The Essence of Cruciform Discipleship

One of my favorite summary statements of what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus is in 1 John 4:19 . . . "We love because He first loved us." God made the first move to love us by moving toward us in Jesus. That love moves us to vertical love for Him …

We Need More Cruciform Churches

Those grand and glorious cathedrals built in the Middle Ages may have something to teach us about the way we live the Christian life today. The medieval church ministered to a culture that had no direct, personal access to the Scriptures in their own language. The church leaders of that era were faced with the …

Praying for a Cruciform Life (Psalm 119:36)

"Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to selfish gain." Psalm 119:36 Psalm 119 is my prayer guide for the Cruciform Life.  The psalmist employs about eight different Hebrew words that all refer to the Law of God (laws, commands, precepts, rules, testimonies, etc.).  Jesus said that all of the Law hangs on loving …

The Christian Life Is Cruciform

"The Christian life has its beginnings and its continuance in the work of the cross as Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins and to impart new life to us. The Christian life is cruciform as we die to sin, to selfish individualism, to our own desires and ambitions, to the mindset of the world and …