These last two weeks I have challenged my students to look at authentic faith...week 1: What is Faith? Week 2: Grace (defining grace and mercy leading us to love).
I defined faith to my group of students by using Andy Stanley and Stuart Hall's 7 Checkpoints book. Faith is defined as "Believe that God is who He says He is and will do ALL He has promised to do." When looking at this we have to match this up with a daily walk that is minded in the things of Christ. If we truly believe He is our guide and that He, alone, is enough we shall desire all that He desires for us disbanding everything in our human nature and following Christ with reckless abandonment!
I transitioned into grace (getting what we don't deserve). We absolutely are depraved people in need of Christ's redeeming love. Grace ultimately is love! This second part was short as I just shared from my heart about love...using Francis Chan's idea from Crazy Love using 1 Cor. 13 and placing my name in the place of love. Wow this was powerful as I read...you do feel like a liar when you do that. Shows how much we don't add up to true love.
Upon the verge of the SBC and their GCR I desire to see churches be missional. Fully confident our faith is to be active and out reaching the lost...I mean if that's taboo or touchy then we have become too comfortable in our church settings. For the ones who need a doctor are the sick and not to mention Christ has COMMANDED us to "go"...make disciples who make disciples. I finished with Amazing Grace by Chris Tomilin...telling the students "they (the world) will know we are Christians by our love, by our love" as Francis Schaeffer says, "The distinguishing mark of Christianity is our love for one another".
#1 Love God, #1 Love Others
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