We live in a church culture that has a dangerous tendency to disconnect the grace of God from the glory of God.

That is relinquishing control in a culture that prioritizes control and doing what you need to do in order to advance yourself.

Why not begin operating under the idea that God has given us excess, not so we could have more, but so we could give more?

The gospel does not prompt you to mere reflection; the gospel requires a response. In the process of hearing Jesus, you are compelled to take an honest look at your life, your family, and your church and not just ask, 'What is he saying?' but also ask, 'What shall I do?'

The key is realizing - and believing - that this world is not your home. If you and I ever hope to free our lives from worldly desires, worldly thinking, worldly pleasures, worldly dreams, worldly ideals, worldly values, worldly ambitions, and worldly acclaim, then we must focus our lives on another world.

I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what was radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable.

I can almost picture the disciples faces. "No, not the drink-my-blood speech! We'll never get on the list of fastest-growing movements if you keep asking them to eat you!