Suneidesis & Sunergos — God's Wisdom for every day “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the ancient way. Psalm 139:23-24 Pre Did you know that the words "conscience" and "co-working" share the same dynamic in ancient Greek mindset? That small discovery opened up something much bigger for me. When scrutinizing human relationships and community dynamics we can see: the two are inseparable. Since they are in the same fractal : Both create unity, integration at their own different levels. Both have coherence and alignment which helps (or drives) the parts of the system /or: the members of the team. What connects the inner voice of conscience with the outward dynamics of community life? This article explores a striking fractal pattern hidden...
The Culturally Diverse Leadership of the Antioch Church (Acts 13:1–3) In this article, I examine how a monocultural community of believers can become a multicultural mission outpost. This is particularly important in an era when global conflicts are arising precisely because of the Church’s biased monoculturalism. This makes the religious form of Christianity exclusive and alienates it from precisely those whom it ought to reach through God’s grace. When the first church was established, God acted very quickly and practically compelled them to take to the world stage. In this context, it is necessary to examine the original apostolic way of thinking. Antioch: Cultural and Historical Profile Antioch in Syria was the third-largest city of the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria. Situated on the Orontes River and on major trade routes, {located at the site of modern Antakya, Turkey} it was a cosmopolitan hub where Jews, Greeks, Syrians,...
When Jesus was born (cca 3 or 4 BC) he got a 3 part gift collection from the wise men who arrived from the mythical far east. The pack contained: Gold Frankincense Myrrh with good reason. First of all, he (they, the famil: Joseph and Mary) received it for practical reasons, as the family had to flee to Egypt immediately, and that is a huge undertaking even for a relatively well-off family. And they were not among them. The journey was a painfuland fearful necessity, and the completely new environment demanded a whole new way of life and genuine faith.* A carpenter obviously found work in Egypt too, but for an entire family, this whole transition was not quite so straightforward. Women were not part of the breadwinning class, and raising children in safety and peace is not possible without a stable foundation. Secondly, these gifts came from a spiritual source (from the Magii) where people who were far from God and His covenant open...