"He who is not with me is against me," Jesus once warned some skeptics who accused him of expelling demons by the power of Satan (Lk. 11:23). No one can encounter the Son of God and remain neutral about his identity. His radical claims will not go away, nor will his call to life-giving, life-absorbing and life-changing discipleship. To meet the Christ is to face a crisis. His very presence demands decision. On another occasion, Jesus' disciples reported with alarm, "We saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us" (9:49). … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber in the northeastern U.S. says that he belongs to a church which many have "left their denominational roots" to join, "to be part of the Lord's church, to preach Jesus and the way of salvation stated in the New Testament." He wants to know where I stand "in terms of the Gospel plan of salvation, who are the saved, is denominational baptism valid, and denominational fellowshipping among the Lord's church." * * * I encourage you not to confuse "the Lord's church" with some particular historical religious movement of which we happen to be a part. God's program is worldwide … [Read more...]

One of Jesus' most poignant teachings, to my mind, is his discourse to the apostles shortly before his death concerning himself as the Good Shepherd. Here the Savior opens his heart, expressing his devotion to the Father's will, his tender love for those whom the Father has given him (also described as those who hear his voice and follow him--Jesus can affirm divine sovereignty and human responsibility at the same time) and his passion for the spiritual oneness between the Father, himself and all his people that is at least one goal of all the above. In the course of these reflections, the … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber inquires, "Is it better to be in Church 'A,' which has zeal, involvement in each other's life and a focus on mission -- but which also has exclusivistic assumptions that they are the only 'true' Christians, or in Church 'B,' which is less exclusivistic but which is dead evangelistically and which accepts lukewarmness in general?" * * * Is the active, outreaching but exclusivistic church open to the Word? Many of us began with sectarian or legalistic understandings but with hungry hearts and God gently (or roughly!) led us to a different place. If you choose to connect … [Read more...]

A Texas subscriber writes that he left the Baptist church many years ago for the Church of Christ, "to follow Jesus more closely." Most of what he reads in gracEmail is "contrary" to what he believes "about the church the Lord died for," he says. As for preaching a "plan," he refers me "to The Ephesians letter where you will find that God did indeed have a plan for the salvation of man before the foundation of the world. I love my Lord Jesus," he affirms, "and his church, the church of Christ! There is only one church and those who have refused to be buried with the Lord in baptism to wash … [Read more...]

When I began writing this gracEmail, I thought it might interest only subscribers who share my own spiritual heritage in the Churches of Christ ("CoCs"). These are an association of autonomous congregations who, lacking any sort of institutional superstructure, accomplish a great deal of good nonetheless. One of three major tribes who descended from the 19th-century "Restoration Movement" ("RM") led by Barton W. Stone and the Campbells (father and son Thomas and Alexander), the CoCs traditionally tended toward isolationism and sometimes even aloofness. I used to participate in such conduct, … [Read more...]