Living Hope's Particularization

On Friday, October 3, 2008, the mission work that I began in 2004 was recognized as a distinct congregation within the Mid-Atlantic presbytery of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. It was a blessed evening of celebration and worship. We ordained 2 men to the officer of ruling elder, 4 to the office of deacon, and 1 to the office of minister/pastor. I myself was installed as the pastor of the church, having been already ordained in 2005 as an evangelist. I wanted to thank all those who have been faithful prayer supporters to the work over the years. To start a church was, in retrospect, one of the boldest and even audacious things I've ever done! What arrogance to think that mere man can in deed build up a church. I write this now with true conviction and humility and say that the good of Living Hope and the transformation of lives seen within her is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit alone. The areas of weakness are mine and pray for forgiveness for my arrogance, independence, and selfishness. I rejoice in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and give all the glory to our God. Praise God for His church and I long to see the name of Jesus exalted through the long ministry-life of Living Hope.

New Testament as Apocalyptic Canon

Here are some thoughts that I'm currently working on. I'd appreciate any insights, helps, resources, or even corrections:

We know that the New Testament canon ends with the Apocalypse of John. In certain ways, the New Testament canon does not only end with an apocalypse. It is in itself an apocalyptic canon. Through the work of John Collins at Yale, we have grown in our understanding of Jewish apocalypticism. It was a genre, a sociological movement, as well as a cultural mindset. One can see an apocalyptic conscientiousness in the writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls, especially from the influence of the Book of Daniel and the Apocalypse of Enoch (Aramaic originals have been discovered in the Qumran library). I suggest that there is such a mindset in the New Testament, which reaches a climax with its finale in the Book of Revelation.

In light of the apocalypse as genre, Collins traces various elements that make up such literature ~ the theme of Messianism, eschatology, judgment of the wicked, the persecution, the resurrection and vindication of the elect, amongst some. These are all themes that are found in the New Testament, themes that many scholars have written on in great detail. A question to consider: is it possible that all these strands of theological and social themes so well attested and described by the New Testament authors are elements of one greater whole ~ they make up an apocalyptic mindset in the New Testament community, hence the Church. The church of Christ, then, is to be seen as an apocalyptic community and our Holy Scriptures as an apocalyptic Scriptures.

My thoughts above is not well written, nor well thought through...yet. I put it here for comments and would value any additional thoughts.