streams of living water
We are doing a sermon series based off of the Richard Foster book, "Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of the Christian Faith." In that book he looks at what he considers to be the 6 major 'streams' of Christian thought and practice.
Here are the Streams in the order that we are doing them and examples of each:
1. Contemplative - A prayer-filled life (ex. monastic orders)
2. Holiness - A virtuous life (ex. Wesleyan Holiness churches)
3. Evangelical - A Word-centered life (ex. Baptist churches)
4. Charismatic - A Spirit-empowered life (ex. Assemblies of God churches)
5. Social Justice - A Compassionate life (ex. African-American churches, Christian charities)
6. Incarnational - A Sacramental life (ex. Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic church)
When we look at the church in the beginning of Acts, I think we see all of these streams flowing into one river.
Acts 2:42-47
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching [Evangelical] and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread [Incarnational] and to prayer [Contemplative]. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles [Charismatic]. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need [Social Justice]. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts [Holiness], praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
posted by Mark @ 8:28 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
That was a great illustration of how the sermon series is being laid out. I especially thought how you related each area of the series to the passage in Acts Ch. 2. I think it demonstrates how every aspect of the stream is found in scripture, and in such a small portion of scripture. I'm looking forward to finishing the remaining sermons. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely,
Captain CaaaaaaveMaaaaaan!
Yeah,
If I were to place the Emergent church in the Acts passage, I would place it behind all of the times it mentions being in community.
v.42 "...and to the fellowship,"
v.44 "All the believers were together and had everything in common..."
v.46 "Every day they continued to meet together...They broke bread in their homes and ate together..."
While we try to celebrate every stream of Christianity, this is at the heart of who we are at Horizon church. When we are together as the Body of Christ, lives are transformed.
Mark,
Your statement reminded me of Bonhoeffer saying, "It is by the cross and the community beneath it that men come to know God."
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