What Happened To Our Churches

What Happened To Our Churches

  • Blogs
    • Featured Blog
    • All Blogs
  • Resources
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Motivated by the Spirit

14 Comments

The Misunderstanding of the Church

The understanding of truth and church are fundamental to ministry. A German Protestant professor in Zurich, Emil Brunner opened up for me new perspectives on each. He is regarded as one of the top four or five Protestant systematic theologians of the mid-20th century.

He saw Truth as Encounter, the name of his book. In my philosophy and seminary days, I thought truth was presented in books that had carefully formulated propositions all in a logical order.

In contrast, Brunner highlighted that truth is relationships experienced, not doctrine tightly defined. Encountering Jesus is the truth, the way, the life. Life-changing encounters happen in the heart, not just the head. Heart-work is done by the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

The other fundamental new perspective came through his book The Misunderstanding of the Church. In his time when most church leaders thought of church, they had in mind church institutions, which in Europe were well developed over centuries. They saw the Christian church of the first several centuries as the “primitive” church. The “early” church is a better name. I regard the early church as the best source for re-learning how to do church more effectively in our times.

Read More

Filed Under: Motivated by the Spirit

10 Comments

Look on the Other Side of the Coin

Kevin Park is a member of our church who designed and by now has distributed 150,000 grace and mercy coins. One side has a cross and the words “Mercy is when God spares you what you deserve.” The other side has a dove and the words “Grace is when God gives you what you don’t deserve.” It’s a great evangelism tool.

The first side’s cross represents Christ. The other side’s dove is for the Holy Spirit. Mercy is the proper word for the forgiveness God gives us through Christ’s redemption. The Bible word is charis for the gift given, which we call grace. A second kind of grace is called charisma, the gift received. This is always associated with the Holy Spirit. One form is the special energy he gives to do specific ministries (1 Corinthians 12). The other is the higher gifts of love, faith and hope (12:31) and other fruit the Spirit produces in believers, like joy and patience.

Read More

Filed Under: Motivated by the Spirit Tagged With: Holy Spirit, grace, mercy, hope

  • Subscribe
  • Download my NEW book
  • How to Comment/Engage
  • Virtual Church Fellowships

HELPFUL LINKS

  • Home
  • About David
  • How to Comment/Engage
  • Resources
  • Get my new book
  • FAQ
  • Blogs

LET’S CONNECT

  • Email: dsluecke@royred.org
  • Phone: 440-838-1985
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

Subscribe

© What Happened To Our Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website designed by Jennasis & Associates

GET YOUR FREE BOOK!

GET YOUR
FREE BOOK!

Get a FREE copy of my new book – hot off the presses!