The Case for Non-Resistance– Part One
Nonresistance should never be confused with cowardice or fleeing from danger. Jesus does not say that when slapped on one cheek, we are to run away. We are called to stand and actively offer the other cheek—a brave deed no doubt! When a disciple is sued for his tunic (inner shirt), he is not to cry, fall to the ground, or shrink away. Jesus asks His disciple to offer his cloak (outer coat), leaving him with effectively nothing. To walk with a person an extra mile is the very opposite of cowardice or fleeing from danger. These three examples involve a wrong to the body (slapping the cheek), wrong to one’s property (lawsuit for a tunic), and wrong to one’s liberty (being compelled to walk). Nonresistance is a bold, daring position. “Our Peacemaking Command is the command to be a Surprising Person.”
Noah: Five Positive Facts about this Film
Too often, Christians are in knee-jerk reaction mode when it comes to popular culture. If the world made it, we are against it, and can provide the list to tell you why. This is especially true with Hollywood. While there may be much to critique about Tinsel Town, it is more fair (and more Christian) to put the movie in context and to acknowledge its positive characteristics—before we launch a broadside attack. Here are five commendable facts about Noah
But now comes the big question: why? Why his death and resurrection? Could anyone not already in the know answer that question after seeing this movie? I really appreciated that the film linked Jesus’ death to the Passover sacrifice, but what is Passover? What is the sacrifice for? What does this mean for Jesus? For us? In the film, Jesus invites the disciples to “change the world” and “change their life.” There’s no real explanation of Jesus’ death and resurrection, not even so much as a “given for you” after “this is my body.”
What of the Marginalized Christians?
A second thought then occurred to me. When Jesus ministered to people in the margins, the majority of them were people who were in the margins of Judaism, the church. They were already a part of the faith. And, like the people I serve, they didn’t have direct access to the movers and shakers of the church, they didn’t have the finances and resources to address their situation, and they were unsure about their personal futures. And Jesus spent a lot of time with them.
Churches Can’t Ignore the Mobile Opportunity
If the world’s “native tongue” has changed to push notifications and tweets rather than letters and phone calls, why are almost 70% of churches not properly using technology to connect and engage with their attendees? Seeing a smartphone in church used to mean someone was not engaged in the service. Apps such as the YouVersion Bible app have flipped that stigma on its head, as over 74% of churchgoers now read the Bible electronically. We live in an age where using various tech tools is not only expected, but encouraged.
India: Parrot Helps Cops Solve Murder Mystery
“During discussions too, whenever Ashutosh’s name was mentioned, the parrot would start screeching. This raised my suspicion and I informed the police,” Sharma told the Times of India.
Police interrogated Ashutosh and he confessed to the crime, according to the city’s senior superintendent of police Shalabh Mathur.