"We deny the power of godliness when we are passionate about politics or justice but heartless and unjust to those who don't see things the way we do." J. Dodson (for complete quote, click link below)
Tag: witness
Quote of Note #237/Prayer Note #71: Right Use of our Surplus
"Grant that all who have a surplus of this bread may know by this very fact that they are appointed as servants, as dispensers of thy grace, that they are in thy service and in the service of others." K. Barth (click link below for full quote)
Bible Note #64: Zechariah 7:9-10–A Rightly Ordered Society in God’s Eyes
"One of the primary tasks God gave to the prophets in ancient Israel was to instruct the people of Israel on how to order their society so that it reflected God’s heart and mind. These verses from the prophet Zechariah are a prime example of that." (For the full post, click the link below.)
Pastor Note #145: What Makes for the Blessed Life?
"Blessed are those who force their way to the front of the line; they will get to run things their own way." (For full post, click link below.)
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 #227: Camouflaged Racism
"Racism is designed to be invisible to white people . . . so when they are confronted by the reality of racism, it can offend their sense of personal innocence." J. Tisby
Prayer Note #70: Love instead of Anger, Fear, Violence, & Cruelty
“Lord, I live in a world of anger, fear, violence, and cruelty. It is hard for me not to be swept away and molded by these ugly passions that swirl around me. . . ."
Quote of Note #226: Bearing Witness with Graciousness & Faithfulness
“As was in many of the most religious people of Jesus' day, it is possible to become fully versed in a theological tradition or excel in theological education and still have a hardened heart that never truly surrendered to the Word of God.” Costanzo, et al (for full quote, click link below)
Prayer Note #69: A Prayer (Drawn from Colossians 3:12-14)
Grant that I might be a living embodiment of Christ’s saving, healing, redeeming love in this broken world.
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 