Amazing Grace

We entertained some friends and family over the Christmas holidays. A discussion arose about a Catholic Church service most of us had attended for a young boy who died in a car crash many years ago.

One friend mentioned that the hymn Amazing Grace had been played at that service and that it seemed kind of dark and dreary. Almost like a funeral dirge which was probably the intent.

I know my friend was raised as a Catholic and I am not sure of his current religious beliefs, if any. My only response was to recite the words I could recall to the song (see below) and state it seemed to me that it was about someone moving from the darkness to the light.

I am not sure that my friend understood the meaning of the song the way I do. I see life on earth as both good and bad but when we move into the light with Christ there is no more darkness, no more death. Christ gives us peace and hope and the excitement and anticipation of living forever with Him.

Currently, I see much anxiety and fear in my wife’s family as her older sister fights cancer. Hopefully if my wife and I live the way Christ calls us to both our friends and family will be able to see a little more of the light and hope that we do. And they will develop that personal relationship with Christ that assures they will have peace and hope and live in the light with Christ.

I can never ever repay Christ for giving up his life for me. What I can do is to live the way He calls, in a way that honors Him and encourage others to want to know Him the way many of us do.

All hail King Jesus!

Amazing Grace How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see

Choose the Life - Transformation

In a book I am reading by Bill Hull, titled ‘Choose the Life’, he raises an interesting question in Chapter 1. His church was adding 83 new members and this is what he asked, ‘Why should we bring eighty-three new people into something that it is not working?’ Many who read this may not think this church wasn’t working.

Hull continues, “Where was the personal transformation (Italics added) after all the effort we put into weekend services, Bible studies, small groups, and outreach events?...We were not seeing people come to Christ in any significant number and people’s lives seemed to be the same. We were stuck in the same rut in which so many churches find themselves – religious activity without transformation. We were doing things right, but there was little movement from the Spirit”.

I know I have thought a lot about transformation and this is a topic that has been discussed at some leadership meetings that I have attended.

I have expressed my view, to staff members at our church that unless the discussion about transformation and what is required comes from the Senior Pastor then the Home Team Leaders and those who attend the church won’t see the need for transformation or know what to do to accomplish it.

Hull continues by stating that, ‘the solution to the general weakness in the affluent church in the West is spiritual depth’. Further he states that, ‘This need for depth must begin with the church’s leaders’.