Articles / Links

We’ve gathered a growing list of articles here written both by effect authors and other writers than can shed light on theeffect’s beliefs and positions on specific topics as well as information on subjects in general. For more information on specific beliefs and ideas at theeffect, please see what we believe and take a look below.

Foundational Concepts

As a starting point, there are some very foundational concepts that need to be addressed if we’re going to understand the worldview from which Jesus’ message and teaching comes. The books of the New Testament have been well transmitted to us over the millennia, but in the translation from East to West, we don’t know what some of the most important words mean—words that function as the foundation for the teachings that follow. Here are a few articles to help us get on the same page with the first followers of Jesus and those who wrote about what they understood of his message.

love
talmidim
kingdom
law
scripture

Spiritual Issues

Spirituality and religion are not the same thing. Religion is the practice of spiritual principles in a group setting, but is only as good as its fostering the inner spiritual journeys of each of its members. We still need to take our own spiritual journeys even as we practice our religion in our churches. How is that accomplished? Here are some ways.

centering prayer
centering prayer guide
mindfulness exercises
introduction to contemplative practice video series
the contemplative experience: eBook 1
contemplative practice: eBook 2

Social Issues

Jesus’ message is nothing if not socially relevant. The problem is that if we miss the context of Jesus’ message, we may miss the social relevance of that message as well.

jesus on divorce and remarriage
husbands and wives
women and headcoverings
freely you have received, freely give
jewish talmidi values

Religious Issues

Once again, the message of Jesus is context-sensitive. Do we really understand the religious or theological impact of Jesus’ original intent?

thinking on book of james
seeking the kingdom
taking the kingdom by force?
the beatitudes
unity in the church
the golden rule in other traditions
inspiration and inerrancy of scripture
on praying and the coming of kingdom
religious beliefs in the united states
the breath of god–hebrew/christian spirituality through Hawaiian eyes

Emerging Church

Within Christianity, there are issues surrounding the meaning and impact of what is becoming known as the “emerging” church. As our culture passes from the modern era to the postmodern one, it’s important to understand how “postmodern” thinking can positively affect our style of fellowship and worship in the church as well as our methods of communicating Jesus’ message to younger generations without negatively affecting the content of that message. These two–the content and the container–are often confused and need to be sorted out. These articles may help.

what is the emerging church?
rock harbor position on emerging issues
calvary chapel position on emerging issues
second century youth ministry
swords into plowshares
story of the ooze
emergence and divine order
24 transitions for moving in the 21st century

Historical Issues

Understanding more of the history of the church, especially the early church and the first followers of Jesus, can shed much light on the nature and content of Jesus’ teachings…or are just intriguing.

finding the garden of eden
lord’s prayer in aramaic (audio)
lord’s prayer in aramaic (print)
the didache
early christian symbols
early christian/jewish ties
nazarenes and ebionites
sabbath–1st day or 7th day?
wisdom of the desert fathers/others
prayer of rest

Thoughtful Issues

These are just some interesting and sometimes humorous thoughts and concepts that can help along the Way.

at the edge of inside
elijah and the ants (from the fifth way)
chimps and scientists (from the fifth way)
an allegory
differing worldviews
the importance of today
gravity
neither great nor small
a view of hell
does evil exist?
a post-christian conversation