Thank you, Neil. As always, well-considered thoughts. It occurs to me that what growing, vibrant churches have in common is - among other things - a focus on gospel-empowered life transformation in both their preaching and teaching. Not only do people look for help in coping with themselves and with life, and not only is a transforming communicty contagious, the gospel clearly has the power to change. This is what the church is uniquely charged with. For while it is true that the church ought to feed the poor, visit the sick and teach the illiterate, if the church fails in these, others can and will do it; but if the church no longer preaches the redeeming and transforming Christ, no one else will. Besides, transformed people will ensure that the hungry are fed, the sick visited and the illiterate taught.
Posted in: An Invitation to Transformation
Thank you, Neil. As always, well-considered thoughts. It occurs to me that what growing, vibrant churches have in common is - among other things - a focus on gospel-empowered life transformation in both their preaching and teaching. Not only do people look for help in coping with themselves and with life, and not only is a transforming communicty contagious, the gospel clearly has the power to change. This is what the church is uniquely charged with. For while it is true that the church ought to feed the poor, visit the sick and teach the illiterate, if the church fails in these, others can and will do it; but if the church no longer preaches the redeeming and transforming Christ, no one else will. Besides, transformed people will ensure that the hungry are fed, the sick visited and the illiterate taught.
With thanks to God,
Walt