Weekly insights from Chuck Colson and great saints of the past and present

When tolerance replaces truth, chaos, confusion, and widespread uncertainty follow – and all their attendant evils.

“We worship God because God is worthy of our worship. The Church glorifies God on earth, and this is a primary means by which we participate in God’s life. When Jesus said the gates of hell cannot stand against His Church, He was foreseeing the people of God drawn into unity with God and each other through worship, spilling out of our meeting places to spread the Gospel and righteousness. How else could we assault the gates of hell? You won’t confront them in your comfortable sanctuary. Have we forgotten this? Worship God in our churches so we can follow Him in the world.”
-Chuck Colson, The Faith

“It is our task, therefore, to afford to all an opportunity of inspecting our life and teachings, lest, on account of those who are accustomed to be ignorant of our affairs, we should incur the penalty due to them for mental blindness; and it is your business, when you hear us, to be found, as reason demands, good judges. For if, when ye have learned the truth, you do not what is just, you will be before God without excuse.”
-Justin, First Apology

“Wherefore the Church does in every place, because of that love which she cherishes towards God, send forward, throughout all time, a multitude of martyrs to the Father…For the Church alone sustains with purity the reproach of those who suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, and endure all sorts of punishments, and are put to death because of the love which they bear to God, and their confession of His Son…”
-Irenaeus, Against All Heresies

“But this I know for certain: that before I was abased, I was like a stone that had fallen into a deep mire. And He Who is mighty came and in His mercy picked me up and indeed lifted me high to place me on top of the wall…Consequently, I take this to be a measure of my faith in the Trinity that, without regard to danger, I make known God’s gift and the eternal comfort He provides: that I spread God’s name everywhere dutifully and without fear, so that after my death I may leave a legacy to so many thousands of people – my brothers and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord.”
-Patrick, Confession

“The ruler [pastor] should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through an example than through words. For he who is required by the necessity of his position to speak the highest things is compelled by the same necessity to exhibit the highest things.”
-Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
-Psalm 107:1-3

For more insight to this subject, get the book, Ancient-Future Evangelism, by Robert Webber, from our online store.