Does the church bring freedom or coercion?

Posted on February 27, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

The church is sometimes charged with using coercion to bring people into conformity with the Bible. Is this true? How should we respond?

Why are you amazed?

I can read about miracles in the Bible and not be amazed. The flannel graph presentations of my youth have made the stories so familiar that too often I do not connect with how radical the events actually were. This healing should amaze me but its familiarity masks how marvelous it really is.

The counter-cultural church

Whether or not we have the support of the current Pharaoh, Prime Minister or President, the church is called to be countercultural.

You are the salt of the earth

Jesus tells us that believers are the salt of the earth. What does it mean to be salt and what should it look like in 2012?

Love – not busyness or programs

Paul prayed that the Philippians’ love might abound. He did not pray for busyness or programs to abound. Maybe we need to re-think our church life.

If you are discouraged about church . . .

If you are discouraged about church, it may be that your expectations are too high.

Church is not a gathering of the mature. Church is not a gathering of the wise. Church is not a gathering of the beautiful.

Church is a gathering of those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ.

Does the church bring freedom or coercion?

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