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Recent posts
The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel! by Tony Payne (4 comments). Regular Sola Panel readers will no doubt have detected a little slowness and quietness over the past six weeks or so. … more
Kids’ culture watch spot: Facing fear by Gordon Cheng (3 comments). By popular demand (two people asked), here is my next script for a culture watch spot I did with the kids … more
Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia by Gordon Cheng (1 comment). It's a Sunday as I write this, and I'm speaking on Daniel 2 and 7 later this morning at a friend's … more
A constituent on same-sex marriage by Sandy Grant (34 comments). Last year, the Australian Parliament agreed that its Members of Parliament (MPs) should seek the … more
A tribute to John Stott by Sandy Grant (2 comments). Friends, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I opened up my computer on Thursday morning to read … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 3): On giants’ shoulders by Scott Newling (26 comments). This is the third post in this series; you can read part one, and more
Bible reading with kids by Sandy Grant (0 comments). I was asked for recommendations for resources that would encourage parents to read the Bible with their kids, especially … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 2): Stepping aside (not out) so others can step up (not in) by Scott Newling (3 comments). This is the second post in this series; you can read the first post, Unassuming … more
One more sip of the coffee by Tony Payne (8 comments). Sandy Grant is a man of integrity. Back in the early days of Sola Panel, I wrote a post … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 1): Unassuming generations by Scott Newling (30 comments). There is a model of ‘intergenerational theological decline’ that has been doing the rounds of late, and perhaps you … more
Tony Payne
Paul is one of the Staff Editors at Matthias Media. He is married to Cathy and has three fantastic kids. He loves student ministry, reading, writing music and playing the saxophone, and is looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.
Sola Panellists
- Tony Payne (convenor)
- Jennie Baddeley
- Mark Baddeley
- Andrew Barry
- Peter Bolt
- Gordon Cheng
- a local church and a certain Christian publishing house. (Sometimes the latter vocations can happen without the first.) Many people call him a nerd, which he prefers to geek. He\'s keen on biblical studies, languages, great technology, science fiction, coffee, photography, frisbee, family, jazz, and hats. You could call his tastes eclectic. ");'>Sam Freney
- Sandy Grant
- Scott Newling
- Gavin Perkins
- Ben Pfahlert
- Peter Sholl
- Claire Smith
- Nicole Starling
- Jean Williams
- Lionel Windsor
Some other sites
we like (Why these?)
- Matthias Media
- The Briefing
- 9Marks
- Albert Mohler
- Anglican Church League
- challies
- David Ould
- ENTRUST
- EQUIP book club
- Girl Talk
- Gordon Cheng's Blog
- The Gospel Coalition
- Jean Williams's blog
- Justin Taylor
- Lionel Windsor
- Monergism
- Moore College
- MTS
- Nicole Starling's blog
- Phillip Jensen
- Pyromaniacs
- The Proclamation Trust
- Reformers' Bookshop
- The Simeon Trust
- The Ugley Vicar
The ministry apprentices at Wahroonga have commented on how much they have learned simply by being with those training them. They watch us deal with someone in distress, someone who needs to hear the gospel, someone who is being ungodly, and so on.
It can also be very helpful to explain why we acted in a particular way or why we said something, so that those we train not only get to watch us in action, they also get to understand the thinking behind our actions.
I know I’m a post behind, but I wonder whether we have confused the two aspects of disciple making - baptising & teaching - into one. That leads to a confusion of what we are trying to do in our corporate gatherings.
Great post Tony, and very much against the grain of what we’d like. We are impatient…
Thanks, Tony. Eagerly looking forward to the book, as well as the upcoming conference here in the US.
MLJ
Hi David,
Tony’s on hols this week and next so I will attempt to stand in his shoes (probably a big mistake). I am presuming that you are referring to point 8 above? Do you want to expand your thoughts a little?
Thanks,
Paul G.
As a church we have been committed in the past to providing a congregation that reflects the diversity of the last day gathering of the church. That impetus is flying in the face of the current Subway Christianity (just the way YOU like it).
I understand that church plants are effective in the short term in reaching different groups but surely true discipleship means embracing those who are not like you in age, race, socio-economic status, musical tastes, personaliy etc.
The move to make Sundays the main RECRUITING activity of the church has in my humble opinion been a disaster.
<i>I understand that church plants are effective in the short term in reaching different groups but surely true discipleship means embracing those who are not like you in age, race, socio-economic status, musical tastes, personaliy etc.</i>
David, am I right that you are criticising the homogeneous unit principle? I’m not sure I see the exact relevance to the post?
I’m completely with you David.
It’d be good to get some clarification especially on the first paragraph of point 8 - is the church’s role to disciple non-believers too?
Another question I think worth discussing is ‘(how much) should we base our Sunday gatherings on the Great Commission?’
Matt
Hi Dave and Matt,
I think I would agree that Sunday ought not to be the main recruiting ground for the congregation. And I presume that by “recruiting ground” you mean evangelism?
But I think that that was Tony’s point in #8. I think he’s saying, let’s think about how we meet together around the word of God and grow in Christ together as God’s people in a way that doesn’t cut people off completely from their broader set of relationships and community.
That’s what he’s saying about clearing out some of the events to help people make the most of their relationships. But, if we clear out the church calendar a bit, then we need to think very carefully about what we do when we meet. I don’t think that Tony is arguing for Sunday as being the primary recruiting ground at all.
Although, he would certainly say on the basis of 1Cor 14 that the word of God ought to be intelligible in such a way that the outsider might fall down and declare that God is among us.
Fair call Paul.
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