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John Lee
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2 years ago
in tragic news of Virginia Tech shootings on djchuang.com
There are rumors going around that the shooter was Asian. Please, no.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266310,00.html
Police were apparantly putting under cuffs Asian males. See:
http://www.mercurynews.com/portlet/article/html...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266310,00.html
Police were apparantly putting under cuffs Asian males. See:
http://www.mercurynews.com/portlet/article/html...
2 years ago
in pastoring now tougher than ever on djchuang.com
In an age where specialization runs rampant, where every other person (in the urban AA church) has a master's degree, the call to excellence in the pastoral position sounds more urgently than before. DJ is right: it is intimidating to pastor a church filled with PhDs, JDs, MBAs and CEOs. Intimidating because in a church filled with masters of their trades, the pastor can't help but feel like the proverbial jack of all but master of none.
What kind of pastor is not only going to survive but thrive in this climate?
The one who feels comfortable in his own skin, who has a certain experience of life and the world which has rendered to him a deep wisdom and healthy self-confidence. He is also one who is an expert in his own field, not because he is trying to compete with all the other experts in his congregation, but because he is simply living out the calling on his life. He is deeply theological yet practical, loving of people yet deeply distrustful of them as well. In short: he knows his Bible and theology; he knows himself well; and he knows people and how the world turns.
That we would aspire to either be or follow one such as this.
What kind of pastor is not only going to survive but thrive in this climate?
The one who feels comfortable in his own skin, who has a certain experience of life and the world which has rendered to him a deep wisdom and healthy self-confidence. He is also one who is an expert in his own field, not because he is trying to compete with all the other experts in his congregation, but because he is simply living out the calling on his life. He is deeply theological yet practical, loving of people yet deeply distrustful of them as well. In short: he knows his Bible and theology; he knows himself well; and he knows people and how the world turns.
That we would aspire to either be or follow one such as this.
2 years ago
in why I stopped pastoring on djchuang.com
dj, this blog made an indelible impression on me. I wrote about my reaction to your blog on my blog. Please visit, and feel free to comment.
http://www.xanga.com/thecuttingtruth/549440925/...
http://www.xanga.com/thecuttingtruth/549440925/...
2 years ago
in Haggard heartache on djchuang.com
I can't help but wonder if you are being a little easy on the guy. We all have our own personal demons; but what Haggard did was beyond simply surrendering to sinful desires - it was brazen hypocrisy. His sin was habitual and pre-meditated, not just a moment of weakness. A person who practices such deceit is reprehensible in my eyes. We should not expect perfection in our leaders, but this kind of deceit is completely unacceptable. He should have stepped down a long time ago.
2 years ago
in the quotable Chuang on djchuang.com
Hey DJ, would appreciate it if you could let us download your sermon. Any chance of that happening? Thanks.
2 years ago
in Why I like Keller more than Piper on djchuang.com
Interesting comments, especially from Daniel Li.
While Li does bring up an interesting issue about the risk of falling into idolatry with respect to T-Kell or J-Pipe, I don't know how real that risk is in reality. Having been a part of the Redeemer community, I'd like to suggest that the greater danger isn't so much one of idolatry (clinging onto every word he says, exclusive/rigid obedience to all his sermons) but rather that of elitism. Let me explain.
There is no doubt that Keller is super-intelligent and that his erudition shines through in a non-condescending and stimulating manner through his preaching and demeanor. He has become the thinking-man's pastor; the culturally sophisticated/enlightened person's pastor. To align oneself, therefore, to the spiritual and intellectual brilliance of such a man has now become a Christian status symbol for all Manhattan yuppies. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence, spiritual depth, and cultural saavy will naturally gravitate towards Redeemer, goes the thinking. An unfortunate result of all this is that he has become somewhat analogous to the spiritual Mercedes Benz.
At the risk of sounding a little harsh and judgmental, the air of spiritual snobbery of many Redeemerites can be at times nauseating. There is a certain sense of superiority over other Christians who may be serving in smaller migrant churches elsewhere in the New York metro area. A sense that, well, if so-and-so was only smarter or more spiritual or had more cultural-depth, (s)he would be at Redeemer, and not at that little hole-in-the-wall of a church in Chinatown.
I think it's important to keep in perspective one thing. Tim Keller has been anointed by God to powerfully and deeply reach into a very very very thin sliver of the world demographic. This demographic is smarter, better educated, has more cultural exposure, and more earning power than 99% of America. And in this thin sliver, Tim Keller is used mightily by God; in any other demographic, he might not have anywhere near the success he has now. (Indeed: he had less impact on his former community [in Virginia?]). God has used an intelligent/cultural/professorial man to reach a very specific intelligent/cultural/well-educated community. He is not necessarily more spiritual than the pastor of a small church in Flushing. And nor is his congregation any more spiritual than the group of ragmuffin immigrants who love dim sum and Jesus.
While Li does bring up an interesting issue about the risk of falling into idolatry with respect to T-Kell or J-Pipe, I don't know how real that risk is in reality. Having been a part of the Redeemer community, I'd like to suggest that the greater danger isn't so much one of idolatry (clinging onto every word he says, exclusive/rigid obedience to all his sermons) but rather that of elitism. Let me explain.
There is no doubt that Keller is super-intelligent and that his erudition shines through in a non-condescending and stimulating manner through his preaching and demeanor. He has become the thinking-man's pastor; the culturally sophisticated/enlightened person's pastor. To align oneself, therefore, to the spiritual and intellectual brilliance of such a man has now become a Christian status symbol for all Manhattan yuppies. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence, spiritual depth, and cultural saavy will naturally gravitate towards Redeemer, goes the thinking. An unfortunate result of all this is that he has become somewhat analogous to the spiritual Mercedes Benz.
At the risk of sounding a little harsh and judgmental, the air of spiritual snobbery of many Redeemerites can be at times nauseating. There is a certain sense of superiority over other Christians who may be serving in smaller migrant churches elsewhere in the New York metro area. A sense that, well, if so-and-so was only smarter or more spiritual or had more cultural-depth, (s)he would be at Redeemer, and not at that little hole-in-the-wall of a church in Chinatown.
I think it's important to keep in perspective one thing. Tim Keller has been anointed by God to powerfully and deeply reach into a very very very thin sliver of the world demographic. This demographic is smarter, better educated, has more cultural exposure, and more earning power than 99% of America. And in this thin sliver, Tim Keller is used mightily by God; in any other demographic, he might not have anywhere near the success he has now. (Indeed: he had less impact on his former community [in Virginia?]). God has used an intelligent/cultural/professorial man to reach a very specific intelligent/cultural/well-educated community. He is not necessarily more spiritual than the pastor of a small church in Flushing. And nor is his congregation any more spiritual than the group of ragmuffin immigrants who love dim sum and Jesus.
