Love Silences Hatred

[Young Mom Turned Evangelist | Why I Didn't Skip Church] Young Mom Turned Evangelist | Why I Didn't Skip Church | [View online]( [ChristianityToday.org]( [Donate]( [Local Church Outreach Newsletter]( Wednesday, August 16, 2017 Love Silences Hatred Friends, I greet you this Wednesday morning with a heavy heart. By now you've had time to digest the events of this past weekend in Charlottesville—do they make TUMS for the soul? We could all use some. I considered tackling a safer topic this week. I don't like drawing attention to people who march, boldly waving the banner of hatred in broad daylight. I wish ignoring those who spew hatred would make them stop. But I'm afraid that in this particular case of domestic terrorism, silence is tacit agreement, and sadly, bullies are often emboldened by the silence of those who watch safely from the sidelines. So let me add my voice to those condemning the actions of the alt-right. Their ideals are fundamentally opposed to the Christian faith. And let me, with the same breath, say that we are called to love and forgive our enemies. This is not easy. But if Jesus could beg his Father from the cross to forgive those who were hating and murdering him, then we certainly can do the same. Let the voice of hatred be drowned out by the cacophony of our love. Keep reaching out, [Editor] [Jonathan Sprowl](mailto:outreach@christianitytoday.com) Editor Culture & Politics [Evil Is Real, But Love Is Stronger]( We don't need a weak, shallow, moderated response right now. We need a strong, deep and clear response. That's why we need Christ's love. Karl Vaters Evil is not a theory. It's not a concept created by angry, red-face preachers trying to stop people from having a good time. Evil is what flies airplanes into buildings and drives an automobile into pedestrians. But evil doesn't happen in a vacuum. [Click to continue]( Outreach & Evangelism [Young Mom Turned Evangelist]( Aimee Semple McPherson encourages us to be creative, compassionate, and courageous. I. K. Hadinger On a street corner in Ontario in 1915, a young woman jumped onto a chair, raised her arms to heaven, closed her eyes, and stood motionless for a time. The crowd around her grew, along with taunts, questions, and jeers. After a while, a man reached up to touch her arm, seeing if he could cause the "statue" to move. [Click to continue]( Local Mission [Pastor, Don't Neglect Your Current Members To Reach New Ones]( The great churches of tomorrow will be built on the foundations that were established yesterday and affirmed today. Karl Vaters Every church needs to be more missional. More outward-reaching. More evangelistic. More outside-the-walls. One of the best indicators of whether-or-not a church is healthy is how much they're reaching people who aren't already in the congregation. The more outward-looking, the more likely it is to be healthy. [Click to continue]( Welcoming Visitors [Why I Didn't Skip Church …]( Even though part of me really wanted to. Mike Fleischmann Not long ago I was spending a weekend at the coast. When Saturday came I started thinking about church the next day. Showing up seemed like the right thing to do, but there was another part of me that just wanted to spend a quiet morning on the balcony, watching the waves, and enjoying the presence of the Lord with a cup of coffee. [Click to continue]( Work & Vocation [Ministry in the Present Tense]( Unshackle yourself from the tyranny of the past and future. John Koessler I've reached that stage in my ministry when it feels like I have more time behind me than in front. I know this isn't really true. I realize I am wending my way toward eternity where I will serve God perfectly and without distraction. [Click to continue]( Practical Training [Unity in Diversity]( More from CT Pastors [Confessions of a Former 'It' Church Pastor]( We were the hottest church in our area. Then everything imploded. Anonymous [We Need a Cascade Effect in the Church]( What might happen if more women were leading in the church? Tara Beth Leach [Preaching in the Power of the Holy Spirit]( 3 ways to understand the Spirit's role in preaching. Krish Kandiah Related Free eNewsletters Each weekly issue equips you with the best wisdom and practical tools for church ministry. [Sign Up Now]( Inspire life-changing community innovative training resources, Bible-based curriculum, and practical articles. [Sign Up Now]( [Local Church Outreach]( Delivered via email to subscribers weekly. [Subscribe]( | [Email Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Advertise]( | [Subscribe to CT]( You are currently subscribed as: {EMAIL} Copyright ©2017 [ChristianityToday.org]( Christianity Today, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.