Gospel

As I'm continuing through Shane Claiborne's 'Irresistible Revolution' I am really enjoying it, being challenged by it, and simultaneously wishing for more real answers.

One strand of thought which has really caught me is his belief that once the rich meet the poor, riches will lose their meaning, and we'll see poverty come to an end. Granted, it's my paraphrase, but I don't think it's far from the original.

This thought has spawned many thoughts about our ministry here, relationship with our friends and supporters in IL and elsewhere, and about global economics. Click Here To Continue »

One of the books I'm reading through recently is Shane Claiborne's "Irresistible Revolution." Naturally, you can expect some quotes and musings from the book. As we go about life and ministry here in El Barrio, I see (but mostly hear) a lot of commentary on the coming of the white people. Be it the lady who passed me yesterday whispering something about 'downtown' or the group of guys on the corner spitting at me as I passed them last night. Usually my first reaction is to get mad about racial oppression being reversed and not solved. I could easily go on into another post, but I'm still learning about these things and repenting often.

One difference I see in our experience is that tension seems to be economically motivated rather than simply racially. Or, begins as tension between economic classes and is easily converted into racial tension. The economic class line seems firmly pressed in American culture. Click Here To Continue »

Going through 'When I Don't Desire God' with the youth at church has been probably as beneficial to me as to  them- maybe more-so. I am so thankful for the Gospel, and even to see it in God's demands for our obedience.

We must worship Him, which means we must love Him supremely. We can't do this; in fact, we love ourselves supremely. The Christian feels the guilt of his/her sin and wants to change. Yet, even the process or the fight to change is not one of will but of grace.

I love Augustine's words from his 'Confessions':

"Give me the grace [O Lord] to do as you command, and command me to do what you will! ... O holy God...when your commands are obeyed, it is from you that we receive the power to obey them."¹ 

  Click Here To Continue »