Introduction: The Loss of Community How do we develop community, especially Christian community?  This question is the question of our day in a way that it perhaps has never been in the history of humankind.  From the invention of the automobile to Smartphones and Covid, community has been torn from the heart of our modern society. [1]   Church attendance has declined steadily as well.  Those communal institutions, such as schools and universities, have recently become hotbeds of hate, the inevitable result of Progressivism. [2] Many Evangelical churches have contributed to the breakdown of community beyond their shuttering churches during Covid.  As Evangelicals abandoned the mainline denominations in the 1970s-2010 that themselves abandoned historic, Christian theology and ethics, some formed Evangelical denominations.  Many, however, became independent churches, lacking a larger, institutional community structure that could accomplish what was needed for missions and ministry, y

According to a report from  Christian Today  (30 March, 2024), Scotland's government is seeking to ban so-called 'conversion therapy': The Scottish government says it wants to protect people "from the harm of conversion practices". Under current proposals, a crime will have been committed if so-called conversion practices have been "committed with the intent that the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity would be changed or suppressed". The recommended penalty is up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to £10,000, or both. The report also notes that, while the Church of Scotland is in general agreement with the proposed ban, the Roman Catholic and 'other' churches are not because of religious freedom and the rights of parents. Indeed, opposition to 'conversion' itself seems to be at issue.  The Good News of the Gospel is good news because God's salvation has come to us, making it possible for us to convert.  It has

  Introduction The world is a hateful place.   Who can deny it?   As Paul says, For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3.3, ESV). Quite possibly, this is what Paul meant in Ephesians 2.3 when he described the pre-Christian life as a time when we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [1] In Titus, Paul contrasts our hatred of others to the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Saviour (Titus 3.4), and in Ephesians our wrath as sons of disobedience following the prince of the power of the air contrast with God’s mercy and love (Ephesians 2.4).   To pray for our enemies is to move from malice, envy, hatred, and wrath to God’s goodness, lovingkindness, mercy, and love. A Complete Ethic Jesus prayed from the cross for His enemies: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do' (Luke 23.34).  This

  The disciples were enjoying a rest along the Windrush River on their journey from Monmouth to Oxford.   In Witney, one of the disciples had picked up a newspaper and was now reading headlines to the others.   ‘Well, this is rather humourous!’ he exclaimed. ‘What is it?’ asked another disciple. ‘Well, a major focus of this last General Synod of the Church of England has been to bring about reconciliation after all the divisions the revisionists have caused in trying to change the Church of England’s views on sex and marriage.’ ‘Yes, we know that.’ ‘And...,’ said the disciple, holding up his hand, ‘And so now everyone is supposed to ignore the fundamental differences over sexuality and marriage and get on with other business.  This ignoring the great division is being called "reconciliation."’ ‘Get to the funny bit,’ shouted a disciple. ‘All right, all right.   So, at Synod, someone put forward a motion that the Synod acknowledge that there are some in the Church

Having pressed ahead with its blessings of homosexual unions, [1] the Church of England now wants to repair the disunity this has inevitably rendered in the denomination.   The words ‘love’ and ‘faith’ were used to enshroud this rejection of God’s commandments on gender, sex, and marriage.   Now the word ‘reconciliation’ has been introduced to attempt to rally unity between the orthodox and heretical groups despite fundamental disagreement.   The baker has followed a faulty recipe, the cake has flopped, and now he imagines he might repair the mess he has made with a pretty icing.   Theological terms—nice-sounding terms—like ‘love’, ‘faith’, and ‘reconciliation’ are used in feigned spirituality, devoid of their Biblical meanings, in order to drag Christians along a heretical path. [2]   The overseers of a Church that they have abused and diminished [3] cajole faithful believers not supporting their wayward ways. ‘Reconciliation’ is a term found in Paul’s writings, and if Scripture i