Viral Faith

  "Some who walk this wide road represent themselves as sheep, but inside they are hungry wolves.  Watch out for these false prophets.  You will know them by their fruit.  Do grapes come from a thorn bush or pears from thistles?  Will a sick tree give good fruit or a healthy tree bad fruit?  No! Healthy trees give good fruit and sick trees give bad fruit.  It is the trees with bad fruit that are cut down and used to make a fire.  When you see the fruit of their ways, you will know them.  Not everyone who calls me their Great Chief is walking the good road from the spirit-world above.  The ones who do what my Father from the spirit-world above wants are the ones walking this road."  (Matthew-Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story: 7:15-21 FNV) "Discernment is not decision-making.  Rather, discernment is allowing God to show us who we are to be in this world.  Maybe God doesn't care much about what you do, but cares a great ...

  " Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid. " -- Jesus in Jn 14:27 "The church, of itself, is not the kingdom.  It is, rather, the messianic community in the service of the kingdom.  It witnesses to the kingdom. In its life and values, it anticipates the kingdom.  It is the community charged with continuing the messianic mission in the same Spirit and strategy that characterized Jesus' mission. It is the community in which the signs of the kingdom are most evident."  --John Driver in Images of the Church in Mission Many of you may be aware that I am currently privileged to serve in a denominational leadership role, where I promote the well-being of churches and help develop new ones.  In that role, I have the opportunity to visit with lots of churches, their pastors, as well as churches and leaders outside of my denomination.  I share that with you because I want to share my observ...