CWR Blog
Christianity Without The Religion BLOG hosted by Brad Jersak.
Hooking Up With God
God’s relationship with you is far from the spiritual equivalent of a one night stand. Commitment and permanence are the basis of God’s relationship with you, and the foundation of how he wants you to know him.
He Loves Us More
God’s unconditional love is refreshing and welcome news for all of us, especially as we live in an increasingly polarized, fragmented world. Greg talks about God’s grace, and why we have difficulty grasping and accepting it.
This is a Football – Greg Albrecht
It’s that time again—football season is here! You can’t miss it (even if you try!). There will be high school games on Friday night, college games on Saturday and NFL games all day Sunday, Monday nights and occasionally other nights.
Critics of football note that football is as close to religion as some folks ever get. Critics of religion (like me) can only say “thank God” for that. Let’s get close to God, but let’s get as far away from religion as possible. Speaking of God, religion and football, the legendary coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay ...
Relational Prayer
Greg discusses religious innovations, teachings, traditions and interpretations about prayer and contrasts them with Christ-centered, relational prayer. Prayer is a critical part of your relationship with God.
Praying the Lord’s Prayer in Violent Times – Brad Jersak
You've noticed that we're living in very violent times. At home, abroad ... to the point of exhaustion, hopelessness and/or numbness. I see no reprieve in sight and every reason to expect further escalation. I find myself in daily need of prayers that guard my heart and mind from both despair and the vengeance fantasies of repressed rage.
In that context, I have begun to pray the Lord's Prayer in a focused way on a daily basis with some new (to me) understanding about Christ's strategy in ordering the phrases in series as he does. Here is the ...
The Kingdom of Service
Jesus came to this earth to serve, not to be served - and he invites us as Christians to live a life of service. How do you really feel about being a servant of the Lord?
Q&R – Were only WE ‘saints’ chosen from eternity? Ephesians 1:4 – Brad Jersak
Question
Brad, how do we counter the claim that Ephesians 1:4 was addressed to the “saints” in accordance with verse 1b and not everyone from before the foundation of the world?
Response
My first instinct is not to counter the claim at all.
Here's how I might approach it:
I would point out, first, that MAYBE we should say that while the letter is addressed to the saints in Ephesus (1b), the WE of verse 4 could EITHER refer to WE SAINTS, OR it could refer to the universal outcome anticipated in verse 10: "...as a plan for the fullness of time, ...
I Make All Things New
Come together with us as we pray for those in religious bondage. Worship God with us, worship our Savior who transforms all things, especially human hearts.
CWR Video – Reading the Bible Right – by Brian Zahnd
Brian Zahnd - Reading the Bible Right
Attend Church or Else! – by Greg Albrecht
by Greg AlbrechtEditor's Note: Just what it means to "be" and "do" and "go to" church is a controversial topic within Christendom. Of course there are vested interests, so that the discussion is rarely objective. One of our readers/listeners introduced this conversation, as he reported his response to an article by a pastor (in italics) he felt to be manipulative and self-serving (our reader's response in bold type). We invite you to be the judge of that! My wife recently brought home a pastoral newsletter from the church she occasionally attends. I read the lead ...
What Are We Really Singing? – by Laura Urista
We praise Thee O God our Redeemer, Creator, in grateful devotion our tribute we bring. We lay it before Thee, we kneel and adore Thee, we bless Thy holy name, glad praises we sing. (Netherlands folk song text by Julia Cady Cory).
Those are the opening words to my very first “favorite hymn.” I can remember singing those words at age four, surrounded by my family and hundreds of worshippers at a large church gathering. I still get goosebumps thinking of the shared joy of singing hymns of praise and worship with my parents, brothers and sisters as well as my ...
What Is God Looking For?
David was not among the final contestants for the prophet Samuel’s American Idol-like judging for the new king of Israel. What God is actually looking for surprised everyone then — and it still does.
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