by George W. Stroup
When it came to Christian hope Shirley Guthrie worked both sides of the street. He believed that in difficult times Christian hope rejects both a cynical resignation that seeks refuge in “that’s just the way things are” and any attempt to escape to some utopian community free from life’s trials and tribulations. Christian hope, as he understood it, affirms that Christian hope is hope in God’s Kingdom and that Kingdom is here now, fermenting in the midst of ordinary people and institutions with all their limitations and failures. And that same hope recognizes that no community is the realization of that Kingdom because all things have yet to be transformed, mended, and healed by God and are at best partial and provisional signs of the Kingdom.
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by Ralph Watkins
Much of my work with local congregations is helping them develop strategies to reach those who seem hard to reach—especially young adults. Passionate about the gospel and about being faithful witnesses for Christ, these congregations often ask me, “Are you worried about the future of the church?” Always I respond, “No!”
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by Riad Kassis
Dear Friends,
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We normally travel from Lebanon to Syria using private means of transportation, but on this visit my daughter and I have decided to use public transportation for safety. (An Arabic proverb states: “Place your head with other heads when you could face beheading!”) It is a real treat to travel more than 120 miles for only US $3.50 per passenger! It is also a good opportunity for my wife to enjoy some time to herself.
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