I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Alicia Keys and Alan Knox have the same initials.
Far be it from me to suggest that Knox in his spare time is be found being an innovator in the R’n’B world (and also the opposite gender).
It is my contention, however, that some of the things that this brother has posted recently has set been of a particularly excellent standard. I’ve been so blown away by it, that I’ve been compelled to share some of the links that he’s posted or tweeted in the last week or so that I’ve found particularly worth the read.
Answering All The Questions About Discipleship: Alan makes some short incisive, thought-provoking comments based on another brilliant post by Guy Muse over at the M Blog (another dude whose been hitting them out of the park with some posts).
Is It Dangerous To Ask Why? This was written five years ago, and is still as fresh and provocative as it was then. You can follow the series that follows it to explore certain Christian sacred cows that need to be reassessed. He tweeted it this week, and I read it and I’ve gotta tell you, I was immensely challenged. Arguably one of his best posts due mostly to the power in the simplicity of the questions. (By the way as we all know the answer to the question is – yes. It is very dangerous to ask why. Don’t. Unless of course …)
Waiting For The Last Days? You ever taken things for granted in scripture? Of course not, me neither. (Cough *forgive me Lord* Cough) In case you know someone else who has though, this is a good explanatory post about how an assumption we make about a certain phrase may not be as we initially thought. (Alan is great at these posts, it just helps us to review and revise our understanding based on what scripture ACTUALLY says, rather than what we’re happy to ASSUME it says.)
Donkeys Sleeping In The Bathtub – The Assembling of the Church is a blog that genuinely looks at addressing issues of church in this day and age based on what we can learn from scripture. This blog entry from three years ago, is a great starter for people to address where their traditions and institutions gets in the way of what God is actually saying to His church.
Scripture … As We Live It #235 – One of the best things about Alan’s site is this feature taking scriptures and adjusting them to reflect our take on it. As the number suggests, Alan has been putting them out for quite a while. This one in particular made me chuckle before nodding my head sagely and saying ‘true dat’. Worth checking out the others and praying with the rest of us that the series will be turned into a book and a bestseller at that with room to expand on some of the pertinent critiques.
Five Secrets (and more) Pastors MUST Tell – A problem in modern church structures is around the single-leader model. Knox graciously addresses that in the context of some things that another writer had shared about the challenges Pastors have. A hallmark feature of the writings of Knox is that way in which he raises an issue puts it in a light reflected by scripture and encourages more conversation on the matter. Certainly something that anyone – whether pastors or not – would benefit from reading.
And the Sword of the Spirit Which Is The Word Of God – Knox is a scholar as well as a pastor-gifted brother in Christ. He uses this expertise to such great effect in blog entries like this. True story, until I read this text I had taken my understanding of the verse in the traditional sense. Know that it is not necessarily as I initially read it has actually had some large ripple effects in many aspects of my faith.
To be fair this is typical of Knox. I cannot recall how many years it has been since I first came across his site, but reading the material he has posted has been hugely influential in my approach to scripture, church life and following Jesus.
I ask you to read his stuff and to continue to pray for him and his multi-faceted pursuits. Bloggers like him, Arthur Sido, Dan Edelen, Jeremy Myers, Guy Muse, Eric Carpenter and the like are not the household favourites in Christian celebrity-culture, but their faithfulness to sharing on their blogs the things of God are outstanding features of Christian life. They have been brilliant for me and though they are not British – and perhaps because they’re not British – they provide a great insight into pursuing Christ that proves once and for all that being a part of the Family of God crosses cultural, national, social and financial lines, and the affinity I share with dudes I hardly know has helped me immensely to know the Jesus we all love.
Meanwhile if you happen to go to Assembling of the Church and notice it is a bit smoky, it is namely because That Man Is On Fire.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 