The Priority of the Word

In part two of our five part series on the priorities of Estevan Alliance Church I want to talk about what it means to be a people who give priority in their lives to the Word of God. As your pastor I believe strongly that we are called to be a people of the Word. We are called to be a people who actively engage the Scriptures and allow them to change us and direct us. That goes beyond the preaching on a Sunday morning and into our Bible studies, Christian education, small group meetings, discussions over coffee and interactions on the internet. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. We need to live our lives as though we believe that thoroughly. We need to also understand that the Bible is a living and active message from God - that it's not static and dead and antiquated; and consequently that means that it’s interesting, it’s exciting and that studying it is a privilege – not a chore. We need to discover that excitement for God’s word - personally and corporately.

Another thing we need to realize is that when it comes to the fields of Biblical Studies and Theology that we’re not always going to agree. We are going to have differing perspectives on certain texts and certain doctrines and within the community of God's people that’s okay. I’m not always going to agree with the conclusions taught in an adult Sunday school class, or a Bible study, or a small group meeting - and I'm okay with that. My teachings are not always going to line up with those of your favourite television, radio or internet preacher and that's okay as well. You’re not always going agree with everything that I say from the pulpit – and for the most part that’s okay ;). Being a people of word does not mean that we have to be closed minded or dogmatic in our approach to Scripture, rather it means that we heed the words of St. Augustine when he says:

"In the essentials, Unity. In the non-essentials, Liberty. In all things, Charity." 

We have our essentials here – the ecumenical creeds of the early church councils and the eleven points of the Alliance Statement of Faith – these things are non-negotiables here, but those documents while specific in the important areas also leave a lot of liberty to be explored. We need to practice a generous orthodoxy here at Estevan Alliance Church. Our differences are not seen as deal breakers but rather an opportunity for God to refine and sharpen our understandings as Iron sharpens Iron. I believe that Estevan Alliance Church needs to be a big tent where people from all backgrounds, traditions and walks of life can come and encounter God in a real and personal way through his Word. I believe that we need to be humble in our "understanding" of Scripture and come to terms with the reality that it is not our theological frameworks that saves, redeems, transforms and empowers people, it is instead the Word of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit that makes all these things possible. I want - and I believe that God wants Estevan Alliance Church to be a place where debates don't lead to division, where new ideas intermingle with traditional beliefs and where the unchanging Word of God stands as the final and only arbiter of truth. If we are to take seriously the Priority of the Word of God these are the attitudes and methods that we need to capture in our congregation.

And now the Transformers.

Today's figure is Robots in Disguise Hightower. Hightower is a member of the Autobot's Build Team, another group of combiners within the RiD/Car Robots universe. Following the precedent started in Generation One, construction vehicles are usually Decepticons and are often part of a combiner group but here the Narrative turns things on it's ear. Hightower along with Grimlock, Heavy Load and Wedge are part of a group that combines together to create Landfill (a lousy name for a hero if I ever heard one). Landfill is unique in that he cam combine three different ways depending on who is the legs and arms. Leading to hours of fun. But I'll cover more on him later when I've profiled all of the other members.