The Conversation

Churches often face great danger in becoming isolated echo chambers. The leaders or members of a church often take the leap into shaping the theology of their church without realizing it looks just like themselves—ignoring the historical theological conversation that’s been taking place with the Holy Spirit throughout the centuries.  It’s often the case that non-denominational churches fail to choose or to acknowledge the influences on their theology. They fail to select even a genera of systematic theologians, instead leaning on traditions that they have either inherited or not fully understood.  

 At Wellspring Fellowship we strongly believe  that a theological foundation for our church is vital for stability—supporting an edifice of confidence to withstand every “wind of doctrine” that comes along, every itinerant agenda from some ill-defined place.

The Bible is the ground and source for our understanding of who God is and what He wants in our lives. It is a living document that the Holy Spirit continues to make alive to us. Yet, the Bible is also a collection of  2,000+ year old writings written to and by people who no longer exist, except in historical and linguistic reconstructions. So what the Bible actually says, what it means, and what shall we do with it, is often a topic for great debate. In the end, everyone must make a choice and live into it. The Conversation is our attempt to be transparent and accountable to both the local church and to the great conversation through the ages, by showing you the sources in which we have been in conversation.   

Outside looking in, Christianity often looks to many like a big argument. Why are there so many churches? Why can’t you just get along? What is a church “split”? Why are there politics in churches? We want our fellowship to avoid these pitfalls. What follows below is more than just a bibliography of influential books. Rather, these books provide the theological underpinnings for the development of our doctrine and our statement of faith. 

It’s difficult to be selective—there are so many influences. A great appreciation goes out to the Professors at Fuller Northwest where I received my MAT in Biblical Studies and Theology. While being true to their embedded theology and traditions, they never gave the “answers”; instead, they presented and investigated perspectives so that individuals in prayer and in community could discover their position in the conversation.  Thank you, Fuller Northwest, for the freedom and the challenge.

          You may find the books listed below helpful in wrestling with the “big” questions that help define our faith and our understanding of scripture. The list is not comprehensive, rather representative. Also, it’s not true that we should hold on to everything that a particular author or theologian might believe or espouse. In fact, some theologians are so prolific that to have read everything they have written is impractical, if not impossible. However, as a church, we are in conversation with these theologians, listening and responding to them, who in turn have been in historical conversation throughout their academic careers and peer-reviewed theology with the ideas that help shape our expression of worship.  Join us and enjoy the conversation!

 

Pastor Chris Henderson

August 2009       

 

 

Some Partners in the Conversation:

 

“Systematic Theology: Vol. 1 Ethics,  Vol.2 Doctrine,  Vol. 3 Witness” by James Wm. McClendon, Jr.

 

“How to Think Theologically” by Howard W. Stone and James O. Duke.

 

“From Canon to Scripture”  by Charles Scaliese

 

“The Problem of God” by John Courtney Murray, S.J.

 

“The Trinity and the Kingdom” by Jurgen Moltmann

 

 “A Beginner's Guide to New Testament Exegesis: Taking the Fear Out of Critical Method” By Richard J. Erickson

 

“An Unstoppable Force” by Erwin Raphael McManus

 

“What Saint Paul Really Said” by N.T. Wright

 

Some Other theologians we are quite fond of:

 

Brevard S. Childs

 

George Eldon Ladd