for those who are admitted during Fall 2008. This is only 5% of the national average.

On average, training with the Antioch School costs 80% less when compared with the cost of campus-based programs.

Students in the Antioch School are not paying for ivy-covered walls on elaborate campuses or expensive faculty research unrelated to ministry. Much of the cost of education for Antioch School programs is built into its unique relationship with churches. Tuition primarily supports the mechanisms necessary to sustain assessment and validation of academic quality in order to ensure that Antioch School degrees are trustworthy. This includes costs associated with accreditation and other innovative assessment tools, such as the e-portfolio.

Further, Antioch School students don’t have to pay all their tuition up-front or at the beginning of each semester. Rather, they are able to pay $100/month for four years. If you don’t think you can afford the tuition, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the real problem? Is it really a matter of finances or it financial priorities? Is it really that I’m fearful of the workload or academics? Am I really committed to church-based leadership development?
• How might I find the money? Have I let the need be known to family and friends, particularly those who are keen to fund ministries such as mission trips? Have I pursued opportunities with my employer or in my community?
• How could my church help? Do they know about my situation? Are they making it a matter of prayer? Are there funds in the church budget or privately with church members that could be used as a loan to get started?