Most of the mechanisms God uses to transform us into Christlikeness aren’t big; they're small. They are the series of choices we face day after day. This is how Paul described growing in Christ – not as something exciting, but as a methodical process akin to that of athletic training:
Just a few blocks from the east side of downtown Houston is the cultural home of a longstanding and historic Mexican-American community. Walls are decorated with murals that recount their history. Across town, just west of the first interstate loop is a small commercial district named the Mahatma Gandhi District, an official title granted by the city in 2010. Go a few miles further west down Bellaire Boulevard, and the street signs eventually turn into Chinese.
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I opened my Bible this morning, the day after our nation’s epidemic of school shootings pierced the tight-knit community we called home for almost a decade, to a familiar psalm. King David writes, “God, hear my cry; pay attention to my prayer. I call to you from the ends of the earth when my heart is without strength” (Psalm 61:1-2).
While you may be all too aware of recent tragedies, most younger kids probably aren’t even aware—thank God. To some extent, ignorance may be the best plan.
If you’ve been a pastor for any length of time, you’ve had to answer the question of why someone should join the church. If we’re honest, many pastors don’t have a good answer to this question. It’s obvious that pastors want people to join, but it’s not as obvious why a person should choose to join.
