- I'm really enjoying the challenge of teaching through a book. Currently in Acts. It's easier for me to teach a topic, but I'm really enjoying this challenge.
- Acts. You can't understand it without the Holy Spirit. It just doesn't make any sense without the real-time, active presence of a living, loving, full of mystery and beauty and glory God. It's a breathless book, and if it happened (which I believe it did), it changes human history and what's possible for you and me.
- I can honestly say I have more respect and love for Scripture than at any point in my life. Questions of canonicity are behind me (as an intellectual barrier--I've come to terms with the questions) and I'm hearing Scripture as God's Word to me and to his people in a new and fresh way. The point of the Bible is to point us to Jesus, not to make us worship it. I am seeing Jesus in deeper ways every day.
- Many of us get a daily email from these folks. Following their Daily Text has revolutionized my reading of the Bible. John Wesley was profoundly influenced by them, so I'm good with the character reference.
CS Lewis “There is no formula in these matters. I have no recipe, no tablets. Writers are trained in so many individual ways that it is not for us to prescribe. Scripture itself is not systematic; the New Testament shows the greatest variety. God has shown us that he can use any instrument. Balaam’s ass, you remember, preached a very effective sermon in the midst of his ‘hee-haws.’- Lots of new people. Love that! That God would trust us with the people he loves so much, wow, humbled.
- Band and vocalists have been killing it lately. So proud of the efforts they are putting in.
- We're working on how to be more intentional in talking about what it means to follow Jesus. Salvation ("being saved") is the doorway to living with Jesus as Lord. That is, when you follow Jesus, he messes up your life (no, really, that's what happens), reorders it, makes it part of his new creation.
- We're working on creating a path for people to clearly follow so they can take the next step. Jesus said we need to open eyes to see the harvest field that is ripe, so we want to tune our hearts to see what God sees, tread boldly right into the harvest field, and be ready when those people are ready to respond to Jesus' call on their hearts to follow him.
CS Lewis again: It is not enough to want to get rid of one’s sins,” he said. “We also need to believe in the One who saves us from our sins. Not only do we need to recognize that we are sinners; we need to believe in a Savior who takes away sin. Matthew Arnold once wrote, ‘Nor does the being hungry prove that we have bread.’ Because we know we are sinners, it does not follow that we are saved.” “You can’t lay down any pattern for God. There are many different ways of bringing people into his Kingdom, even some ways that I specially dislike! I have therefore learned to be cautious in my judgment
- The article containing the CS Lewis quotes.
