One of the common reactions when a church or ministry finds itself embroiled in a scandal is what I call the Double Down Response. You see it all the time, a scandal breaks out and there is a rush to affirm the mission statement, the core doctrines, and the gospel. The scenario plays out in text book-like patterns, a Christian
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Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Luke 6:31 (NLT) I was perturbed. It was frustrating enough that the mechanic couldn’t tell me why the red warning light had come on in my car. But in addition, he rattled off a long list of other items he said needed immediate attention. He was willing to
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The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights. Proverbs 11:1 (NLT) We hadn’t been in our new home very long when I went down to the basement one evening to retrieve some laundry. To my surprise, I discovered a puddle on the floor and drips coming from under the water meter. The meter looked
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So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34 (NLT) We’ve probably all said it at one point or other in our lives. “I’ll call you.” Did we really mean it? This frequently quoted phrase is often said with no meaning at all, and
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He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:14 (NIV) Abraham told a lie – a really big one. The story begins in Genesis 12 where God told Abraham to leave his home and family for
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A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18 (NIV) Lunch time at our local high school is usually uneventful. After students down their lunches, they file into the hallway for thirty minutes of free time. On warmer days, students can be found outside on the lawn, but on a particularly
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