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How Much of the Gospel Would I Like?
I am not sure of the original author (there might be some clarification HERE), but this poem summarizes well our modern attitude in following Christ. Three Dollars Worth of God I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk…
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Following Jesus… Let the Negotiations Begin!
In Discipleship by Bonhoeffer, the focus is on obedience. Jesus calls… respond. We hear the call of Jesus and we want him to get in touch with our legal department. One classic parable on the call to obedience and the human desire to negotiate is the parable of the rich young ruler. He wants to follow Jesus, but not exactly…
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Christless Christianity — Bonhoeffer
Christianity isn’t about adhering to a set of doctrinal beliefs as much as it is simply following Christ. “Discipleship is commitment to Christ, because Christ exists, he must be followed.” Bonhoeffer saw a Christless Christianity in his day. He came to recognize that following Christ was the very root of true Christianity “…a Christianity without discipleship is always a Christianity…
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Bonhoeffer — The Cost of Discipleship
Having worked my way through Dallas Willard’s book (again), The Divine Conspiracy, the next book I need to tackle (again) is Bonhoeffer’s Discipleship. (It was renamed Cost of Discipleship later.) Some opening (and painful) thoughts: Costly grace is the hidden treasure in the field, for the sake of which people go and sell with joy everything they have. It is the…
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Fighting the Noon Day Demon
I have begun reading Thomas Merton’s The Waters of Siloe, which follows up his wonderful autobiography, Seven Storey Mountain. This book will give more detail to his life at the monastery in Kentucky. Early in the book he gives a reminder to monastic orders, or spiritual orders of any kind, really, that is a great reminder for me in ministry.…
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Being DONE With Living Like a Christian?
This post intrigued me. What intrigued me more was he quoted Dallas Willard. I think it strikes at the heart of what Willard is saying in The Divine Conspiracy. We need our spiritual DNA changed. Too often we are trying to DO things and the core of who we are remains the same. We’re taping oranges onto apple trees. It’s…
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A Truly AMERICAN Experience
Setting aside all political arguments of what is right and wrong with this nation, I was able to experience one of the truly great ceremonies of our nation today. We have an Indian brother in our congregation who became a naturalized citizen today. It was my privilege to witness 705 new citizens from 82 different nations being sworn in as…
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Upon Further Review — NIV 2011
There are a couple of places to check out very thorough reviews of the NIV 2011. Dan Wallace has a four part review. Rodney Decker has a lengthy paper reviewing the NIV as well. They are much kinder, and much more thorough, regarding the NIV than, say, the Southern Baptists. 😉
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The Ravishing Beauty of Jesus
In Dallas Willard’s book The Divine Conspiracy the point of the Sermon on the Mount, the point of Jesus’ life, is to call us to apprenticeship. The call is to intentional discipleship. It needs to be a high priority in the life of the Church. You lead people to become disciples of Jesus by ravishing them with a vision of life in…
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Just Living Out Faith
There have been many reflections in all kinds of places on the life of John Stott since his passing this week. One of the kindest pieces I have read is from Nicholas Krisotff. This piece demonstrates the mental contortions we enter into in our world. As a conservative, evangelical Pentecostal, I see and experience these moral gymnastics we go through…
