Will We Go When Wisdom Calls?
David McLemore:When Christ as Wisdom calls us to eat and drink, he’s calling us to more than a meal at the Sage’s house. On the night before he died, he stood before his disciples at the last supper and “took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:27).
3 Ways for Your Church to Engage in International Missions
Scott LogsdonNot everyone in your church will be called to serve full-time in international missions or even go on a short-term trip. But everyone can be involved in some way. Here are three practices for your church to support God’s mission in the world.
4 Ways You Can Demonstrate the Gospel to Your Children Today
Michael Kelley:Sure, it’s great to give our kids opportunities for significant spiritual moments, but nothing can replace the power of time and the gospel consistently spoken, applied, and demonstrated in our homes. It’s not as exciting, but it’s much more effective and sustainable. If that’s true, then, we as parents ought to give consideration about the everyday ways we can consistently demonstrate the reality of the gospel to our children. Here are four of them.
The Amazing Assault of Grace on Pride
Trevin Wax:Once again, I’m struck by the portrait of grace near the beginning of Les Misérables—a kindness that kills pride and strips away an old identity before giving a sinner new life. The transformation scene of the hardened convict Jean Valjean, captured musically in Tom Hooper’s film from a few years ago and dramatically in the new Masterpiece miniseries, takes up several pages in Hugo’s novel, giving us insight into Valjean’s thought process and emotional distress upon encountering and then surrendering to grace.
How Do You Preach the “Hard Stuff”?
Mark Dance:Preaching around hard passages is tempting because it is the path of least resistance. Some pastors love controversy, while others avoid it at all costs. The best pastors fear God more than their members and are committed to preaching through the Word instead of tip-toeing around it.
