511 results for tag: blog

“Father, forgive them” – Particular & Universal – Brad Jersak

"Father, forgive them.” When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE ...

Neither Poverty Nor Riches by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from November 2014 Here in the U.S. the month of November includes a nationally mandated Day of Thanksgiving. If you are one of our Canadian Friends and Partners, you already have memories of your Thanksgiving Day observed on October 13. Thanksgiving celebrations usually center around expressions of gratitude for physical blessings. Thanksgiving observances often involve filling ourselves with physical food, but as Christfollowers we are far more thankful to God for filling us with his grace and mercy. Of course, the physical blessings we enjoy do cause us to stop and consider the plight of others in our world. ...

Understanding Theological (and Political) Anger – Brad Jersak and Floris Kersloot.

The following are my takeaways from advice I received from my psychologist friend, Floris Kersloot. The topic was on how to understand and respond as peace-builders when faced with angry reactions over theological (or political) convictions.   Even when (and especially when) sharing something so basic and central to Christianity as "God is love" or "Jesus calls us away from violence into cruciform enemy love," we often see people of faith and good will triggered into what seems like inexplicable anger and defensiveness. For theological perspectives to cause angry reactions rather than lively discussions should seem strange. What ...

All Things Come of Thee – Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner letter for November 2021 “All things come of Thee, O Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” All Things Come of Thee is a traditional hymn and prayer, whose message reminds us that giving thanks results, for Christ-followers, in giving. All Things Come of Thee confesses that anything and everything we give to God ultimately belongs to him for he gave it to us to begin with. Our Thanks-Giving is but a minimal return to God of his greater and supreme gifts he lavishes on us. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to acknowledge that all we have, from the money in our pockets, to the food in our refrigerator and the ...

Sacrifices, Offerings & the Cross – Brad Jersak

1603-1604. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Sacrifice in Human History and the Torah Sacrificial religion is far more ancient than human history itself. Archaeologists have even discovered signs of burial ritual even among Neanderthal graves. And sociologists such as Rene Girard have developed theories of how sacrificial offerings (of flowers or food) developed into sacred violence, whether it was the slaughter of humans or the vicarious sacrifice of animals (cf. Rene Girard, Violence and the Sacred). By the time the Jewish Torah was composed in its final form, we have a narrative that walks readers through these stages: ◦ God provides ...

Fact, Fiction or Truth … or Why Aren’t You Reading Novels? Bradley Jersak

I frequently encounter surprise and even occasional disdain when I recommend works of fiction as a critical element of one's spiritual or theological diet. "What's the point? Novels aren't true," I'm asked with incredulity. Or sometimes, "I only read spiritual books," with a judgmental edge. As if works of fiction are neither spiritual nor true. This belies a fundamental lack of understanding about the nature of truth. Truth, especially God's truth, is true regardless of the genre by which it is delivered, whether fiction or nonfiction; prophecy, poetry or parable; apocalyptic or dystopia, and so on. Add to the literary genres other ...

Grace ‘writes off the debt’ – Brad Jersak

You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff…  I’d be in big trouble if Karma was ...

Q & R: What are the Limits of Everlasting Mercy? – Brad Jersak

"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:3 "For the LORD is good; His loving-kindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:5 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever." Psalm 136:1  Question: If God's Spirit "shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3), then what are the limits of God's mercy? David proclaims God's mercy as enduring forever and his loving-kindness as everlasting. But doesn't his patience run out? Doesn't the story of Noah, for example, show that God is ...

The Power of a Tireless Minority by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from October 2015 “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather a tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds."– attributed to Samuel Adams, an American Founding Father (1722-1803). IT DOES NOT TAKE A MAJORITY TO PREVAIL! Throughout history, authentic Christianity seems to have thrived when it was a distinct minority. On the other hand, it seems that the pure gospel and faith taught by Jesus and proclaimed in theNew Testament was polluted and corrupted when Christendom became the official, state religion and it was enforced and institutionalized. Setting brush fires in people’s ...

Punisher or Pushover? How Is Wrath “God’s” – Brad Jersak

How, why or when is 'wrath' God's? Why does the Bible talk about 'the wrath of God'?  As we continue to preach and teach the NT message that "God is Infinite Love," embodied in Christ and revealed on the Cross, it is right that we should continually challenge and be challenged by "the wrath of God." That challenge requires us to keep returning to the Scriptures and to the Lord for greater clarity, because such great potential for error persists. We dare not slander God, either as a violent punisher or a spineless pushover, because such images serve as stumbling blocks, especially to those suffering under the consequences of their ...

Christ-centered faith vs Christless religion/spirituality – Brad Jersak

Lately, I’ve been noticing subtle differences between the popular ‘spirituality vs. religion’ and ‘faith vs. religion' Some prefer ‘spirituality’ because it only implies one’s own spiritual self or soul (sans any god at all). So hiking the mountains is ‘spiritual’ because it nurtures the soul. True enough. However,  I personally prefer to speak of ‘faith’ because my spiritual self or my soul has been freed and fed by a Love greater than my own … and indeed, faith freed me from religion in a way that spirituality hadn’t. As one Orthodox priest says, ‘Religion is a neurological disease and faith is its cure.’ I’m also ...

Clenched Fists, Limp Wrists or Open Hands – Brad Jersak

How do I wait when God seems to wait? When do I act as God's hands?  How do we wait for God's grace when we are called to be agents of God's grace?  "For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." (Hab. 2:3) "God sees the truth, but waits." Leo Tolstoy To me, this is a very difficult question, because rather than just asking God for a direct answer, the question itself puts us into a posture or place of waiting... potentially awkward or even painful waiting. But here's a little prayer exercise that may lead you into seeing ...

Q&R: What’s with ‘spiritual warfare’?

Question: I've been thinking about this idea of war. Is there any space for 'war' in God's heart? I think absolutely not. Just peacemaking, and laying life down, and endless mercy and love, etc. But what about spiritual warfare? What about the spiritual battle language so prevalent in the church. Is that not a form of war against...the devil, demons, etc? Is that appropriate. Are they not also God's creatures whom he cannot hate? Will he not forgive them in the end? Or is spiritual warfare just a metaphor to help us make sense of things? If so, I feel like it's really problematic for our war-mongering, us vs. them culture. Can we hold on ...

Being Loved and Served and Passing It On

Friend and Partner Letter October 2021: In 1942 the United States was at war with Japan. Many citizens, and for that matter, our state and federal government, found it hard to distinguish between Japanese-American residents and citizens of the United States and the sovereign nation of Japan, who had launched the infamous surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Something like 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to internment camps located primarily in the midwestern, southern and western United States. Carole Doi was born as a third generation Japanese-American while her parents were interned in one of the many camps which were ...

“Always in the Care of a Loving God” – Brad Jersak

"We are always in the care of a loving God." Attendees of 12-Step Recovery meetings (AA, NA, SAA, etc.) regularly make a powerful and counterintuitive affirmation—from and for addicts who, given their history of tragic life experiences, might have every reason to disbelieve it. They say:  “We learn that the world is a much safer place than we had ever known before, because we are always in the care of a loving God." Seriously? I generally don’t regard this world as a safe place. Just watch the news tonight (or better, take an extended mental health break from it!). But my sense that life in this world is mainly tragic is, in ...

Counterfeit vs. Genuine Love by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from September 2013: Where is love? Does it fall from skies above? – Lyrics from “Where is Love?” from the stage musical and film “Oliver!” – based on the 1839 novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. Ten-year old orphan Oliver Twist sings the haunting refrain “Where is Love?” after being banished to the cellar of a funeral parlor. After enduring most of his early life in a “workhouse,” Oliver is assigned as an apprentice in a funeral home, which turns out to be another slave-like exploitation, where he serves an undertaker. Just before Oliver plaintively sings about the whereabouts of ...

What if God has your back? by Brad Jersak

“What will be will be, but God always has my back.”  A friend of mine said that last night.    Thoughts and feelings burst through my mind and heart like fireworks.        "This feels deeply true to my heart of hearts."      "But is it true? What about affliction?"      "How is this different than denial of suffering?"       "How is this different from platitudes like 'everything always works out'?"   Because it doesn't always work out.Even good people go bankrupt, lose their jobs, their homes. Even good people get sick, ...

Love Thrives in Tough Times by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from August 2015: The popular idea of love, particularly among the young, is of a rapturous, eternal, sun-soaked, care-free day at the beach. Two young people who are head-over-heels “in love” dream of having children and a family, but give little thought to sleepless nights and dirty diapers. Smitten by infatuation, young people can only imagine the future as being picnics in the park and endless passion in their bedroom. It doesn’t take long for two people who are in love to realize that this thing called love encompasses all the days and times and moments of their lives – love shares joy and sorrow. ...

How Far Will God Go? – Greg Albrecht

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ...

Q & R: Why the Prophetic Directives to Destroy? — Brad Jersak

  Question:  I just finished reading your new book A More Christlike God and I loved it! I have a question and want to see if you know of any resources that might be helpful.Specifically, my question relates to certain stories in the OT where God seems to give clear prophetic directives about killing every man, woman, child and animal in the city such as in the story of Joshua and Jericho. I understand that sometimes people heard God through their own "lens" and may have attributed actions/words to God that were really a reflection of their own image of God. However, what do you do with passages where there seems to be a clear ...