Word Centered - Life Applied or Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy

It is 4 a.m. on Friday morning. I have been awake due to jet-lag since 2 a.m. I have been home about 26 hours and find my head and heart still swimming from Cape Town. A pull to get up so early this morning was a longing to be in the book of Ephesians - studying, praying, and reflecting on the book and how much it intersected with our discussions over the past 11 days in Cape Town.

I also find myself missing the fellowship and discussion with my table group at Cape Town as we wrestled with Ephesians together every morning.



The book of Ephesians was chosen by the Lausanne Theology working group to be the word centered focus of our gathering. For one year leading up to the Congress there was a monthly study guide on Ephesians that all participants were asked to do. Each morning the congress started with worship and the word. It was church on a grand scale. A chapter from Ephesians was dramatically read upfront. Also a drama team acted out the daily theme. Then at our tables we were to read again to ourselves and reflect upon or look for certain things like key words or repeated words/phrases. Once this was done we had a time of guided table group discussion usually centered around a grand daily theme of the congress. One of the themes was: Truth or Reconciliation. The rest of the day would be geared to that major theme.




Lastly, we heard an expository message from great pastors and theologians on the passage of the day. Those who spoke included Ajith Fernando from Sri Lanka, John Piper from the US, Ruth Padilla DeBorst from Costa Rica and Ramez Atollah from Egypt.

The goal was that we would be saturated in Scripture together and able to think biblically, critically, and theologically as we discussed and made decisions regarding 21st century challenges facing the global church. This way, for example, we would not respond emotionally to issues such as human trafficking or suffering but bring the word to bear on our theology so that our orthodoxy informed our orthopraxy! Very important!

It was incredibly rich to receive input from truly global biblical scholars who are practitioners like Piper, a pastor, or Ajith, the head of Sri Lankan Youth for Christ.

I think this is a glimpse of eternity where word and worship powerfully combine with every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Where we will gather around the Living Word to worship and know the Word - Jesus Christ. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1).

More to come about Cape Town in the next few weeks. For know, I want to get back into Ephesians before Stephanie and the girls wake up!

Blessings

Mike