An Open CONFESSION to the Churches of Christ
But the real reason that this conversation is important to me now, and the reason that it is a CONFESSION and not an argument // apologetic // diatribe against those who disagree with me is because, no matter the place I was at the moment, I often failed to act and speak towards the “other” (meaning the person who interpreted Scripture differently) in a way that honored God, built up the church, and enhanced its witness to the watching world.
My hunch is that if all people on this issue (and any other issue for that matter) could start with a similar confession, our churches and our witness to the world would be radically transformed.
The Convenience and Dehumanizing Nature of Labels
Love and labels don’t play well together. It is hard to Love and Label at the same time because love recognizes the loveliness of the person-hood of the other person. Love has at its core a genuine desire for the well being of the other…labels do not. Labels are like a poor reflection in a mirror…once you put it between you and them you will never see them accurately again.
Divorce Rates Are Falling—But Marriage Is Still on the Rocks
One big reason that divorce rates began to fall after 1980 was that people, almost always those with less education and less income for the required accouterments of marriage, took the logic of the divorce revolution and ran with it. If marriage and childbearing were no longer tightly linked but rather discreet—even unrelated—life events, and if they were not earning enough to enjoy the middle class status objects enjoyed by their more educated peers, then why marry at all?
Leadership: Why Do Visitors Hate the Meet-and-Greet Time?
In an admittedly unscientific Twitter poll, Rainer asked what a church does (or doesn’t do) that drives off first time visitors. By far, the number one answer was the meet and greet.
This response was my greatest surprise for two reasons. First, I was surprised how much guests are really uncomfortable during this time. Second, I was really surprised that it was the most frequent response.
Pastors: Immigration reform should mix justice, mercy
Almost nine in ten of those surveyed (87%) said it is the responsibility of the government to stop people from entering the country illegally. LifeWay Research vice president Scott McConnell says while most pastors don’t approve of illegal immigration, the survey showed that 58 percent are in favor of a “path to citizenship” for those already in the country illegally.
http://youtu.be/H0099FXLv2U