Too often, the world rejects Jesus not because it has seen him clearly, but because Christians have represented him as cruel, power-hungry, and hypocritical. If the church hopes to regain trust, it must honestly confess the ways it has distorted Christ’s character.
Too often, the world rejects Jesus not because it has seen him clearly, but because Christians have represented him as cruel, power-hungry, and hypocritical. If the church hopes to regain trust, it must honestly confess the ways it has distorted Christ’s character.
Scripture teaches that salvation is a gift of grace, while our faithfulness, obedience, and use of what God entrusts to us matter deeply. Exploring Jesus’ teachings and Paul’s letters, this post considers how God’s rewards reflect both grace and works.
Patriarchy is not part of God’s original design for women and men. Scripture points toward coequal partnership and the restoration of all that sin has distorted.
Sometimes we beg God to remove a sinful behavior without asking him to heal what lies underneath it. What if freedom begins by letting God address the roots, not just the branches?
A tense encounter outside a church revealed how easily abuse and manipulation can distort the story we think we are seeing. Reflecting on one woman’s difficult circumstances, this post considers the need for compassionate, wise pastoral care—and offers resources for learning to recognize and respond to abuse.
Following Jesus into compassionate service can lead to complicated and uncomfortable situations. How do we keep loving others while practicing wisdom, discernment, and healthy boundaries?
Churches want to respond compassionately when people in poverty ask for help, but limited resources and complex circumstances can make that difficult. Understanding the tremendous stress impoverished people carry can help us respond with wisdom, patience, and Christlike love.
Jesus-shaped pacifism is not passive. It creatively confronts aggression, exposes injustice, and flips the script. What might happen if we moved beyond our habitual reactions and responded to difficulty with the wise, disarming innocence of Jesus?
Jamin Bradley 