Articles for tag: Love Your Enemies

November 1, 2023

Ben Cachiaras

Fighting for Relationships: Striving for Unity in Politically Divisive Times

Fighting for Relationships: Striving for Unity in Politically Divisive Times

By Ben Cachiaras  Shortly before his recent unexpected passing, my friend, Christian Standard editor Mike Mack, asked me via email: “How can we love one another in a culture where there is so much sharp disagreement? . . . Would you write something on the challenge of fighting for relationships?”   Before his untimely death, the burden on Mike’s heart—and likely many of our hearts—was to see Christ followers navigate the nasty culture wars, the lack of civility, and the political polarization to live out faith in God-honoring ways. “How do we disagree without hating?” he asked.   Indeed, some people now

January 4, 2021

Mark Scott

Jan 10 | Unconventional Wisdom

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. He also serves as minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin. This lesson treatment is published in the January 2021 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “Don’t Stay the Way You Are” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Jan. 10, 2021 ________ Lesson Aim: Let love define your righteousness. ________ In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, the most unlikely people (Matthew 5:3-12) have the most sway

December 28, 2020

David Faust

Jan 3 | Do the Opposite

In an episode of the TV show Seinfeld, Jerry’s friend George sits in the coffee shop bemoaning his bad luck. He says, “My life is the opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have, in every aspect of life . . . it’s all been wrong.”

June 14, 2020

Michael C. Mack

The Church and Politics: Why?

By Michael C. Mack I’m guessing some of you are wondering why Christian Standard would devote almost an entire issue to politics . . . especially this year. I know—you know, we all know—what a divisive topic this can be. I know our readership, like many of our churches, consists of people across the political spectrum. Some of you may believe we shouldn’t talk about politics at all. We are, in fact, the Christian Standard, with a heavy emphasis on Christian. Some may assert we should stay in our lane and keep our focus on Christian church leadership issues. After

July 22, 2019

Christian Standard

Planting Roots in the City (Los Angeles)

By Andrew Alesso “Wait. So, you’re a minister, right?” she blurted out in the middle of our book club’s group discussion. “Ha ha. Yeah, something like that,” I responded nervously. “I’m surprised you’re being so nice to me,” she said. And then—with no hint of sarcasm—she asked, “And you really don’t hate me?” I’d recently started the book club as a way to meet people in my city. I moved to Los Angeles to facilitate conversations like this. She had just told the group she was an evolutionary biologist. I had just acknowledged she must have a fascinating job. “Wait.

August 22, 2017

Jerry Harris

No Room for Racism

By Jerry Harris In our most recent Christian Standard digital newsletter (dated August 16), we shared a story reported in the Des Moines Register about a Glenwood, Iowa, church”s reaction to the appalling events in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12. (As you will recall, white supremacists demonstrated, there were counter-protests and violent clashes, and then a man drove his car into a crowd of counter-protestors, killing one and injuring several others.) In response, the Iowa church changed the message on its sign to read, “White supremacy is sin. Say it.” After sending out the newsletter, we received a comment back

February 13, 2017

Christian Standard

Surprise!

By Chad Ragsdale The Jesus of Scripture is not the safe Jesus we may seek. I was in the library the other day and stumbled across a book titled What Would Jesus Drive? My imagination was immediately captivated by the idea of Jesus and his disciples road tripping down the dusty back roads of Galilee. I was also curious how in the world the author could get an entire book from such a narrow topic, so I opened it up. It turns out each chapter placed Jesus in a different, contemporary ethical situation. “What would Jesus eat?” “What would Jesus

September 7, 2016

Christian Standard

Love and Reconciliation

By Jim Tune On Sunday, September 15, 1963, four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted and then detonated at least 15 sticks of dynamite beneath the front steps of an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama. The firebombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church killed four girls, prompting Martin Luther King Jr. to make one of the most radical statements imaginable: “At times life is hard, as hard as crucible steel. In spite of the darkness of this hour, we must not lose faith in our white brothers.” To insist on faith in the humanity of an enemy and to

April 11, 2016

Christian Standard

WHAT’S NEXT?: Filled with Mercy

We asked several Christian leaders, “What should churches served by CHRISTIAN STANDARD strive to be or do or look like in the next decades?” ____ By Rachel Grindle Churches should be places filled with people who love mercy””God”s mercy. Personally, I want all of God”s mercy I can get. I am grateful he doesn”t hold my sins against me and that he calls those who are far away to come near with his kindness and mercy. But when I realize that mercy is for everyone and not just me, I begin to realize, similar to Jonah, how much I actually prefer judgment to

November 20, 2015

Christian Standard

My Thoughts on Paris

By Joe Boyd I was in New York City for business meetings the Friday night of the attacks in Paris. After returning home, my wife and I began to discuss things. I wasn”t a very good conversationalist. (She”s used to that.) I was tired from a long week at work. I was also, like so many, confused about the state of the world and afraid that things would escalate. She asked me to write what I was thinking, suggesting it might help people process. (Maybe she just wanted me to process.) I quickly jotted my thoughts down in my personal

October 31, 2015

Christian Standard

The Best Sermon I’ve Ever Heard (4)

By Arron Chambers Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can”t forget””and maybe you won”t either.  ____ Marie Jobe Marie is an avid reader, running enthusiast, and a passionate pursuer and supporter of Brian Jobe, lead pastor at Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri. Marie”s Best Sermon: The best sermon on what it means to be a temple of the Holy Spirit by John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon (https://vimeo.com/90938239). Why Marie likes this sermon: “I am very passionate about inspiring others to take responsibility with

August 12, 2015

Christian Standard

Armed and Dangerous

By Jim Tune A few years ago, a Seeds of Compassion event in Seattle, Washington, was organized around the visit of the Dalai Lama. One of the highlights was a joint speech by the Dalai Lama and South African bishop Desmond Tutu. Both men have committed their lives to peace and nonviolence. Their humanitarian work has saved lives and made the world a safer place. Both men espouse the value of enemy love. Both are committed to the call to love their enemies just as they would love their friends. They have lived out this commitment in ways most of

November 19, 2014

Christian Standard

Swords, Plowshares, and Evangelicals

By Jim Tune The Sermon on the Mount has been speaking to me in fresh ways lately. In the tradition of Alexander Campbell, I am trying to read these passages without viewing them through any particular Evangelical, sociopolitical, or theological lens. You can imagine how difficult this is to do. My biases rise up in protest””especially when I read what Jesus taught about peacemaking and loving enemies. Please don”t send me any hermeneutical treatments of the subject. I”ve read them all. But in times of honest reflection, I find myself pushing back when it comes to all the Evangelical escape

March 24, 2014

Christian Standard

The Spirituality of Shutting Up

By Casey Tygrett We may hear those who speak to us from different theological platforms. But have we really learned to listen to them? If not, we may be missing the most spiritual thing we can do when confronted by those with whom we disagree. The conductor steps to the platform. His back is firm and straight, posture perfect, and he lifts the baton gently into the air. The musicians with their instruments wait for the moment and the motion to begin the performance. The musician”s score contains different parts, but all the performers are pointed toward one pinnacle””the sweeping moment

January 6, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for January 12, 2014: Living as God”s People (Luke 6:12-49)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Luke does not specify the time and place when Jesus delivered the message we study today. It possibly could be the same lesson known as the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5″“7). It is also possible that it is a different message delivered at a different time but containing some basic themes and illustrations that are also found in the other. Regardless, this message has one main emphasis””living as God”s people.   Praying and Choosing Luke

May 28, 2012

Christian Standard

Lesson for June 3, 2012: Practice Justice (Exodus 22:1-23:9)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone In the three summer months we will focus attention on an important theme throughout Scripture””justice. The lessons will include highlights from 12 Old Testament books. They make it plain that God is concerned that his people be consistent in practicing his kind of justice in our very wicked world. The book of Exodus does not simply tell about how the children of Israel left Egypt. In addition it contains the laws laid down by God to

November 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Lesson for Nov. 13, 2011: Loving Unconditionally (Matthew 5:38-48)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for November 13) is written by Ron Mobley, senior minister with Northwest Christian Church in Acworth, Georgia. ____________ Loving Unconditionally (Matthew 5:38-48) By Ron Mobley The classic song from the stage play Carnival begins, “Love makes the world go round.“ If you have paid attention to world news in recent months you realize that if “love makes the world go round,” our planet has nearly come to a screeching halt! If someone asks, “Can you feel the love,” the answer for many in our world must be “NO!”   It”s Personal

April 6, 2008

Christian Standard

What Am I Likely to Hear?

By Jan Johnson READ THE MAIN STORY: “Turn Up the Quiet”     While the first step in hearing God is to clear out the voices that are NOT God, the next step is to have in mind the kinds of things God is likely to say””because God has said these things to people before! What God says to us today will agree with what God said to folks in the Bible. Here are some of God”s themes. Love. The most common theme in both Testaments is the great commandments to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy

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