Clare De Graaf's Blog, page 14
June 4, 2018
Playing King of the Mountain with God
Five years ago, I began writing a second book entitled Making God Look Good. But, it didn’t feel Spirit-led, so I dropped it. But this is the Introduction from that book and to my Father’s Day blog next week, Making God Look Good.
May 28, 2018
Talking to Your Millennial Children or Grandchildren About the Gospel
Over the last dozen or so years, I’ve met with many millennial young men who grew up in the church. Here’s the good news. Almost none have rejected Jesus. The bad news? Almost all are indifferent about the Bible and the Church. So, what do I do with that? Where do I start?
I have a simple rule to keep in mind when I begin working with non-Christians, or indifferent Christians.
Live the gospel and explain the gospel.
I have a simple rule to keep in mind when I begin working with non-Christians, or indifferent Christians.
Live the gospel and explain the gospel.
May 21, 2018
If You Love Your Children or Grandchildren, You’ll Need to Love LGBT+ People Better
Believe this: Many younger Christians are making how we treat LGBT+ people, the litmus test of whether they want anything to do with the church.
In the last few years, I’ve been doing a lot of speaking to pastors and church leaders as the chairman and CEO of The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender. www.centerforfaith.com. Our mission is to help Christians and churches love LGBT+ people better from the church’s historical understanding of sexuality and marriage.
Some pastors and lay people believe all they need is the correct doctrine and holding true to that will guard their church from going liberal or soft on LGBT people. Praise God, that attitude is changing. Here’s how I put both the problem and the solution to them (and to any parent or grandparent).
In the last few years, I’ve been doing a lot of speaking to pastors and church leaders as the chairman and CEO of The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender. www.centerforfaith.com. Our mission is to help Christians and churches love LGBT+ people better from the church’s historical understanding of sexuality and marriage.
Some pastors and lay people believe all they need is the correct doctrine and holding true to that will guard their church from going liberal or soft on LGBT people. Praise God, that attitude is changing. Here’s how I put both the problem and the solution to them (and to any parent or grandparent).
May 14, 2018
The Parable of the “Shrewd Manager” 2.0
The parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16 has confused many Christians because Jesus seems to be admiring how a rouge manager, cheated his master. Of course Jesus would never encourage dishonesty, but I have to admit being confused by my 1.0 understanding of this story for many years myself. So let’s dissect this story and see if we can find the real meaning in this parable.
May 7, 2018
Are You Getting All the Salvation You Can?
My question, “Are you getting all the salvation you can?,” is a question few Christians have ever asked themselves. Why?
Because the assumption is that a person is either saved or not saved. You either “have” your salvation or you don’t. It’s one and done. Well, not exactly.
I’ll first address the most obvious exception to that rule, then I’ll get to how you – as a Christian may not be getting all the salvation available to you.
There are non-Christians who the Holy Spirit is moving toward salvation. They don’t have it yet, but are getting it. It took me six months, 40 years ago, to investigate the claims of the Bible before I decided I wanted to pledge my highest allegiance to Jesus Christ. I was on a six-month spiritual journey that ended in my being saved. I got phase I of my salvation – my sins were forgiven, I was born-again and I became a child of God. Well then, what is Phase II?
Because the assumption is that a person is either saved or not saved. You either “have” your salvation or you don’t. It’s one and done. Well, not exactly.
I’ll first address the most obvious exception to that rule, then I’ll get to how you – as a Christian may not be getting all the salvation available to you.
There are non-Christians who the Holy Spirit is moving toward salvation. They don’t have it yet, but are getting it. It took me six months, 40 years ago, to investigate the claims of the Bible before I decided I wanted to pledge my highest allegiance to Jesus Christ. I was on a six-month spiritual journey that ended in my being saved. I got phase I of my salvation – my sins were forgiven, I was born-again and I became a child of God. Well then, what is Phase II?
April 30, 2018
How Lukewarm Can a Christian Be and Still Be Saved?
Every Christian I know well has confessed to asking themselves this question occasionally, “How much is enough? How good do I have to be, to be assured I’m saved?”
Let’s face it – obedience is hard! And as righteous as we all aspire to be, there are times all of us just give up the struggle with certain sins and do what we know if morally wrong, and just “trust Christ” to forgive us. Why is it good, faithful Christians presume on God’s grace to forgive us, rather than simply obey?
Let’s face it – obedience is hard! And as righteous as we all aspire to be, there are times all of us just give up the struggle with certain sins and do what we know if morally wrong, and just “trust Christ” to forgive us. Why is it good, faithful Christians presume on God’s grace to forgive us, rather than simply obey?
April 23, 2018
Are You Letting the Holy Spirit Do His Job?
Did you know that we can make the Holy Spirit sad by our disobedience? “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Ephesians 4:30, 31 When I was a kid, third […]
April 16, 2018
Training Your Grandchildren to be Grandparents
A few months ago, I took several of our grandchildren out for pizza. I love being a grandparent – it’s like renting, instead of owning! It’s all the joy of parenting, without the worry of day-to-day maintenance.
So on the ride home I told them – again, how much I enjoy hanging out with them. So, one of them asked this question, “Why do you and Nana spend so much time with us?” My answer surprised them.
So on the ride home I told them – again, how much I enjoy hanging out with them. So, one of them asked this question, “Why do you and Nana spend so much time with us?” My answer surprised them.
April 9, 2018
The Great Divide
Fred Smith is a leader of Christian leaders. His thoughtful blog below, does a great job of reviewing evangelical history over the last half century and how that has impacted our views of evangelism and The Great Commission. Every thoughtful, generous, Christian engaged in kingdom work has been impacted by these ideas whether they know […]
April 2, 2018
Have You Lost Your Fear of God?
When I grew up, I was afraid of God. I wasn’t afraid all the time, but I was when I was a child and naughty. As a teenager, I knew there were sinful things I was doing, or tempted to do that would anger or disappoint God. I also knew God took sin seriously, even […]
