There is a confusing verse in 1 Samuel 16 (italics mine): Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 1 Samuel 16:14 NIV This has been an …
Chapter 5: Scripture’s Call to Moral Action
This is the longest chapter in the book. Over 12,300 words. Take your time with it! Scripture’s Moral Truths In Chapter 1, I described the overall dilemma facing the church as this: How much of the …
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Chapter 4: A Confession
A Confession I ended the previous chapter with four questions Christians need to answer as we consider our responsibility to be agents of the gospel in the world today. However, before I can address …
Chapter 3: Gospel Integration
Gospel Integration Some traditions refer to the transformative work of the gospel as “progressive sanctification," but the application of that concept is almost exclusively individual and …
Chapter 2: A Re-United Gospel
Our Different Gospels Not long ago, I was in a meeting with a variety of pastors from a variety of traditions and we were talking about something scholars call “Liberation Theology." Before long, we …
Chapter 1: The Dilemma of the Church
The Dilemma of the Church Incongruity From the earliest days of Jesus’ ministry with them, the disciples faced a difficult dilemma. Borne largely out of the incongruity between what they thought the …
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