Grey Matter
Hi and welcome to Grey Matter. My name is Adam Bradley and I’m married to Lorna and we have three delightful daughters. We live in Peterborough (Cambs, UK) where I lead Life Church (www.life-church.eu); which is probably the best job ever! My blog is about anything and everything theologically reformed and charismatic.
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Here is an article I wrote for this weeks Life News:
Romans 15:7 is a remarkable verse. It says ‘Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.’ (NASB)
Here we have the recipe for healthy and vibrant church community!
The first thing we can learn from this amazing verse is that Christ’s acceptance of us was marked by great pain and cost to himself. At the hands of brutal men Jesus willingly laid aside his rights, so that in his death he could pay the price that would bring an at-one-ment - which is where we get the wordatonement from. Two parties who have been separated and alienated brought back together - and here the means was the self-giving death of Jesus. So what does it mean for us to accept one another just as Christ accepted us? It means choosing to accept people in a way that actively reaches out and across barriers of fear and difference, and here the biggest challenge of all: sometimes in a way that will cost us something!
This is even more important in a community that is growing because you can’t rely on the bonds of shared history. Instead you have to actively seek to reach out and make those Christ-like connections, risking the possibility of being hurt.
What does this look like in practice? Well, it means inviting newcomers over for dinner or perhaps a coffee. You may be thinking to yourself ‘I’m not very good at talking to new people - what will I say? What if the conversation dries up?’ Let me encourage you look at the accepting work of Jesus in your life, and let that be fuel for your community-building enterprise! On the other hand, you may be thinking to yourself ‘I’m too busy.’ Again, let me encourage you to look to the accepting work of Jesus in your life, and thank him that he wasn’t too busy!
However, notice how all of this self-denying acceptance of one another leads to an end: the glory of God. Dream with me, for a moment, of a community of people made up of every age, ethnic, and social group in Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham and the villages between, living in vibrant, spontaneous community together. That type of community will grab people’s attention and their eyes will be turned towards the source of this community - which is Jesus himself!
So at the start of this new year, can I encourage you to make investing your time in welcoming one another, and especially newcomers to the Life Church community, a real priority?. Let’s be known as the church with a great welcome, great food and great friendship, as all of these are our building blocks for a great community!
‘Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.’
Here we have the recipe for healthy and vibrant church community!
The first thing we can learn from this amazing verse is that Christ’s acceptance of us was marked by great pain and cost to himself. At the hands of brutal men Jesus willingly laid aside his rights, so that in his death he could pay the price that would bring an at-one-ment - which is where we get the wordatonement from. Two parties who have been separated and alienated brought back together - and here the means was the self-giving death of Jesus. So what does it mean for us to accept one another just as Christ accepted us? It means choosing to accept people in a way that actively reaches out and across barriers of fear and difference, and here the biggest challenge of all: sometimes in a way that will cost us something!
This is even more important in a community that is growing because you can’t rely on the bonds of shared history. Instead you have to actively seek to reach out and make those Christ-like connections, risking the possibility of being hurt.
What does this look like in practice? Well, it means inviting newcomers over for dinner or perhaps a coffee. You may be thinking to yourself ‘I’m not very good at talking to new people - what will I say? What if the conversation dries up?’ Let me encourage you look at the accepting work of Jesus in your life, and let that be fuel for your community-building enterprise! On the other hand, you may be thinking to yourself ‘I’m too busy.’ Again, let me encourage you to look to the accepting work of Jesus in your life, and thank him that he wasn’t too busy!
However, notice how all of this self-denying acceptance of one another leads to an end: the glory of God. Dream with me, for a moment, of a community of people made up of every age, ethnic, and social group in Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham and the villages between, living in vibrant, spontaneous community together. That type of community will grab people’s attention and their eyes will be turned towards the source of this community - which is Jesus himself!
So at the start of this new year, can I encourage you to make investing your time in welcoming one another, and especially newcomers to the Life Church community, a real priority?. Let’s be known as the church with a great welcome, great food and great friendship, as all of these are our building blocks for a great community!
‘Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.’
