Author Frank Viola
Monday, June 4, 2018
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Friday, March 13, 2015
Biographical
Frank Viola is an American author, speaker, and blogger on Christian topics. His work focuses on Jesus studies and biblical narrative, with a strong emphasis on helping the poor and the oppressed. He is most noted for his emphasis on the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ. and the idea that Jesus indwells all Christians and they can learn to live by his life.
Viola's early work was focused on organic church and missional church themes. His older books advocated church life based on the spiritual principles of the New Testament, the headship of Christ, face-to-face community, and the priesthood of all believers.
Since 2009, Viola's work has been focused on Jesus studies, living by the indwelling life of Christ, God's eternal purpose, the present-day ministry of Christ, and biblical narrative. Viola has authored over 20 books, over 900 blog articles, and over 100 podcast episodes. His podcast, Christ is All, has been ranked #1 in Canada and #2 in the USA (respectively) in the "Christianity" section of iTunes.
**Taken from Wiki.
For more information, see Frank Viola author biography.
Books:
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Revising Our Semantics
One of the quickest things we pick up as Christians,
although quite unconsciously, is a religious vocabulary. Consequently, part of our
revising is to identify how we speak and how we hear others speak when
discussing spiritual and theological ideas. The subject of conversational styles is not new. Linguists and
sociologists use the term conversational
style to describe the specific set of assumptions and goals that people
employ when they communicate. All social groups construct such styles to
communicate their thoughts. Conversational styles are part of the reason why
cross-cultural communication is so difficult. They explain why a French speaker
can insist that the meaning of something in French can never be completely
rendered in English or German. It is my observation that much of the misunderstandings and
disagreements over spiritual matters arise not out of genuine substantive
differences but from differences in communication style. Oftentimes, a person will use a certain expression to make a
theological point (no doubt picked up from his or her denominational
background), while his or her discussion partner is made to feel uncomfortable
or even offended. The problem of cross talking arises, and the conversation
drifts from actual substance to one that gets bogged down in the gears of a
diverging style of communication. Interestingly, the people involved in such discussions are not
aware of what’s happening. They are only aware of the fact (at least in their
own minds) that the conversation has been hijacked because the other person is “hard-hearted,”
“closed-minded,” “biblically ignorant,” or “deceived.” If we can get a handle on the different spiritual conversational
styles, we will better understand what people actually believe rather
than focusing on how they communicate those beliefs (which can often
drive one crazy!). In a nutshell, understanding the reality of spiritual
conversational styles (SCSs from
henceforth) can move us far ahead in the game of spiritual conversation. Talking about our SCSs is quite risky. Spiritual beliefs
(theology in the broad sense) are very dangerous, for they strike at the heart
of what we Christians hold dearest. We construct SCSs to arrange the ground
rules upon which spiritual discussions can take place in a way that we find
safe and comfortable.
Our SCSs help to insulate our conversations about spiritual
things from those ideas that conflict with our own. In this way, SCSs enable us
to tread upon the dangerous and terrifying ground of theological debate. Granted, my discussion of SCSs is subject to abuse. At worst,
some may take this chapter and convert it into ammunition by which to
stereotype and pigeonhole their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. At best,
it will cause us to look at how we communicate about spiritual matters and
encourage us to be better listeners. I believe the notion of conversational styles is useful because
it helps explain why people can routinely misunderstand each other when they
appear to share so much in common. It also provides a helpful window into understanding
some of the common complexities we face when seeking to cross the line of
theological distinctions. The world of psychotherapy has become such a successful industry
in the West because most of us know very little about ourselves—particularly
how we think, feel, and react, not to mention how we speak. Understanding SCSs
can help us to make progress in how
we hear and understand one another.
Keep in mind that identifying a particular SCS in yourself (or in
another) is only half the solution to a theological disagreement. The other half
is to transcend it and cross-communicate with those who hold to a different SCS
than yourself. This is quite difficult, though it’s not impossible. Let me introduce you to what I believe are three of the most
common SCSs. As you read through each one, try to populate it with people you
have tried to converse with in the past. Hopefully, this chapter will help to
spare you the agony of talking past other Christians when discussing spiritual
things.
From Revise Us Again by Frank Viola, author
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Reader Highlights from God's Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola
Jesus
Christ is Resurrection, and He is Life. And if you outwait Him, He’ll
eventually roll the stone away and raise you from the dead.
Kathy
Hickey: This is a great book!
“Martha,
Martha. You are worried and upset about all of these details. There’s only one
thing you need. And Mary has made the right choice. She has chosen the one
thing, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary had breached a barrier by
sitting in the men’s space. And on top of that, she sat in the posture of a
disciple. Every teacher before or since had only male disciples.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
Mark
it down: Jesus Christ will sometimes wait until you are long dead. But then …
when you least expect it … He will come leaping over the hills in some strange
and unforeseen way to do what you never dreamed.
Donn
Sunshine: if your going thru a tough time this is worth the read in fact it is
anytime
Chisel
it in stone: you can’t have a resurrection without a death. And you can’t know
the transforming triumph of Christ without a crisis. You can’t know the hills
without the valleys, and you can’t make a sailor with calm seas. We easily
forget this when we’re going through the northeast corner of hell. A word of
encouragement: if your foundations are in Jesus Christ, then you can weather
the storm. You can endure the crisis. You can put your asbestos suit on and
walk through the fire because you are standing on Him who is the Immovable
Rock. Sometimes God will deliver you from trouble. Oftentimes He will deliver
you through it.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
Information
doesn’t produce transformation. Suffering that leads us to embrace Christ does.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
Herein
lies an important lesson. If you make a home for the Lord Jesus Christ, hard
times will come. Crisis will come. Suffering will come. Even death—in some
form—will come.
Vince
Maltempi: We have been given an ascendent life!
Christians
aren’t saved from troubles or delivered from problems. We have been given an
ascendant life to rise above them.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
All
service must flow from communion with the Lord if it is to have lasting value.
All service must find its source in the life of Christ so it won’t lead to burnout
or bail-out. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
If
you are a Christian, then, expect to follow in the footsteps of your Lord. You
will know the scalding pain and heartbreaking disillusionment of rejection. How
you respond, however, will determine if you become broken or bitter.
Donn
Sunshine highlighted:
While
brokenness is difficult, it’s beautiful because it makes God look good. Your
natural gifts draw attention to yourself while brokenness draws attention to
your Lord. With this in mind, power is dangerous in the hands of an unbroken
vessel.
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