Posts in the Gospel Category

Holy People Are Happy People

12/21/11

John Starke

Holiness brings happiness because it creates a clearer vision of the fullness of Christ. Holiness clears our palette, so to speak, of the deceitfulness of sin.

Reading scripture through the lens of the gospel

07/19/11

I (Cathy) have personally undergone a “gospel revolution” over the past 4 years. These rich truths have completely changed me, awakened me and rewired how I see God, myself, and life itself. As my eyes have been opened to the wonder of the enormity and generosity of God’s grace in the gospel, it has also transformed the way I read scripture. I have realized that many of my ‘favorite’ verses (aren’t they all favorites!) have been read through the lens of self-effort or on the condition of my faith, “if I only believe enough, this could be a promise for me”. As I re-read the bible through the lens of the gospel it is opening up a whole world of delightful discovery.

A look at the gospel

06/29/11

There's a fascinating introductory verse at the beginning of Romans. Romans 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God," Paul says that as a servant of Christ and an apostle, Christ has set him apart for the gospel of God. We see the magnitude and centrality of the gospel in Paul's life, work and focus. This gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ, of God, of the kingdom, of grace, of your salvation and of peace is what we are to be 'experts' in. The gospel is not one key part of many, but is the center, heart and substance of all that we do.

On mission together - part 2

12/07/10

One of the most effectiveness witness's of the gospel, is a congregation which believes it. I'm speaking about when the reality of men and women being new creations in Christ is evident and lived out. When these new creation realities are present, men and women go out to permeate every sector of public life to see the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God come on earth.

On mission together - part 1

09/28/10

All too often when we hear the word "mission" in Christian circles, we have this gut reaction with images of missionary types in days gone by, going out into deepest, darkest Africa to preach all alone while risking wild animals, hostile tribes, malaria and a litany of both imagined and real unknowns.

Paul's heart

08/02/10

Looking at Paul’s life, it is interesting to note the order and nature of his passions, priorities and focus. Having written so much of the N.T., been entrusted with the mystery of the gospel, and having pioneered many new plants in and around the Mediterranean region, it would do us well to include Paul in our study of kingdom living, priorities and commission…

truth: principle, person or other?

07/23/10

The sentence “I que es la veritat”, found in the Portico de la Pasión, passion façade – gate of the Sagrada Familia, is dedicated to the crucifixion of Christ. It is Catalonian for “and what is the truth?” The issues of meaning & truth have been long debated over various epochs. Today is no different. Is truth definable or simply seen as one of many perspectives? Are we now lost in linguistics where definitions are at best subjective attempts at meaning…

Christocentricity

07/13/10

…simply put, seeing Christ as the center of all things, as He always has been. The bible clearly portrays God as Trinitarian - Father, Son and Holy Spirit… there are no if’s and but’s about this. What is interesting is to see the various biases throughout church history, evidenced in the many Creeds, the cults denying the true nature and placement of Christ...