Preach Magazine Issue 5 - Preaching to the unconverted | Page 55

LETTERS AND TWEETS

Preaching and new
media

Letters
and

tweets

Tribute to Marcus Borg
‘I am responding to Mike Dennis’
appeal for more content from a liberal
theological perspective and John
McCartney’s conservative/evangelical
rejoinder. The writings of Paul Tillich
and Don Cupitt were milestones on my
personal journey of faith, although
neither were accepted uncritically.
Another major influence was Leslie
Weatherhead’s The Christian Agnostic
which I found both inspiring and
liberating and a key factor in my
becoming both a Methodist Local
Preacher and a PhD in Psychology.
However, my deepest debt of gratitude
goes to Marcus Borg who, sadly, died
in January of this year at the age of
only 73. Borg gave me some wonderful
constructs which I use frequently in
preaching the gospel of Christ in a
multi-faith society in a scientific age.
Amongst these are (1) ‘The More’,
a dimension of reality beyond the
purely material universe, which
transcends all major world faiths; (2)
the distinction between the pre-Easter
Jesus of history and the post-Easter
Christ of faith; and (3) his analysis,
with JD Crossan, of which letters
attributed to Paul were most likely to
be authentic. I would really value a full
article paying tribute to the work of
Marcus Borg. He is worth it!’
Dr Hugh McCredie, via email

‘With the talked-of demise of
the traditional churches and
congregations – ‘these things will
all pass’ – the [younger] generation
(who label us as needy, cashstrapped, old-fashioned, boring,
middle-class and institutionalised)
have already established their own
‘way to go’: big, praise-band venues
with thousands of young, Spiritfilled Christians, and renting local
community premises and schools
for an hour or so – no financial
overheads: praise be indeed!
‘We older generation despair of
gaining the attention of these tabletand mobile-swiping youngsters, so ‘if
you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ must be
our modus operandi, and we need to
‘hack into’ their thought rationale via
social media and the internet, and of
course local TV and radio, schools,
café churches, etc.’
Maureen Jones (Local Preacher and
great-grandmother), Wrexham

Keep up the good work
‘You deserve congratulations for
giving birth to Preach. What energy
and vigour it offers – a fresh and
exciting encouragement to anyone
with a genuine concern about
ministry. The challenge may be to
maintain the high and inspiring
standard that has been set in the
first few issues. May God enable the
leadership team so to do!’
Bob Weir, Radcliffe-on-Trent

WRITE
TO US

55

A timely nudge
‘After being a worship group member
and then a worship leader in our
church for around 20 years, I found
I was getting ‘nudges’ from God and
others about becoming a Methodist
Local Preacher but I didn’t think I
could do the course. I am retired and
felt it would be too difficult at my age
– this was my excuse.
‘Then on 14 November, the ‘nudge’
became a push. Still very much
undecided, I talked it over with family,
friends, and ministers. After one of
these conversations with one of our
ministers, I was teetering on the brink.
I arrived home, opened the door, and
there on the mat face up was the
first issue of Preach. What better sign
could I have? I started the faith and
worship course, am now ‘on trial’, and
am going to continue on the new local
preachers’ course in September. Thank
you Preach for helping me to make
this momentous decision and for the
contribution your magazine makes.’
Deirdre Moden, Spalding

TWITTER
@LSTheology Great meeting with
@preachmagazine/@joswinney
today – exciting plans afoot!!
@JoshyBloor @PreachMagazine
enjoying the Holy Spirit focus in
the latest release :)
@gillun just arrived
@preachmagazine with articles
by @marikarose and @pmphilips.
Looking good

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thoughts on the features, ideas for future issues,
experiences or inspiration about preaching or
constructive criticism (please be kind – we are humans
with feelings!). You can write to us at PO Box 2352,
Watford, Herts WD18 1PY, email e ]ܐ