The Institute (協会)

Gerson's next to last paragraph captured it well, "But there is something essentially countercultural about Christianity that should make evangelicals restless in any political coalition...It is often hard where liberalism is soft, and soft where conservatism is hard." The ancient Clement of Alexandria talked about Christians as a "third race" - never at home with any majority. Kudos to CCO for capturing this in their disciple-making process.

That is hilarious, Roger. I found the same line in Gerson's article and was going to copy it. What an insightful thought.

Yeah, fellas, this is GREAT stuff. Gerson's awesome. I got to meet him! Really cool guy! He nailed it!

Thanks for the link Anthony.
As a Christian collegian, I have often been frustrated by the way in which America divided on political issues. I agree with a "majority" of Republican morals, but I agree with Democratic political philosophy...
It is refreshing to realize that I am not the only one who feels politically homeless.

You mentioned:

"You're not going to find students being discipled this way with a distinctively missional Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration theology anywhere in the country."

Check out the Austin Stone Community Church. www.austinstone.org

Students are taught and discipled with a Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoratioin theology there, espectially when it comes to living a missional life... There are close to 1500 college students at that church.

Hmmm...stew, this looks like and awesome church but I don't think it's what I'm talking about. I don't know it could be a Reformed church. I dunno. I'm not sure that the church's theology is Reformed confessionally. I've never seen a Reformed church that would call itself a "new testament church". What's wrong with the old testament? The Missio Dei is an old testament story continued in the new.

On the site it states "The plan for the redemption of the world, as given by Christ, is to make disciples. Relationships, not programs, are our focus."

Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration(CFRR) theology would actually strongly disagree with a narrow focus like this. The plan for the redemption of world is not only making disciples but redeeming all of creation. To get what I'm talking about I'd recommend you read "As Far As the Curse is Found: The Covenant Story of Redemption" by Michael Williams and "Creation Regained: Biblical Basis for A Reformational Worldview" by Albert Wolters.

CFRR campus ministry would direct students to being participants in the redemption of all of creation and would not limit redemptive work to disciple making.

Wolters helps us with the difference in light of Colossians chapter 1: "[Salvation] is all of creation that is included in the scope of Christ's redemption: that scope is truly cosmic. Through Christ, God determined "to reconcile to himself all things," writes Paul (Col 1:20), and the words he uses (ta panta)preclude any narrow or personalistic understanding of the reconciliation he has in mind. . .the scope of redemption is as great as that of the fall; it embraces creation as a whole."

So Stew, I may not have defined well what I meant by CFRR-theology. Sorry about that. It's distinctively discipling people into their role as agents of God redeeming creation, as far as the curse is found. Redemption is about more than people and a missional theology depends heavily on the Old Testament--a call to creation. See Christoper Wright's book, "The Mission of God." Like I said, the church seems awesome and if you're there, I'm glad you are!! Stay as long as you can. The word "missional" gets thrown around as if there is a consensus on what that means which I also should have clarified. Sorry.

Being missional for the sake of evangelism is not what I have in mind. Some "missional" circles lack a "restoration" emphasis on creation here and now. CCO is designed to initiate students into transforming broken creation here and now.

"Redemption, then, is the recovery of creational goodness through the annulment of sin and the effort toward the progressive removal of its effects everywhere. We return to creation through the cross, because only the atonement deals with sin and evil effectively at their root. Mark's version of the great commission bids us "preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15) because there is need of liberation from sin everywhere" (Wolters). I didn't see any emphasis on creation at the link you mentioned. Maybe redeeming creation is a theme in the college ministry. I dunno. Any ideas?

Again, this is what makes CCO so rare. It's gets the biblical emphasis on redeeming creation AND leading people to the cross in the process. Good stuff!

But what can we believe, dear Tony, when they say this?

"In Jesus’ mind, the oneness of the community that he came to establish is essential to its accomplishment of its core purpose: producing disciples."

Arthur, I know I'm not Anthony and this is addressed to him but what does your question mean?

Sorry Arthur, nice try, but you failed. There's a huge difference between "oneness of community" and the cosmic scope and plan of "redemption" of creation. I'll stop here but I did chuckle at your attempt.

i'm the group group supervisor and pastor of the christian missionary fellowship cameroon.
humbly wish for a 2years programme of theological studies.i will be taken care of by my congregation upone my stay in your institute.
the joy of the lord is my strength