Ministry Matters - Holy tenacity | Is 'good' just relative now?

Where are we called to practice holy tenacity participating in God’s redemption? Holy tenacity by Laceye Warner   As denominations struggle to slow, much less reverse, decline, a group of eight unrelated, diverse, individuals eagerly search for Christian community. In a town saturated with Christianity, ironically, most in the Bible Study and those we encounter feel excluded, ignored, and criticized despite their hunger for and interest in the gospel of Jesus Christ. These bible study participants teach me almost daily about holy tenacity. Read here

If everything is relative, can we speak with confidence about any issue? Is 'good' just relative now? by Paul Scott Wilson   Goodness may need to be reconceived. Good in any age is based on certain harmonies and balances that benefit the people involved. In the modern period, God is seen to have implanted formulas in the universe that, like creation, operated somewhat mechanically and separate from God. People tend to prejudge others as good or not on the basis of laws (where they live, how hard [or if] they work, how successful they appear). Read here

How do we move from knowing about to knowing how to do things as disciples of Jesus Christ? Working-class Americans and the craft of discipleship by Tex Sample   I have often wondered what it would be like to develop an entire discipleship effort around the development of skills in the church and the larger community and to do so with mentors working with the students. This would need to be done precisely in the language of skills and apprenticeship so that the connections between working class life and the work of the church are direct, indigenous, and faithful. Read here

Reworking preaching this week ahead of Sunday Tearing down the walls in this Sunday's sermon

Elements for what matters most in worship this Sunday

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