THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘The Gospel Plan of Salvation’ (1927)
In 1927, L.A. Chapman, minister in Bedford, Ohio, compiled this listing of Scripture verses that "answer the question, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ presented without note or comment.”
Articles for tag: Grace
July 24, 2023
The Anti-Miracle
It is amazing what God did with the "anti-miracle" of Good Friday. . . .
July 1, 2023
Learning About Alzheimer’s, Myself, and God
(And Determined to Remember the Forgetting) By Mark A. Taylor I sat with my friend Joan, a gentle, pretty 83-year-old, who is the picture of Southern grace and charm. She was her husband’s caregiver for the seven years he suffered with Alzheimer’s disease, until he died in April 2021. I was interviewing Joan for my website, Unchosen Journey: A Caregiver’s Walk with Alzheimer’s (www.unchosenjourney.com). “How did you cope with his death?” I asked her. “Our 59 years were good years,” she said. “But today I want to remember the hard times.” “Why?” I responded. I wasn’t expecting this—or her reaction
July 1, 2023
One Expression at a Time
How We, Like Jesus, Can Meet People at Their Point of Deepest Need
July 1, 2023
‘A Miracle of God’s Grace’—A CS Interview with Dr. John Castelein
Paul E. Boatman Talks to Dr. John Castelein About His Crisis of Faith
‘If Then Move’ Promotes Healing and Growth in Women
By Laura McKillip Wood Wendy Fitzgerald has a passion for serving God and for helping others see how God works in their lives. As a young woman involved in her church, she looked at the women around her and saw many who wanted to serve God with their talents but did not know how to start. Many of the women felt limited in their churches and did not know how to use their gifts in that setting. Some felt overwhelmed with childcare and family, while others felt isolated because they did not have husbands and families. Wendy began to pray
July 1, 2023
It’s Not About How Much Faith You Have
By Jerry Harris When I came to The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, 25 years ago, I fashioned a mission statement of helping people find “an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” The thought that a real relationship with Jesus was even possible was a game changer for many in our church and community, and it shaped our impact on the world around us. If I understand that the “what” of my faith is defined in my relationship to Jesus, and if a relationship is what I want, then the next logical step is the “how.” I think the “how” of
June 5, 2023
June 11 | Discovery
Questions for group discussion for use with this week’s lesson titled “Warning for Idol Worshippers” (Jeremiah 2:1-13, 26-28; 4:1-2).
May 22, 2023
May 28 | Application (‘New Every Morning’)
Some of us roll out of bed at sunrise and hit the ground running, while others take a while to get going. For night people, “A.M.” stands for “Already Morning?” . . . Have you ever wondered what God does every morning?
May 22, 2023
May 28 | Discovery
Questions for group discussion for use with this week’s lesson titled “Waiting” (Lamentations 3:19-33, 39-42, 55-58).
Tuning Our Hearts
Three events recorded in Luke 19 offer three tuning forks for the soul. . . .
18 Christian Colleges Have Closed Since COVID’s Arrival (Plus News Briefs)
Eighteen Christian colleges have closed since the arrival of COVID-19 in early 2020, Christianity Today reported. They include denominational and Restoration Movement-affiliated colleges. Plus additional news briefs, including the upcoming celebration of American Rehabilitation Ministries' 50th anniversary.
May 1, 2023
Humility, Unity . . . Revival
By Michael C. Mack “Jesus loves this. He loves humility. He loves unity.” A leader at Asbury University spoke these words amid what some have called revival. I visited Asbury in February and witnessed what I would call a gentle moving of God’s Spirit among people both young and old—but led by the young (Gen Z). Several things were noticeably missing at the college, however. Not once did I hear anyone refer to the denomination or tribe they belonged to or the name of the preacher at their church. I heard no arguments about worship style, Bible versions, or any
April 10, 2023
April 16 | Application (‘The Messiness of Ministry’)
Do you ever shake your head and sigh, 'Why is this world such a mess?'” David Faust asks. "Do you wish everyone would just get their act together and do what they’re supposed to do? . . ."
March 13, 2023
March 19 | Application (‘The Lowest Point on Earth’)
When you find yourself in low places—morally, physically, relationally, or circumstantially—the God of grace is able to repair your “broken walls” and restore what seems ruined (Amos 9:11). . . .
March 6, 2023
March 12 | Grant Me Mercy
The eighth-century BC prophet Micah (like his counterparts Amos and Hosea) prophesied against the northern and southern kingdoms. Micah cried out against idolatry, immorality, leadership crises, and family deterioration. But his prophecy had some bright spots . . .
March 1, 2023
How Do We Talk About Grace with a Generation That Feels No Guilt?
By Tyler McKenzie As generations of young people emerge who are more different than ever imagined, how should our presentation of God’s grace change? Millennials (those born 1981–96) are assuming leadership. Gen Z (born 1997–2012) is entering the workforce. The youngest of those from Generation Alpha (about 2013–25) are upon the age of accountability. They are the new mission field. From Guilt to Shame One of my hypotheses is that evangelists of the future will shift from presenting grace through a guilt framework to a shame framework. Guilt is, “I did something bad.” Shame is, “I am bad.” While guilt
March 1, 2023
Chronicles of Grace (from the CS Archives)
The Perspectives of Our Editors and Essayists Over the Years
March 1, 2023
Where Grace Can Be Found
By Michael C. Mack One of my favorite classes in seminary was Doctrine of Grace, taught by Jack Cottrell. It was an introduction for me in my relatively newfound faith to the nature of God, the essence of salvation, and the call of the Christian life. Thirty-five years later, I’m still learning about grace. I see it everywhere, as God’s Spirit opens my eyes and heart to it. It’s found, for example, in Paul’s instructions to husbands on how to love their wives “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Paul then described
March 1, 2023
The Grace-Filled God of the Entire Bible
By Marty Solomon The idea that the God of the Old Covenant is a God of law, while the New Covenant shows us a God of grace, is a common concept that often undergirds our reading of the Bible. This is likely made worse by the idea that the Hebrew Scriptures depict a God that is full of wrath. Even if we reject this idea on principle, it seems to have affected so much of how we read the Bible. I think most of us, whatever our opinion of the Old Testament God vs. New Testament God, would affirm the
