Christianity – Page 14 – Chris MacKinnon

Book Review: “Redeeming Church Conflicts”

July 6, 2012July 7, 2012 Chris

God, in all of His wisdom, gave the world His Church. We are one Body made up of many members, saved by the same faith, united by the Holy Spirit. He gave leaders and gifts to the Church to help it grow and minister to each other and the world. And yet there is one element of church life that can destroy all that God desires to accomplish through this Body: people.

I have often said that the church is made up of people, and where people are involved things get messy. Conflict is a part of church life. It doesn’t take twenty years of church membership to know this is true. Unfortunately, though we know conflict exists in the church, we usually go on without knowing how to deal with it, solve it, and move on in our walk with Christ together. Yet there is more to conflict than just “dealing it.” We have the ability to redeem conflict and come out of it healthier, closer to God and each other.

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Bible

“Evidence of Things Not Seen” (Hebrews 11:20)

July 5, 2012July 4, 2012 Chris

Isaac was the child of promise, the first and perhaps only child of Abraham and his wife, Sarah. It was through him that God’s promise to Abraham was passed down and fulfilled, though we are told that Abraham had other children before he died (see Genesis 25:1-2). Isaac married Rebekah and they had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau, the hunter, a man of strength and good looks, was the elder and was loved by his father. Jacob, the younger, the homebody, was loved by his mother.

As Isaac neared his death, he recognized that the blessing and covenant of God must be passed to the next generation. Far greater than any earthly gift we might look for in the will of a passing family member, the blessing of God was an inheritance to be cherished, desired and protected. Because of his faith in God and His promise, Isaac made a special effort to pass this gift along to his children.

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Bible

Devotion: Hebrews 11:13-16

June 1, 2012June 1, 2012 Chris

Each month I have the opportunity to speak and share music a couple of times at the chapel of our local nursing home.
This is the devotion I shared on a recent visit there.

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as “The Hall of Fame of Faith.” We are taking some time to look at the individuals and other teachings about faith in this chapter of Scripture.

So far we have defined faith (v.1), and spoken of several individuals who lived by faith. Abel offered a better sacrifice than his brother. Enoch walked with God and was taken into Heaven without having to die. Noah heard God’s warnings and built the Ark to save his family from the Flood. Abraham obeyed God, leaving his home when God said “Go,” he waited for the land that God promised him, and he trusted in God to do what he promised.

Then we run into verse 13 that tells us something that seems out of place about these people of faith.

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Book Reviews, Ministry

Book Review: “Every Leader’s Everest” by Jim C. Molloy

January 16, 2012January 16, 2012 Chris

As a leader, do you know what your greatest struggle is? Various answers may be running through your head. “Getting people to follow.” “Knowing how to make good decisions.” “Coming up with some kind of vision or direction for the people I lead.”

While all of these are genuine concerns, they are not your greatest struggle. It is not an external force, but an internal one; one that lies within you and threatens all that you hope to accomplish. Jim Molloy reveals the worst enemy of leadership in “Every Leader’s Everest.”

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Bible, Book Reviews

Book Review: “Erasing Hell” by Francis Chan & Preston Sprinkle

July 25, 2011 Chris

There has been a lot of discussion over who said what and what the Bible says about Hell. If you have taken note of the discussion, or are just curious, this book will interest you.

But there is far more at stake than the “Hell” debate, and Chan & Sprinkle make it clear right from the beginning. This is about more than doctrine; it is about the destinies of human beings.

Erasing Hell is not a direct response to Rob Bell’s Love Wins book that started the recent rounds of debate. While Chan & Preston refer to Bell in a couple of chapters, it is not a Bell-bashing book. It is an investigation into the biblical description of Hell.

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Each month I have the opportunity to speak and share music a couple of times at the chapel of our local nursing home. This is the devotion I shared on a recent visit there.

Each month I have the opportunity to speak and share music a couple of times at the chapel of our local nursing home.
This is the devotion I shared on a recent visit there.