Category: Kingdom Community

Fellowship and koinonia

honest talk with friend

Being A Friend By Being Honest With Others

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With respect to honesty with others, Scripture teaches that we are to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Eph. 4:25, NIV). At deacon-level maturity (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) we should be able to avoid speaking anything that is plainly false. But we should also avoid all forms of deception, including misleading people by omitting information, and misleading people through silence. Honesty is a greater challenge when it comes to pointing out an uncomfortable truth that others are ignoring, which is important for moving towards elder-level maturity. For example, if someone we are close to or have responsibility for is harming others or themselves with attitudes, words or actions then do we not have a duty before God to say something? “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6, ESV). If someone is turning away from God then we follow the wisdom in James 5:19-20: “If Continue Reading →

racism

Kingdom Attitudes Towards African-Americans.

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American slavery was one of the most dehumanizing brands of slavery in the modern world. English revivalist John Wesley said it was the worst form of slavery that he was aware of after he visited America. This realization eventually generated a strong opposition to slavery by Christians in the northern U.S. After an unbelievably bloody civil war, the slaves were set free and African Americans very quickly became more prosperous in the South and gained positions of influence. Alarmed by this, influential whites in the South began to pass laws to discriminate against African-Americans. These laws came to be known as the Jim Crow laws. They persisted through the 1960’s and their impact is still felt. Obviously, as Christians we are horrified by the way African-Americans have been treated. This has resulted in substantial economic disadvantage. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis provides statistics for this and the Washington Post Continue Reading →

poor children

Our Obligation To Address Inequality In Our Nation

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Even though some people have reacted to George Floyd’s death with criminal acts, and even though some groups have taken advantage of the protests with unethical tactics to further their own cause, the fact remains that economic and racial inequality in America is a disastrous problem. Last February Pew Research released some statistics on economic inequality in America. The findings are here. They reported that the share of all income in America earned by the top 20% of the highest earning families went from 43% in 1968 to 52% in 2018. The share of the highest earning 5% went from 16% to 23%. These numbers represent a substantial increase in the concentration of wealth in the upper class. Meanwhile, the share of income earned by all four of the lower 20% segments of earners declined. The same February report from Pew Research also found: “From 1970 to 2018, the median Continue Reading →

4 seasons change guide

How To Produce Change In Your Organization Or Group (Or Personal Life)

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Are you or your organization trying to making some substantial changes? Are you trying to establish new strategies or goals? Do you need to correct some problems. The following list is a collection of wisdom to help you do this. Perhaps you want to improve the ministry you are involved in. Perhaps your congregation is making some major changes to its ministry. If you follow these guidelines you will be much more likely to achieve your new goals. It is surprising how few organizations have effective guidelines for making changes and then suffer because of it. If we are not intentional about guiding change then it usually does not happen. Many congregations are weak or in decline because of this lack of wisdom. These guidelines can also apply to personal changes you want to make! Guide to Achieving New Goals in an Organization (Or Correcting Problems) Pray and choose to Continue Reading →

old vs. new covenant

What Is The Difference Between The Old And New Covenants In Our Lives?

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Understanding the differences between the Old and New Covenants helps us to grasp our roles on earth as we follow Jesus. There is a big difference between what God wanted his people to hope for in this life under the Old Covenant and what he wants us to hope for in this life under the New Covenant, which was established by the blood of Jesus on the Cross. As you read through the following list consider how it influences your life. New: forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ (vs Old: temporary forgiveness of sins through sacrifices at the temple.) New: God’s people not associated with any specific nation or ethnic group (vs Old: God’s people were part of the nation of Israel and the Jews; the Jews were evicted from Palestine in the early 2nd century.) New: No specific location of God’s abiding presence Continue Reading →