In no other arena is the church at greater risk of losing its calling than in the public square

C. S. Lewis observed that almost all crimes of Christian history have come about when religion is confused with politics. Politics, which always runs by the rules of ungrace, allures us to trade away grace for power, a temptation the church has often been unable to resist.

No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.

Grace is the most perplexing, powerful force in the universe, and, I believe, the only hope for our twisted, violent planet.

The surgery of life hurts. It helps me, though, to know that the surgeon himself, the Wounded Surgeon, has felt every stab of pain and every sorrow.

Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he did meet skeptics he could not convince and sinners he could not convert. Forgiveness of sins requires an act of will on the receiver's part, and some who heard Jesus' strongest words about grace and forgiveness turned away unrepentant.

Whatever else it is, the kingdom of God is decidedly not a call to violent revolution.