Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

Articles

Book Review: A Community of Character – Stanley Hauerwas

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This is an analytical book review of Stanley Hauerwas’ A Community of Character: Toward a Constructive Christian Social Ethic.

Stanley Hauerwas is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School and he holds a joint appointment with Duke Law School. Hauerwas’ Methodist roots and diverse education and work experience contributes to an ecumenical theological stance that is not liberal (12). In addition to his ecumenicism, he is cross-disciplinary, as “he is in conversation with systematic theology, philosophical theology and ethics, political theory, as well as the philosophy of social science and medical ethics.”

The thesis of this book is that Christian morality and ethics can only make sense and be applied to one’s life when one is living within the continuing narrative of the Christian story. As a result, Hauerwas frames everything he writes about in this book around the concept of narrative because without narratives, there is a loss of community (18).

  1. This book is essentially divided up into three parts. The first part addresses how every community needs to be rooted in a narrative. For Christians, Jesus and the Kingdom of God is the narrative that forms the church (50). Furthermore, it is the Christian’s belief in the authority of Scripture and God that enables the church to be the contrast model/community to a society that does not value authority.
  2. The second part of the book continues to emphasize the importance of narrative in understanding the church since Christians are a “storied people” worshipping a “storied God” (91). Hauerwas claims that Christians need to cultivate hope and patience in their life in order to be a contrast narrative to this world (128). For the Christian to grow in character, it is crucial that he/she learn to participate in the story of the people of God, rather than just hear about it (152).
  3. Consequently, the first two parts set up the theoretical basis for the third part, where he applies the concepts addressed in the first two parts to discuss what kind of ethic the church should have toward the family, sex, and abortion. His discussion is framed around the fact that one cannot separate one’s views on the family, sex, and abortion from the greater narrative of the church.

I love the way Hauerwas decides to address the family, sex, and abortion in the last section, since these are the pressing ethical issues that the church needs to be firm on, in order to be a contrast society.

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Being Missionaries to Our Cities – Soma Communities

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I haven’t seen any other video that has moved me and reflected my heart’s calling more than this video.

I know that God has called me to be involved with church planting, and this is what it’s about. You have to see this.

These are my favorite quotes from the video:

  • “If you don’t have multiplication at the end of what you are supposed to do then you won’t actually do what you’re supposed to do”
  • “A lot of churches have become orphanages. They know how to have babies, and they have a couple of fathers and moms for all the babies, but not enough to care for them all. And not enough to send them off to have their own families.”
  • “My exhortation to church planters is, if they don’t have that kind of love for the people that God has put around them, then they gotta ask God to give them a bigger heart coz this isn’t about them. It’s not about their church or their successes, it’s about God’s glory and the lost people who don’t know the love of their Father.”

Enjoy:

Soma Communities – Tacoma, WA from Verge Network on Vimeo.

Stop Motion Film “Zero”

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Watch this Stop Motion Film “Zero” that considers how we treat one another and where learned judgment comes into play.

It won the “Best Short Film” at the Naples International Film Festival, and other awards at over 10 other festivals.

Zero from Zealous Creative on Vimeo.

Integrating Two Sides: Mary vs Martha? Or, Mary and Martha?

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I cannot recall the last time I have ever heard anyone teach or preach about being Martha – myself including.

When reading Mirrored Reflections: Reframing Biblical Characters, ed. Young Lee Hertig and Chloe Sun, Beverly Chen went to lengths to show the importance of integrating both Mary and Martha’s characteristics in our lives. Chen explains how Mary’s strength of inward spiritual formation actually flows naturally into Martha’s strength of hospitality and outward ministry.

Personally, I tend to identify more with Martha – not necessarily in the aspect of hospitality, but in the aspect of valuing doing more than being. From both my Korean and Canadian culture, I constantly feel the pull toward producing, succeeding, and accomplishing things. However, one thing that I have learnt is the necessity of coming to Jesus Christ first before even thinking about doing anything else. As a result, in that sense, I am like Mary.

Who are you more like? Mary or Martha? Or both? If both, in what capacity?

Community Over the Summer

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One thing we know for sure is that the wonderful summer months do not take away our need for community. In fact, with the long Edmonton winters, summer is THE thing many of us look forward to. Instead of doing things just by yourself, or with your family, what do you think about the idea of scheduling opportunities to have fun, eat a meal, and just fellowship together with those in your group?

Groups are not about meetings, they are about relationships – it’s about doing life together and living life together. As a result, even though you may suspend your regular group studies for the summer months, make an effort to do life together.

Here are a list of things to do together with your group to get your creative juices flowing:

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Book Review: Spiritual Leadership – Blackaby’s

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The following is an analytical book review of Henry and Richard Blackaby’s Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda.

Henry Blackaby is the epitome of a lifelong learner and leader. He has extensive experience in pastoral ministry and is a consultant to CEOs and various Christian organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention. He has written various books, is a sought out speaker, and currently leads Henry Blackaby Ministries. Richard Blackaby, the son of Henry Blackaby, is also a writer and a sought out speaker. In addition, he has pastoral experience and is currently serving as the president of the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Canada. Consequently, what stands out clearly is that both have strong ties to the Southern Baptist denomination.

The thesis of this book is that spiritual leadership is all about moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be.

There are differences between general and spiritual leadership principles, but the authors state that those who will lead according to spiritual principles will be far more effective in their leadership (14). Tied to that statement is the belief that God is the one who calls and equips individuals to be spiritual leaders (46).

Throughout this book, the authors present nuggets of wisdom that have been gleaned from their own leadership experience and that of others. As a result, this book almost seems like a compilation of essays exploring a variety of leadership issues. Generally though, the book begins by exploring why leadership is needed, the difference between general and spiritual leadership, and how leaders are developed. After covering those introductory issues, the authors continue to explore a variety of issues that leaders need to be aware of, such as: vision, character,  goals, influence, decision making, scheduling, pitfalls, and rewards. What holds this book together is the common thread that true leadership originates from God, points people towards God, and reflects the heart and action of God.

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Ending Prostitution in Canada

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Click on the image above to see this amazing website that will resource you in partnering to end prostitution in Canada.

Below are my notes from a seminar that Glendyne Gerrard, the director of Women’s Ministry in the Mid West District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

  • Prostitution is violence against women
  • Prostitutes start young
  • 84% of prostitutes have been sexually abused as children
  • Being abused seems to be a training ground for prostitution
  • First nations women are at the greatest risk in our country of being prostituted
    • 400 children were sexually exploited on the streets of Winnipeg last year
    • The youngest victim was 11
    • 84% of these children were aboriginal
  • Poverty is the number 1 reason women are forced into prostitution.
  • Abolition of prostitution is possible in our country!
  • Sweden demands to abolish prostitution

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An Artesian Spring Dialogue

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In the passage below, I love how Jesus exemplified dialogue education by being a guide on the side, rather than a sage on the stage. His love for the woman at the well and his disciples was clearly exemplified by his persistence to have them discover and encounter truth, and drink from the well of living artesian water.

Jesus accomplished this through dialogue and I want to do the same.

Jesus empowered the woman and his disciples through dialogue by hearing their stories, and I want to do the same.

I need to resist my tendency to assume that I understand those I am leading, and I need to engage them in dialogue by first hearing their story. It is only when I hear their story that I can faithfully teach them and love them in the way that Jesus would want me to.

“A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?” (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.) [Read more…] about An Artesian Spring Dialogue