Category: Grace
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Not All Checklists Are Bad
I hate checklists for spiritual growth. They lead towards a works orientation and a focus on being performance-based. When a recent church service message started with a “Checklist for Spiritual Zeal” I was concerned. 6 commands from Ephesians 5 were restated as questions. Each one had an emphasis on not having a “hint” of such…
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Ongoing Forgiveness: Tale of 2 Nations
“Ongoing Forgiveness is key to the Development of a Nation, Overcoming Horrors of the Past.” I recently spent some time in Rwanda. Both Rwanda and my home nation of South Africa had history altering events happen twenty years ago. The Rwandan genocide saw two tribes kill over one million people in just a few short…
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3 Simple Reasons to Practice Servanthood
Servanthood is a buzzword in churches and leadership circles today. We need servant leaders, we want to serve our spouse and our families, and we are always asked to be a cheerful servant in various areas in our local place of worship. Why? Here are 3 reasons to practice servanthood. 1. We serve cause Jesus…
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An Epidemic of Selfishness
Several former heroes and people of influence from the youth group era of my life have crashed and burned recently. At times it has led me to exclaim, “Are there no heroes left who can finish well?” I feel like the frequency in which I hear of friends and former students walking away from God…
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Gracious Disagreement
The issue is not whether I agree with someone but rather how I treat someone with whom I profoundly disagree. We Christians are called to use the “weapons of grace”, which means treating even our opponents with love and respect.” – Philip Yancey from Vanishing Grace Philip Yancey, in his new book, [amazon_link id=”B00J1UEAL0″ target=”_blank”…