Tried With Fire

Graciousness: Tempering Truth With Love - John Crotts, Reformation Heritage Books, 2018, 137 pages. In one word, how would you describe the way people handle disagreements today? What word would you use if those people were Christians? Unfortunately "gracious" wouldn't be my first choice, given what I've seen on social media of late, which is why this book by John Crotts is very timely. There is no question that we need to be people who zealously defend the truth. Yet the Bible charges us to speak the truth in love. When love is lacking, the message of the truth may be lost if our attitude, tone, and words are harsh. Does that mean we compromise the truth? Absolutely not! Pitting truth against love is a false dichotomy, for we need both and need not sacrifice one for the other. Graciousness is also more than just being nice. It is an underlying heart attitude that seeks the good of others and is a necessary component in ministry. It shows that we are trusting G...

Loving the Church by John Crotts, Shepherd Press, 2010, 140 pages. If I have a relationship with Jesus, why do I need the church? I get together with other Christians on my own. Isn't that enough? What if I've been hurt by the church? What if it isn't meeting my needs? There are plenty of opportunities to serve God outside the confines of the local church, so is it even necessary? These are common questions and ones which John Crotts answers in Loving the Church: God's People Flourishing in God's Family.  The church is not an option for Christians, but we often don't understand what the Bible teaches about its importance to God and the believer. Without this knowledge, we may end up leaving the local church to our detriment for a wide variety of reasons. Through the conversations of believers wrestling with these issues, Pastor Crotts uses their interaction to expose misconceptions about the church in the light of Scripture. He discusses the value of the ...