Welcome to enCompass for October 2008. We hope you enjoy it.
- The Compass Team
In this enCompass:
Translate: Living in the Story of Scripture
Christchurch, 21-22 Nov | Auckland, 28-29 Nov
We've been running annual summer conferences since 2004 aimed at young adults, and we have been asked hundreds of times, "what about adults or those who can't take a week off in January?" Translate is part of our answer to that question.
Living in the Story of Scripture is a short event (Fri night and Sat day) that explores how the Bible frames a worldview, a vision of and for life, and how we might begin to translate this Gospel into every area of life. Through seminars, food and media, we will explore the full story of Scripture, and what it means to live lives shaped by that narrative. The speakers are Rod Thompson, Andrew Shamy and Roshan Allpress.
For more information, please go to: http://www.compass.org.nz/index.cfm/events/translate/2008 or email us at admin@compass.org.nz to request a brochure.
New Zealand, 10 - 17 Jan | Australia, 18 - 25 Jan
January is rushing up fast, so if you are considering coming, or know people who should consider coming to a Compass summer conference, check out the details online at http://www.compass.org.nz/index.cfm/events/compass_2009 or email us at admin@compass.org.nz to request information, brochures or application forms.
Auckland, Palmerston North, Christchurch, 17 Nov
Do you long to see lives, society and the world transformed by people full of grace and wisdom? Do you dream of being that kind of person?
At Laidlaw College's Info Night you'll find out how studying at Laidlaw can help you become a person of influence.
- Meet the experienced academic staff
- Learn about flexible learning options and quality NZQA accredited programmes
- Tour campus facilities
- Discover if Laidlaw College is right for you
More info at: http://laidlaw.ac.nz/laidlaw/home/events/en/info-night.cfm
We need your help to promote our upcoming events. One of the ways we keep our costs down is by marketing mainly through word of mouth, so if you know people who might be interested in either of the Translate events in late November, or in the Compass summer conferences, please let them know.
Email us if you would like brochures, powerpoint slides or further information to promote through your church or network, or invite people to the Facebook events.
With the impending NZ General Election, as well as the US Presidential Election, it is a good moment to reflect on why Christians should engage with politics.
In Genesis one, after God created humans He gave them a mandate to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” Humans, made in God’s image and in perfect relationship with Him, living in His good creation, were given the authority and the responsibility to tend and rule over the rest of God’s creation.
Through the fall, human rule has become distorted. Throughout history we can see how this authority and responsibility to rule has been twisted in and outside the sphere of government to serve selfish desires and a hunger for power rather than the outworking of ideas such as truth, justice, equity, and the ‘common good’.
So why should we engage with politics?
Partly because God is already engaged, as creator and Lord of all. Good governing is something of God and from Him.
Being made in the image of God we hold that all humans are inherently valuable and so are worthy of protection, support and relationship. The political sphere has great power to harm but also to protect and nourish life and society.
As part of the ‘new creation’ we have a unique opportunity to be involved in helping to redeem our society and the world around us. This requires engagement in all spheres of society.
So how do we engage?
We need to dig deeper than the ‘election promises’ of the different political parties, and examine their underlying assumptions and values. David Koyzis, a professor in political science at Redeemer College Canada, suggests that there are three questions we should ask when trying to determine their underlying beliefs (source):
1) What is their creation order?
2) What is their view of the fallenness of humanity?
3) What do they believe is the redeeming power of regeneration (salvation)?
Some other questions that are also helpful to ask are ‘What do they see as the role of government?’, ‘What do they define as a human being?’ and ‘What is their vision for NZ and what would it look like?’
While we may not agree ideologically with any one party, or maybe not with any of the parties likely to be elected, in asking these questions we start to dig to the heart of their worldview, and the image of New Zealand society that they will ultimately pursue.
The entire Bible recreated in Lego. Not the most sympathetic retelling [ and at times a direct satirical distortion of Scripture ], and someone clearly has far too much time on their hands, but brilliant in its own way.
A collection of lectures and articles by N.T. Wright. See particularly "How can the Bible be authoritative?"