Why I am Evangelical

The following is a definition of Evangelical by JI Packer (who is also Anglican). It summarizes better than anything else that I have found why I am Evangelical:

1. Enthroning Holy Scripture, the written word of God, as the supreme authority and decisive guide on all matters of faith and practice;

2. Focusing on the glory, majesty, kingdom, and love of Jesus Christ, the God-man who died as a sacrifice for our sins and who rose, reigns, and will return to judge mankind, perfect the church, and renew the cosmos;

3. Acknowledging the lordship of the Holy Spirit in the entire life of grace, which is the life of salvation expressed in worship, work, and witness;

4. Insisting on the necessity of conversion (not of a particular conversion experience, but of a discernibly converted condition, regenerate, repentant, and rejoicing);

5. Prioritizing evangelism and church extension as a life-project at all times and under all circumstances; and

6. Cultivating Christian fellowship, on the basis that the church of God is essentially a living community of believers who must help each other to grow in Christ.

Why I'm Episcopalian

Very recently, my wife and I became a part of the Episcopal/Anglican church and communion. Having grown up Church of Christ and Baptist, I've had many people ask how this happened. So, here's why I'm Episcopalian / Anglican*, in no particular order:

• Strong commitment to Christian unity and ecumenicism.
• Strong Reformed tradition within the communion
• Many of the people who were important to my Christian formation are Anglican (JI Packer, John Stott, NT Wright, etc.)
• Orthodox
• Great tradition of working for social justice (think William Wilberforce and Desmond Tutu)
• Doorway to Church membership: very wide. Doorway to Church leadership: very narrow
• High view of the sacraments
• High view of the visible church
• Apostolic succession (all ordained ministers in the Episcopal church can trace their line of ordination back to the apostles)
• Great tradition of support for the arts
• Paedobaptism and Paedocommunion
• Large presence in many countries and in many cultures
• High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, and Anglimergent

Obviously, the Episcopal church is not without its problems, but those things, together with a lot of thought and prayer is what led us to become a part of the EC. In addtion, I am now in the process (a very long process) of seeking to be ordained by the EC. I know that is short, but I hope it answers most people's questions.

*For those who don't know the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church are the same thing. The Episcopal Church is just the Anglican Church in America. Episcopal means "of bishops" from the Greek επίσκοπος.

CoffeeCover

Some friends of mine in Boulder have just started a brilliant business. Check it:

The CoffeeCover, a reusable coffee sleeve!

It has long been a dream of theirs to start a business that would also help the environment, and they have hit upon something brilliant (and affordable).

Give your coffee cup a makeover (and some flare) and help out the environment by using (and reusing) the CoffeeCover. The CoffeeCover is made with a soft cotton outer layer and has an insulating foam center. The average coffee shop uses over 4000 disposable sleaves every week, and the CoffeeCover is out to change this. Check out their website, and throw some dough their way: http://www.coffeecover.net/

New Texas Bishop

Texas has a new Episcopal Bishop: The Rev. Canon C. Andrew Doyle

The Rev. Canon C. Andrew Doyle, Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Texas was elected bishop coadjutor at a special session of the diocese’s 159th Council. In its visioning process in 2007, the Diocese of Texas identified “a youthful church” as one of its core values, and on May 24, it voted to personify that in its next bishop. “While we are electing a leader today, we are not electing a savior," said the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of West Texas, in his sermon before the election. "We’ve already got one.”

I am personally excited about his election because he is orthodox, creative, and a part of the Anglimergent converstion. I pray that God would be with him in the coming years. For more info, check here.

Last Day in Boulder

Well, it has been a good run here in the People's Republic of Boulder. We've been here for nearly two years, but sadly, it is time for us to move on. It will always be hard to live anywhere besides Boulder because of all that this community offers, but life will have to continue none the less. We are busily packing all day today, and we will pull out for Texas tomorrow afternoon. We will spend several months in Texas working and continuing to prepare for Nepal, and then...the big move. We leave here with heavy hearts, but glad for the friends we've made and the experiences we've had. Boulder crew, we wish you the best. May you fare well and God speed.

Texas, here we come.