"In Christian discipleship, the cross is not only something Jesus did for us, but also the pattern we are to follow. As Christians, we don't just stand on the sidelines and watch Jesus carry his cross. No, we fall in behind and carry our own cross." B. Zahnd (For the complete quote, click the link below.)
Tag: countercultural faith
Quote of Note #255: Following the Jesus Way
"...the very 'Way' Jesus walked on earth was and is: to be building a community of thankful healed persons busy in redeeming ordinary activities with joy, sharing gifts and goods to fill communal needs (cf. Acts 4:32-35), quietly exorcizing the spirit of vanity, violence, greed, and pride infecting leaders like a deadly virus." C. Seerveld (For complete quote, click the link below.)
Quote of Note #253: Justice Rooted in Love
"Love is the fiery heart beating at the center of the urgent call for justice in our world." J. Tisby (For the complete quote, click the link below.)
Quote of Note #249: Cultural Influence
"In our attitude toward what is going on in the world around us, we evangelicals often present ourselves with a false choice. Either we try to separate ourselves as much as possible from the larger culture, or we think we have to attempt to dominate it." Richard Mouw (For complete quote, click the link below.)
Quote of Note #232: A Kingdom without a Cross
"Christian nationalism is impoverished as it seeks a kingdom without a cross. It pursues a victory without mercy. It acclaims God's love of power rather than the power of God's love." Wright & Bird (click link below for full quote)
Quote of Note #230: Church & State in Tension
"We know also from our reading of history, that a certain tension between the Church and State is desirable. When Church and State fall out completely, it is ill with the commonwealth; and when Church and State get on too well together, there is something wrong with the Church." T. S. Eliot (click link for full quote)
Pastor Note #143: Coercion & the Kingdom of God
Here’s an important diagnostic question for American Christians to ask themselves: “Does my vision for the kingdom of God rely on coercively imposing righteousness on my neighbors?” Said another way, “Do I see the kingdom of God as something that should be forced upon people against their will? Are people coerced into the kingdom of God or invited into it?”
Quote of Note #210: We Will Still Love You
"Do what you will, and we shall still love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good." MLK, Jr.
Pastor Note #140: Getting My Bearings in These Times, A Beginning
I am the recipient of the unconditional love, grace, and compassion of Jesus Christ. Therefore, my identity is based solely on the fact that Jesus has saved me and is saving me. My identity and my way of living are based exclusively on the fact that Jesus is Lord.
Quote of Note #208: Compassion as Social Critique
"Thus the compassion of Jesus is to be understood not simply as a personal emotional reaction but as a public criticism in which he dares to act upon his concern against the entire numbness of his social context." W. Brueggemann
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 