The Surprising God

Trinitarian theology speaks to all of life, art included. A wonderful example of a trinitarian artistic vision is the work of artist Farid De La Ossa Arrieta of Columbia. Below is one of his works which gives a contemporary, evocative presentation of the union of all creation with the Triune God. Enjoy.

This post was contributed by worship leader Mike Hale. Last week we began looking at what Andrew Purves describes in The Resurrection of Ministry (IVP 2010) as ministry that is centered in the reality of the redemptive, hope-filled ministry of the risen and ascended Jesus. He reminds us that …the resurrection of Jesus…[and his] ascension and ministry at the right hand of the Father and through the Holy Spirit, make Christian faith and ministry possible….as God the Holy Spirit joins us to him to share in his life. Joy and hope, therefore, mark Christian identity because Jesus the Christ is risen, reigns and will come again, and we, in union with him, share now in his life (p. 23). Purves, professor of Reformed theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, says the first step to ministering in the mood of Easter Sunday—in the hope of the Risen Lord—is simply to focus on the person that is Jesus. It’s all about Jesus, living and reigning—and not about some general concept of God. “Je...

Recently, GCI Pastor John Torgerson (who blogs at   http://notjustanotherreligion.blogspot.com/ ) conducted a wedding for two non-churched people. His wedding sermon addressed two realities: the "unreality" of the world as we know it (in its fallen state), and the new "reality" of the world as God has recreated it to be in Christ (a true, though often unseen reality). Pastor John's point was that it is in relationships (marriage in particular) that both unreality and reality are experienced. The "unreality" of our fallen world is expressed (and received) as conditional love : I love you if ... I respect you if... I forgive you if...  But God's reality is expressed and received as  unconditional love.  Pastor John urged the couple to embrace and express God's reality - his unconditional love. This is God's love for them, a love they may share with one another; and one day, with their children. Pastor John then reminded them that the ...

This post was contributed by worship leader Mike Hale. Those involved in music and worship ministries are typically serving as volunteers, but are ministers non-the-less. In The Resurrection of Ministry: Serving in the Hope of the Risen Lord (InterVarsity Press, 2010) Andrew Purves encourages ministers of every stripe to become committed to deeper theological reflection, and says if we are not centered in the redemptive, hope-filled ministry of the risen and ascended Jesus, we have no ministry at all. I find his latest short book (153 pp.) to be encouraging, thought provoking, and while theological, is readable, practical, and relevant for the planning of songs and prayers of thanks, praise, hope, petition and lament, and for considering exhortations, readings and testimonies. Purves aims to show us how in and with Jesus, ministry is to move beyond what he calls ‘the mood of Holy Saturday’ to ministry ‘in the mood of Easter Sunday’ -- the difference between "God help us"...

In notes introducing the Gospel of John in Renovare's Life With God Bible ,  Marva J. Dawn (teaching fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, Canada, pictured at left), notes that the Apostle John, more than the other Gospel authors, emphasizes Trinitarian theology: Surely John, the beloved disciple, recognized more deeply than the other Gospel writers the intense intimacy of Jesus with his Father. Consequently, John records much more thoroughly Jesus' invitation through himself into the triune fellowship, for just as he is one with his Father, so we too can be one in him with the Trinity.... John's Gospel is crucial for reminding us how integrally connected the Persons of the Trinity are and how thoroughly involved the entire Tri-unity is in all dimensions of our creation, redemption, and sanctification.... It is essential that we recapture the love and grace of [the Father]...and recognize how profoundly Jesus carries us into his own intimacy with his F...