"Dear Father, for Christ's sake, I beseech thee to take from me and from all others for whom thou wouldest that we should pray, all envy, pride, arrogance, disdain, hatred, and all suspicion. Grant unto us mercy, humility, patience, meekness, long-suffering, gentleness, peace, charity, and love. Comfort the feeble. Relieve the poor. Help the fatherless. … Continue reading Quote of Note #186/Prayer Note #65: Prayer for Christlikeness
Tag: counter-cultural church
Quote of Note #182: Holy Spirit-Empowered Non-violence
"I quickly came to understand that non-violence takes more strength than violence--and it takes more than just human strength. It takes God's strength working in human beings to produce self-control, gentleness, and the other fruit of the Holy Spirit. God's power comes in our weakness and brokenness." John M. Perkins, Dream With Me: Race, Love, … Continue reading Quote of Note #182: Holy Spirit-Empowered Non-violence
Quote of Note #180: The Christian & Partisan Politics
"In culturally polarized times, it can be tempting to find comfort in a partisan Christ who will place a halo over our politics. But the biblical Jesus calls us to renounce the world and follow him--to allow the gospel to lead us." Jonathan K. Dodson, The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive … Continue reading Quote of Note #180: The Christian & Partisan Politics
Quote of Note #174: Christlike Cultural Engagement
"Among the most countercultural things Jesus ever said, no matter the culture, were his commands in the Sermon on the Mount: 'But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also,' and 'You have heard that it was said, "Love … Continue reading Quote of Note #174: Christlike Cultural Engagement
Bible Note #54: Colossians 3 Series–The Mind of God
We human beings are social creatures. That’s not a bad thing. God quite intentionally designed us to be social beings. In Genesis 2:18, God comments on the fact that it isn’t good for human beings to be alone. And throughout the Bible, time and again, God insists that it is vitally important for human beings … Continue reading Bible Note #54: Colossians 3 Series–The Mind of God
Quote of Note #132: What is “race”?
photo by GAC "In order to fight racism, we must begin with the fact that race is a socially constructed category that offers certain privileges and advantages to one group, which in the U. S. context is white people, to the detriment of all those who are excluded from that group--that is, 'non-white' people, or … Continue reading Quote of Note #132: What is “race”?
Quote of Note #131: The Well-being of All
photo by GAC "In the past civility was understood in much richer terms. To be civil was to genuinely care about the larger society. It required a heartfelt commitment to your fellow citizens. It was a willingness to promote the well-being of people who were very different, including people who disagreed with you on important … Continue reading Quote of Note #131: The Well-being of All
Quote of Note #72–Failing to Upset the Powers-That-Be
"If our proclamation does not upset the powers-that-be--if it doesn't 'turn the world upside down' (Acts 17:6) -- is that because our culture is friendly to the gospel? Or have we made the gospel friendly to the culture? If we aren't treated like Paul, is that because society has changed--or have we changed? Could it … Continue reading Quote of Note #72–Failing to Upset the Powers-That-Be
Quote of Note #69 — Our Allegiance to our King not some Party
"The gospel that Paul preached was not a message about some private, interior transformation of the heart. It is a message about a new allegiance to a King-in-waiting. As such, there was something radically political about the gospel--which didn't mean, of course, that Christians sided with a particular political party. In fact, there was a … Continue reading Quote of Note #69 — Our Allegiance to our King not some Party
Quote of Note #66 — A Pastor’s Vision
"I’m one hundred times more passionate about creating Christians and churches that will be faithful, biblical, countercultural, and spiritually minded in a socialist America, in a Muslim America, in a communist America, than I am in preventing a Muslim America or a communist America. That puts me in a very different ballpark than many public … Continue reading Quote of Note #66 — A Pastor’s Vision
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 