The Brookside Institute
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Brookside Church

The essential contribution that theology makes for the life of the church

7/29/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
I've mentioned a few times already on this site that theology is important in and for the life of the church, but that sound theology isn't the ONLY the thing a church should be concerned with. Here's one short excerpt from a previous post:
So a right theology is not enough - at least not if we define theology primarily in terms of what we KNOW at a cognitive level.  We also need to respond rightly - with faith, trust, awe, worship, and obedience" (We NEED Sound Theology. And We Need MORE THAN Sound Theology.
We need to keep this mind - in all the ways this quote highlights and more.

But I also want to keep my foot on the gas pedal of the important - essential! - contribution that sound theology does make in and for the life of the local church.

I love how Keith Johnson brings this out in his recent Theology as Discipleship (p. 77). Read this slowly:
We practice theology in order to guide the church as it thinks and speaks about God. This work is our specific commission. God has given us the task of bringing order to the church's language, and this task puts in a position of service rather than superiority. We are responsible for directing the church so that its prayer, worship, and preaching correspond to God's being and character. Our goal is to help the church become confident that its claims about God are true so it can teach believers within the church - and proclaim the gospel to those outside the church - in grace and truth" (Keith L. Johnson, Theology as Discipleship, p. 77).
Let's not abandon this "specific commission" Johnson calls us to. We need to champion theology, we need to create space to read and study theology, and we need to teach theology. As we do this, our posture is one of service. Our goal is to faithfully align with God's self-revelation in the Bible (no more, but no less) to equip the church in her prayer, worship, preaching, service, and witness.

The local church needs the essential contribution theology makes.

If you liked this post, you may be interested in...

  • We NEED Sound Theology. And We Need MORE THAN Sound Theology.
  • My Own Working Definition of Christian Theology.
  • Doing Theology is Important. But Watch Out for These Dangers.
  • 8 Starter Books for Building a Biblical and Theological Library.
  • 3 Ways Theology and the Local Church Go Hand-in-Hand.
1 Comment
Jon Thomas
8/25/2017 04:47:05 am

Very good point, part of this solution would be to get folks in the seats at church.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Tim Wiebe

    Christian. Husband. Father. Pastor. Learner. Contributor. Reader.


    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Apologetics
    Bible
    Book Reviews
    Catechesis
    Church History
    Culture
    Devotional
    Ethics
    Mission
    Quotes
    Reading
    Spiritual Disciplines
    Teaching
    Theology

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    February 2022
    March 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

SITE MAP

Home
About
Blog
Contact
Brookside Church

Top Five Posts from February 2023
#1 - 6 Online Tools that Can Help You Dig into (and Understand!) the Bible
#2 - 5 Ways to Show Readiness for Jesus' Return
​#3 - ​​8 Things We Learn About God in Deuteronomy 4-10
#4 - ​ What's Up with 1 Kings 18:40?
#5 - How 2 Timothy 1-2 Helps Me Approach Teaching

Picture
© 2014-2022  |  11607 M Circle, Omaha NE, 68137 | www.thebrooksideinstitute.net
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Brookside Church