John B. Cobb, Jr. writes in his book Grace, “Preaching provides an outward stimulus for the inward working of convincing grace”.
One of the thing that bothers me the most as a pastor is when people claim that they are not being fed. I tend to be in the same camp as Pastor Mike Slaughter who asks them what they are doing to feed their souls the other six days of the week. Preaching doesn't exist to feed people so much as to stimulate them to seek God throughout the week. Its not about giving answers, but about leading people to be hungry for grace. God's grace.
God's grace isn't a one time gift. It is new to us every morning when we get on our knees and dedicate our lives to following Christ wherever we may find ourselves. The problem is that we we have missed the point of grace, especially justifying grace, the grace that goes with us. We think the end of the journey is salvation, when really thats near the beginning. Christianity isn't just about being saved, its about seeking God and proclaiming God's love and grace to others.
How have you seen God's grace in your life this week? How can pastors help connect laity to God's gift of grace more throughout the week?
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