Tim Bulkeley writes…
Teaching and preaching the Bible among Baptists convinces me that something “funny” has been happening to Scripture. One sign of it I've noticed recently is that for many Christians the Bible is not allowed to be funny itself. People can have fun with Scripture, like quoting from Hezekiah 3:16 or asking which sort of motorbike David rode. But Scripture itself has to be thought of as deadly serious. Even Jonah can't be meant to make us laugh. The Bible is too important for that!
I've taken up that challenge with a series of 5 Minute Bible podcasts that are working through the books of the Old Testament showing humour in each book of the Bible.
Clearly in our churches the Bible is treated with great respect. It is spoken of as the only authority, it is “believed”, and any argument - however sensible - can be trumped by quoting a Bible reference. Yet Scripture is hardly read in church. Just calculate what percentage of the most recent services you attended was actually spent reading the Bible... I suspect our church is about average, with a few verses from a psalm to open the service, and a short reading in the context of the sermon (so that we know what the pastor is talking about) and maybe a verse or two here and there elsewhere... total maybe 5 minutes, so less than 6% of a 90 minute service. Now of course you can't measure how much we really respect the Bible by such a crude measure. But it does cause me to stop and think.
We respect the Bible. We have ritual phrases that we use to demonstrate that our respect for Scripture is “sound”. (For some it's “inerrant”, for others “sufficient” or “perspicuous”, or just “the Word of God”.) But we don't actually waste time in our public worship reading and listening to Scripture. The pastor's wisdom is much more relevant!
Cutting a long story short, because these are meant to be short reflections ;) We worship the Bible, but we don't read it. It has become an idol, revered but useless. Teaching the Old Testament gives one a lively respect for God's attitude to idols. I wonder what the prophets, or Jesus, or sharp-tongued Paul would say about Baptists and the Bible in the 21st Century?
TUESDAY 27th
Community Worship 11:15am-12noon
Facilitated by Shane Jarvis and Chris Bradley
The Power of the Gospel
After Dinner Mints @ lunch
Glyn Carpenter has been National Director of New Zealand Christian Network since 2003 and chairman of the South Pacific Evangelical Alliance since 2006. He is married to Christine and has 3 sons at University.
WEDNESDAY 28th
Prayer for our Nation
Prayer for our 12:40-1:00pm
Come and join us as we pray Christ into our Nation. We will be praying for the NZ Church this week!
UPCOMING EVENTS
25 October Kiwi Made Preaching
Summer 2012 Catalyst Summer Conference
Kiwi Made Preaching Forums on 25th October
Help needed
Shireen needs some students to help out with registrations on the morning of the 25th of October. Please send her an email if you are willing to help out!
For students who are interested in signing up for this, please register at http://kiwimadepreaching.com/2011-forum/. The cost for Carey students is $30 for the whole day.
BEING RESPONSIBLE
Dishes in the upstairs kitchenette off the upper lecture room are not being washed and the area is being left untidy on several days of the week. It is the users responsibility to wash dry and put/take away dishes used. Please can you ensure this is done so that other folk do not have to clean up after you. This request applies to all areas of the college.
Thank you very much
OPEN TUESDAYS
There are two further Open Tuesdays for 2011. If you are aware of anyone that may be interested in study in 2012 in any of the programmes, please encourage them to come to this. Neroli has full details of the day and she will take registrations. registrar@carey.ac.nz or 0800 773 776.
27 September and 11 October; 8:45am-3pm
GRADUATION 2012…from the Academic Registrar
To all students intending to complete a Carey qualification this year – please remember to get the Graduation 2012 form from either reception or email Neroli for it. (registrar@carey.ac.nz) In order to graduate you need to complete this form in full whether or not you attend the ceremony.
The event itself will be held at the Manukau City Baptist Church on Saturday 24 March 2012.
TSCF Catalyst Summer Conference 2012
7-14 January
TSCF's ministry to young professionals, workers and graduates, Catalyst is bringing a team of five to New Zealand from the internationally respected Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, which is led by Dr Timothy Keller. The team are some of the leading thinkers and practioners globally helping (younger) professionals apply the gospel to all of life. (Details below)
Over seven full days we’ll be exploring the four key turning points of scripture together: The Creation, Fall, The Cross and New Creation. We’ll be spending significant time getting a better vision of God’s work in and through our work. We’ll be taking the time to learn and practice spiritual disciplines to enrich and enable our relationship with God in our personal and professional lives. We’ll be wrestling with how we can see the gospel embodied and expressed throughout our professions and in wider New Zealand society. It’s going to be a fantastic week of fun, friendship and good food.
All the Summer Conference details are on the website http://www.catalyst.ac.nz/events/2012/summer-conference, and more information is in the attached brochure.
The cost $399 for hotel style accommodation or $329 for tenting. Places are limited, so we would appreciate people's registration by 30th November.
Payment of the registration fee confirms their place.
ADVANCE WARNING FOR 2012!
The academic regulations relating to the late submission of assessment items will change next year. From the start of semester 1 2012:
1. all assessment work submitted after the due date, and up to one week late, will incur an academic penalty of a 10% reduction in marks (normally this will be equivalent to two grade steps – eg an A reducing to a B+, or a B+ reducing to a B- etc) ;
2. all assessment work submitted more than one week after the due date will be marked, but will not be graded, and will receive only a “Pass” or “Fail” result
Except that for final course assessments the latest date for submission will be the last day of each semester (no longer one week after the end of semester). Consequently no assessment work will be marked if it is submitted after this date, unless the student has previously been granted an extension.
Any questions? Please contact Peter Hart, Dean of Studies
CAREY PRAYER CHAIN
We’re keen to offer faithful, daily prayer for students, lecturers and friends/family – please email your requests to carey.prayer@gmail.com or anonymously in Nigel Irwin’s pigeon hole if you wish. And if you’d like to join the prayer-chain, let me (Nigel) know. James 5:16, Phil 4:6