Comments for JTTurner.Net http://www.jtturner.net Faith in Christ is Not a Blind Leap Into a Chasm of Credulity... Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:07:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 Comment on Living for Others by Caleb http://www.jtturner.net/?p=17#comment-385 Caleb Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:13:55 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=17#comment-385 Amen to Christian altruism. This is exactly what I'm always trying to nail down when I refer to the Kingdom economy, which is here now for those willing to suffer for Christ, and will be consummated in heaven, when none will labor and not reap the fruit of said labor. In this world, we work just as hard, but have to have faith in future grace for ourselves, and thus altruism. There is much here I don't think we have even begun to fully understand, but it definitely has got to be the starting point for a Christian theory of humanism and the relevant doctrines of work and worship. Amen to Christian altruism. This is exactly what I’m always trying to nail down when I refer to the Kingdom economy, which is here now for those willing to suffer for Christ, and will be consummated in heaven, when none will labor and not reap the fruit of said labor. In this world, we work just as hard, but have to have faith in future grace for ourselves, and thus altruism. There is much here I don’t think we have even begun to fully understand, but it definitely has got to be the starting point for a Christian theory of humanism and the relevant doctrines of work and worship.

]]> Comment on Election Got You Down? by andrew schools http://www.jtturner.net/?p=16#comment-94 andrew schools Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:10:41 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=16#comment-94 boooooaaash. well put!!! boooooaaash. well put!!!

]]> Comment on Election Got You Down? by James McLean http://www.jtturner.net/?p=16#comment-93 James McLean Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:40:23 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=16#comment-93 well you hit the nail on the head. well you hit the nail on the head.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by Fred http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-12 Fred Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:03:33 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-12 JT, Sometimes our educational pursuits can distract us from God's glory. The desire to be knowledgeable about certain things and gain the respect of others can drive us to pursue academic credentials. There will always be a temptation in this area, but as Nate suggested it can serve to glorify God. You can be missional in all areas of life if it is intentional. I would like to suggest a book by Christopher Wright. The book is "The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative." I have not read it through, only bits and pieces. It may be helpful and encouraging. It is a little academic, but it could be enriching. If you read the book, let me know what you think about it. (It is a new hermeneutical approach.) On a personal note, I have continued to go to school and have been in college since I was eighteen. I am almost 36. I often ask myself why I continue to stay in school. What is the reason for my continued education? Currently, I am considering whether I should continue or wait until my children are older. I may continue to take courses in the biblical languages, but I want to devote more attention to the homeschooling of my children. Hopefully, I will be given many opportunities to preach and teach, but my children need to be raised to love God and his word and my education can be a distraction. JT,

Sometimes our educational pursuits can distract us from God’s glory. The desire to be knowledgeable about certain things and gain the respect of others can drive us to pursue academic credentials. There will always be a temptation in this area, but as Nate suggested it can serve to glorify God. You can be missional in all areas of life if it is intentional.
I would like to suggest a book by Christopher Wright. The book is “The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative.” I have not read it through, only bits and pieces. It may be helpful and encouraging. It is a little academic, but it could be enriching. If you read the book, let me know what you think about it. (It is a new hermeneutical approach.)
On a personal note, I have continued to go to school and have been in college since I was eighteen. I am almost 36. I often ask myself why I continue to stay in school. What is the reason for my continued education? Currently, I am considering whether I should continue or wait until my children are older. I may continue to take courses in the biblical languages, but I want to devote more attention to the homeschooling of my children. Hopefully, I will be given many opportunities to preach and teach, but my children need to be raised to love God and his word and my education can be a distraction.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by Bethany http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-11 Bethany Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:16:16 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-11 I just want to say that I love you and I think you are amazing. the end. I just want to say that I love you and I think you are amazing. the end.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by James McLean http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-10 James McLean Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:39:33 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-10 Good thoughts JT! Its all about seeking God and His kingdom and knowing that He is now in control of our lives and has full reign over who we are, what we do and where we go. Though this way is harder and i am not in control i believe it is what God had in mind. I can no longer make my small choices of life and then ask Him to bless them. Of course it is easier to talk about this than to live it. I am thankful for the community God has created at conVerge which encourages us to live lives that are directed by God for His mission. Good thoughts JT! Its all about seeking God and His kingdom and knowing that He is now in control of our lives and has full reign over who we are, what we do and where we go. Though this way is harder and i am not in control i believe it is what God had in mind. I can no longer make my small choices of life and then ask Him to bless them. Of course it is easier to talk about this than to live it. I am thankful for the community God has created at conVerge which encourages us to live lives that are directed by God for His mission.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by JT http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-9 JT Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:47:34 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-9 Yes Nate. Good question. To clarify, it isn't that I am excommunicating myself from future professorship, it's simply that now...my goal isn't to "be a professor." My goal is to be whatever and wherever is the most strategically missional for my life. At this point, that includes working at a job that allows me the time to put together music for conVerge church that will hopefully be useful in inspiring us and others to go out of the church doors and live missionally that night, the next day, and so on until we meet again the following week. There are more reasons that that to consider as well...what kinds of relationships can I forge? Does the job take me away from my priorities to my church body and my ability to make relationships? As in...do I always take my work home with me and spend all night in my office and not focusing on either building community, building relationship with God, or something else that is missional? Those are the kinds of things I'm now considering...even my job at DLP, though I cannot stand the work, seems to afford me the abilities to concentrate and do things that God would have me do for His mission and conVerge church specifically. Yes Nate. Good question. To clarify, it isn’t that I am excommunicating myself from future professorship, it’s simply that now…my goal isn’t to “be a professor.” My goal is to be whatever and wherever is the most strategically missional for my life. At this point, that includes working at a job that allows me the time to put together music for conVerge church that will hopefully be useful in inspiring us and others to go out of the church doors and live missionally that night, the next day, and so on until we meet again the following week. There are more reasons that that to consider as well…what kinds of relationships can I forge? Does the job take me away from my priorities to my church body and my ability to make relationships? As in…do I always take my work home with me and spend all night in my office and not focusing on either building community, building relationship with God, or something else that is missional? Those are the kinds of things I’m now considering…even my job at DLP, though I cannot stand the work, seems to afford me the abilities to concentrate and do things that God would have me do for His mission and conVerge church specifically.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by Caleb http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-8 Caleb Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:52:41 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-8 JT, I don't want this to sound cocky in any way, but I am very encouraged, touched really, by the way that you're speaking here in your note. Perhaps I had a misconception of you when I first met you in that Epistemology class, but I pegged you as a guy who was super talented, a go-getter. My fear was that you would go after the career, and be successful. What a terrible fate! Well, perhaps not necessarily, but if you're experiencing the same joy and energy as I over the repentance you're going through at conVerge, I'm sure you will agree with me that blindly following the status quo would have jeopardized your spirituality on some level. I guess what I'm trying to say is that for some of us who are having a harder time of trying to figure out what we want, conVerge is a welcomed place to criticize the establishment that we don't fit into. Perhaps this was what it was for me at the beginning, but no longer. It, the Mission, has become and is becoming my mission. Thank God. But you, you seemed to know what you wanted, and so your sacrifice and submission to the truth seems especially profound to me, since for the approval of man, you would have needed only to "stay the course". I thank God for you, your brother, and your wives. The good man who examines his life and decides to give it over to Christ is the best testimony of the gospel, and so you are a boon to the Church. I look forward to the persecution because it will cause us to gain perspective and clarity in Revelation. We will be gradually forced to rely more and more on the providence of Christ. I don't want to ramble, but I'm very grateful for the fellowship we're experiencing through conVerge, I've needed this for a long time. JT, I don’t want this to sound cocky in any way, but I am very encouraged, touched really, by the way that you’re speaking here in your note. Perhaps I had a misconception of you when I first met you in that Epistemology class, but I pegged you as a guy who was super talented, a go-getter. My fear was that you would go after the career, and be successful. What a terrible fate! Well, perhaps not necessarily, but if you’re experiencing the same joy and energy as I over the repentance you’re going through at conVerge, I’m sure you will agree with me that blindly following the status quo would have jeopardized your spirituality on some level. I guess what I’m trying to say is that for some of us who are having a harder time of trying to figure out what we want, conVerge is a welcomed place to criticize the establishment that we don’t fit into. Perhaps this was what it was for me at the beginning, but no longer. It, the Mission, has become and is becoming my mission. Thank God. But you, you seemed to know what you wanted, and so your sacrifice and submission to the truth seems especially profound to me, since for the approval of man, you would have needed only to “stay the course”. I thank God for you, your brother, and your wives. The good man who examines his life and decides to give it over to Christ is the best testimony of the gospel, and so you are a boon to the Church.

I look forward to the persecution because it will cause us to gain perspective and clarity in Revelation. We will be gradually forced to rely more and more on the providence of Christ. I don’t want to ramble, but I’m very grateful for the fellowship we’re experiencing through conVerge, I’ve needed this for a long time.

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by Tina Russell http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-7 Tina Russell Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:31:12 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-7 I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future. Tina Russell I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Tina Russell

]]> Comment on The Plague of Comfort? by Nate http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-6 Nate Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:25:46 +0000 http://www.jtturner.net/?p=14#comment-6 One question that keeps occurring to me is how do we determine what constitutes a proper career for missional living? Are we saying that no one can be a college professor and be on mission? My gut reaction is that of course that cannot be so. I guess the tricky part is this always has to be a very personal question. Out of all the things you could do, what should you do? How did you come to the decision that for you being something other than a professor would allow you to do the most for the mission? I’m sure others are wondering that. I think it’s a question I need to answer myself, when I get a chance. One question that keeps occurring to me is how do we determine what constitutes a proper career for missional living? Are we saying that no one can be a college professor and be on mission? My gut reaction is that of course that cannot be so. I guess the tricky part is this always has to be a very personal question. Out of all the things you could do, what should you do?

How did you come to the decision that for you being something other than a professor would allow you to do the most for the mission? I’m sure others are wondering that. I think it’s a question I need to answer myself, when I get a chance.

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