The obvious answer to this question is yes. Yes we believe in grace. I am however coming to the conclusion that this answer is too simple. There are bigger questions and the answer to these questions, I fear, reveals that we do not really believe in grace that much.
I am talking about practical applications of a belief in grace. Or to put it another way, what does our practice in our ministries, our churches and our lives show us about our theology?
I think there are elements of our preaching, our evangelism, our discipleship, our pastoral care, our training, our church leadership, how we relate to one another and how we run our ministries that highlight a deficient theology of grace.
This is a project of mine. I’ve called it the grace project. My aim in doing this is to highlight my own deficiencies in my theology if grace. To showcase Biblical teaching in grace and build a doctrine of grace that is correct and therefore to shape my life, relationships and ministry by this grace. To practically live out God’s grace to me and in me every day. To have my thinking and heart shaped by it.
Over the next week’s and months, I am going to spend time reading, thinking, praying and then writing about various different areas and how a biblical and applied theology of grace should shape us.
If you have the time, and the desire, you can join me in this grace project. And you could pray for me as I work through all this.
