Moving beyond the gospel?

Posted on April 13, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre 2 Comments

In some churches I have attended, there is a sense that the gospel entails the elementary teaching of Christianity. To move toward maturity then requires that people move beyond the gospel into more “meaty” doctrinal teaching.

I have come to realize that this is wrong headed and leads not to maturity, but to immaturity. The effect of this teaching is the exact opposite of the desired result.

Pursue the reality beyond

Posted on June 30, 2014 Written by Mark McIntyre 5 Comments

For my generation, I would also offer the hope that it is never too late to return and see the reality that you’ve been ignoring. I must constantly remind myself that there is a reality beyond the thing that consumes me at the moment. I must, as the psalmist reminds me, “prepare my heart” to be conscious of the eternal. I must not let good things become ultimate things in my life.

Out from under the carpet

One of the things I dislike about the American church is our tendency to sweep issues under the rug. Rather than deal with problems with honest integrity, we too often hide and cover the problem as if the truth were something that would damage the church. What is ironic is that this behavior is practiced […]

Six Daily Affirmations

I found these affirmations by Frank Viola to be quite helpful to me and thought I would bring them to the attention of my readers.

The church is not the only army that shoots its wounded

I have heard it said that the church is the only army that shoots its wounded. After hearing all the fuss about Adrian Peterson these last few weeks, I now know that this statement is not true. It is not false because the church does not shoot her wounded. It is false because the church is not alone in this behavior.

More than I can handle

One of the Christian platitudes that I find most irritating is “God will not give you more than you can handle.” Try telling that to Gideon and the 300 men with him as they moved toward a battle with the entire Midian army. Try telling that to Job who, in addition to experiencing the loss of health, wealth and family, had to endure the empty and sometimes harsh words of his so-called friends.

What Joseph teaches me about Thanksgiving

Genesis 41 records the story of how how Joseph responded when he was presented to Pharaoh. Even though Joseph was sold out by his brothers and falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, even though he spent years in slavery and prison, even though he had good reason to think that God had abandoned him, Joseph wastes […]

Moving beyond the gospel?

Pursue the reality beyond

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