This week the guys and I talked about being full of grace and truth. That we needed to be a people who were motivated by the gospel and grace. I will have to write a post on it sometime because it was so convicting to me. I went to read the resurgence blog and the header for one of the articles was, “Communities of Performance vs. Communities of Grace.” (written my Tim Chester) I was blessed by this and I wanted to post it so you all could read it. We need to be a community of grace.
So is your community a community of performance or a community of grace? Try these diagnostic tests:
Communities of Performance
- The leaders appear to have it all figured out
- The community appears respectable
- Meetings must be a polished performance
- Failure is devastating, because identity is found in ministry
- Actions are driven by duty
- Conflict is suppressed or ignored
- The focus is on orthodox behavior (letting people think they have it all figured out)
Communities of Grace
- The leaders are vulnerable
- The community is messy
- Meetings are just one part of community life
- Failure is disappointing but not devastating, because identity is found in Christ
- Actions are driven by joy
- Conflict is addressed in the open
- The focus is on the affections of the heart (with a strong view of sin and grace)
There is also a whole series of blogs along the same topic, check out the link.
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Just recently, I've become aware of how I lack giving grace in the women around me. I realize that even if the they do the worst thing to me, that I have to give them grace… This is a fine line, between letting them get away with sin, and giving them grace. This is a daily thing to be reminded of. I remember how I was forgiven by the grace of Jesus for the distguisting things in my life, but how I tightly I hold onto someone else's sin… Who am I to do this? If I look at the grace given to me, then that grace should just pour out of me.
Beth that is amazing. Thank you for the honesty. His grace is amazing.
John 1:14 has been one of those life-impacting scriptures for me some years now. Philip Yancy wrote a book, "What's so Amazing About Grace". In it he wrote that "Everything we can do, the world can do. We can feed the hungry, the world can feed the hungry… There's only one thing that only the church can do and that is dispense grace, a gift of God. You don't find it anywhere else. And it concerns me that I don't think we're doing a very good job."
Grace says "You are accepted and invited to forever, unearned, undeserved relationship. Come as you are." Truth says, "…but don't stay that way!" Truth bids us to change, to grow . Grace gives us the secure environment in which to grow. Jesus was fully both…grace and truth. That's our model!
Heather,
I have to read that book. What amazing quotes!
Second quote is from opening to "Changes That Heal" by Henry Cloud. It's a great book & workbook on becoming Christlike in particular to how we handle relationships. I have a marriage counseling couple just starting in it now.