E-307 Scoot Over: Imitating the Hospitality of Christ—Serving on Team Jesus
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
SHERRY KENDRICK | GUEST A year ago, I had the privilege of going on a Reformation tour with fifty people from my church. Several pastors who had both interest and training in church history served as guides. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and deepened my faith. The more I learned about the Reformation, the more I came to treasure the power of God’s Word, the gift of salvation by grace alone, and the steadfast courage needed to stand for gospel truth. This year’s Reformation Sunday is October 26, and I find myself asking: how do we pass this history on to our children? The Protestant Reformation is a story of God’s faithfulness to His church—and it is a story worth telling them. What Was the Reformation? The beginning of the Reformation usually dates to October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The 95 Theses was a list of Luther’s arguments against the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences—which were like "get out of jail free" cards for sins—often sold for money to raise funds for the church. The Protestant Reformation would continue for over 130 years throughout all of Europe. There were many “reformers,” men and women, who with courage stood in the face of persecution and death for believing the five key truths that came from the Reformation. They are known as the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone Sola Fide – Faith alone Sola Gratia – Grace alone Solus Christus – Christ alone Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory To prepare for the Reformation tour, my pastor recommended reading The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves. He describes the Reformation as a fire that could not be put out—a flame of gospel truth blazing across Europe. That imagery has stayed with me. It is my heart’s desire for the flame of these gospel truths to burn in me and into the hearts of the children we are discipling today...
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
One definition for hospitality is to make space. [...]
AMY SANTARELLI |GUEST When my children were young, my husband and I worked hard to prepare them for life. We taught them skills they needed such as tying their shoes, doing laundry, driving, and choosing a career. We also taught them Bible stories, character lessons, and how to obey. But how to suffer? Mostly, we tried to help them avoid it. Now I am a biblical counselor who sits with people who are enduring a wide range of suffering. Seeing their struggles, I find myself looking back at this aspect of our child rearing and wishing I could have a parenting do-over. In our efforts to raise our children well and prepare them for life, we missed something important—purposefully preparing them for a world where the Bible says we will have trouble (John 16:33; James 1:2; I Pet. 4:12–13). How do we equip our children to biblically respond to life’s troubles, so they do not flounder, or worse, run away from God to false comforts? When trouble hits, practice lament and submission to God with your children....
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