Philip Taylor

“Inviting people to become Christians and then to start training to stand in battle as a test of their faith does not seem like a good selling point! We are tempted to reduce discipleship to positive aspects of pastoral ministry, such as healing and pastoral care, alongside serving in various church programs and community projects.”
― Paul S. Williams, Exiles on Mission: How Christians Can Thrive in a Post-Christian World

“As a clue to contextual relevance, we might ask to what use did later Old Testament interpreters put Gen 1?”
― John W. Hilber, Old Testament Cosmology and Divine Accommodation: A Relevance Theory Approach

“But a third way of living as a stranger in a foreign land is to live as an ambassador. An ambassador is still a stranger who still might miss home, but they’re not resentful, and they don’t feel trapped. Neither are they disengaged, because they know they’re living in a strange land on purpose. They’ve been sent there. They have a job to do. They try to understand the dominant cultural story in their new country, but they are completely secure in their own. They know they can expect all the help that they need from their home country. God’s call on Christians is to this third way.”
― Paul S. Williams, Exiles on Mission: How Christians Can Thrive in a Post-Christian World

“world” and is named by it—is crucified with Christ. It is put to death and buried with Christ. It goes down, into death, under the waters of baptism, from which we rise to a new life and a new citizenship. Baptism is thus an intensely political act. It is the spiritual equivalent of burning the flag of a nation along with our passport and identity papers and then embracing a new citizenship, under a new authority, and with an entirely new set of rights and responsibilities. We are transferred from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of light (Col. 1:12–13). Henceforth, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 3:5).”
― Paul S. Williams, Exiles on Mission: How Christians Can Thrive in a Post-Christian World