Football, forgiveness and a fallacy

Posted on August 29, 2019 by jwfisch

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As Christians and evangelical Christianity get more and more mention in the press, we need to be smarter about testing what is properly represented, misrepresented, or what might have been compromised in the process.

For instance, I read a newspaper article recently about a certain Christian University that is eager to up their football program to a higher level. They want to be to evangelicals what Notre Dame is to Catholics and Brigham Young is to Mormons. They want to be a major national football power.

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Posted in grace, sports | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The rest of the gospel

Posted on August 28, 2019 by jwfisch

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For most of the twentieth century, Christians have been preaching half a gospel. Not that anything we’ve been saying is wrong, it’s more about what we’ve been leaving out. To be sure, we’ve started with the fall — with human depravity and the need for a savior, followed by the provision of that very thing in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. So the whole thrust has been to convict people of sin and then tell them about Jesus who alone can save and promise eternal life. John 3:16 has been the touchstone of this message for this generation, and Billy Graham has been the key proponent. That’s why we’re evangelicals; we’re all evangelists concerned about getting people into heaven. This may sound like the whole story, but it’s not. It’s the guts of the story, but it’s missing the bookends.

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Posted in Millennials, Worldview | Tagged , | 6 Comments

One more day, only

Posted on August 27, 2019 by jwfisch

So here is the good news: we’ve gotten a one-day extension from Wells Fargo bank on our deadline.

And here’s the bad news: well, actually, there isn’t any bad news, not as long as you are with us. And you are indeed the most gosh darn faithful group of supporters anybody could wish for. I’m up late tonight, but I know you’ll be there in the morning to pick up right where we left off. And we are more than halfway to goal.

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Bridge to the next generation

Posted on August 26, 2019 by jwfisch

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Following is a letter we sent out over the weekend to all our MemberPartners and major donors. It’s a letter that explains why we need to raise $5,000 by the end of the day today. We are sending it out this morning to everyone because 1) we realize some might have missed it, and 2) we’re going to need everyone’s participation to make this happen. But that’s as it should be, since the future belongs to all of us.

Are we as Boomers going to be content to just coast into the station at the end of our lives oblivious to the changing world we live in and content to float on home watching some movie about the way we were? Or are we going to wake up, turn around and head back out on the morning train into the world as it is, looking to build bridges — bridges into the culture, and bridges to the next generation as they seek to figure out what faith means in their world. Let’s face it: It’s not our world anymore; it’s theirs. Wait long enough and we’ll all be gone anyway, so who cares about us? It’s not about us.

So I invite you to read the letter and do what you can to help us reach our goal today.

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Our lives tell the story

Posted on August 23, 2019 by jwfisch

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We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also. 2 Corinthians 6:11-13

Ministry – including evangelism and discipleship — is people touching people; life on life. It is not just disseminating information. You can do that with a piece of paper or a book or an app. It is faith working itself out through our lives as we learn from the Word and receive encouragement from each other. It is all our lives lived as an open book. This is really all of it; not just our ministry among other believers but our ministry in the world: life on life, each life as an open book.

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Posted in Friendship, relationships | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Alone or together?

Posted on August 22, 2019 by jwfisch

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“Yours for the Journey” means we are not alone. It means we belong to each other for the duration. It means that if you choose to mess up, you take me with you; and if I mess up, I take you with me. That’s the kind of thing that might make us think twice before we do something stupid. We have big words for this like “accountability” and “responsibility,” but in the end, it means that we are on a journey together. We are walking side by side.

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Posted in Friendship, relationships | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Yours for the Journey

Posted on August 21, 2019 by jwfisch

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I chose you before the foundation of the world

I formed your inward parts

I knit you together in your mother’s womb

I called you

I heard your call

I saved you

I delivered you

I forgave your sins

I washed you clean

I forgot your sins

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Posted in discipleship, walk by faith | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Turn, Turn, Turn

Posted on August 20, 2019 by jwfisch

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by Marti Fischer

People are waiting for Jesus.

Jesus can be seen in us when we are unmasked.

We are unwilling to be unmasked over what people might see.

Jesus remains hidden.

People are still waiting for Jesus.

When we think our sins are less despicable than our neighbor’s, we are greatly deceiving ourselves, and worse, those around us. When we see our sins as mere flaws needing improvement, we are hiding behind a self-made mask that prevents onlookers from looking into the wicked sinner we truly are and finding Christ.

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Posted in Dealing with sin, freedom, Old/New Covenants | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Better to be saved

Posted on August 19, 2019 by jwfisch

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Trying to be better is way over-rated. It’s more beneficial to be one who is saved and out seeking others who are lost.

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Posted in grace | Tagged , | 2 Comments

No more “Love the sinner; hate the sin”

Posted on August 16, 2019 by jwfisch

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When you love someone you embrace the whole person.

This whole “Love the sinner; hate the sin” thing should be buried for good — not because it’s wrong, but because it’s impossible. If you’re going to love me and hate my sin, just where does my sin stop, and the “me” that you’re going to love begin?

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Posted in God's love, grace turned outward | Tagged , , | 15 Comments