Confront the Scandal of Our Prejudices—Part 11

FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION

1. Are there prejudices in the North American church that still grieve the heart of God? If so, what are they?
2. Sincere Christians sometimes reinforce their prejudices by appealing to Scripture. How is this possible?
3. In an effort to overcome prejudice and show love and understanding, Christians can sometimes compromise what Scripture teaches. Give an example of how this might happen.
4. Who are people or groups you have prejudged or were prejudiced toward in the past?
5. Has the Holy Spirit been revealing any new prejudices you need to correct? What has God been showing you?
6. When it comes to tearing down walls of prejudice, is the church in North America ahead of or behind the secular culture? Why?

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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Confront the Scandal of Our Prejudices—Part 10

“I believe we too need to open up more places for women to use their special resources for kingdom work.”

With that statement I haven’t tried to resolve all the doctrinal issues related to women in ministry. But I am challenging men of the church to make more room at the table for women, just as we need to do for minorities. Can you respond “amen” to that?

For too long we have stereotyped women as being capable of taking charge of the church nursery but not the church treasury. We’ve said women can teach boys and girls, but not a mixed adult class. In Scripture we read that women should learn in silence. Often the only word we see•is “silence.” We miss the fact that women were encouraged to inquire and learn. Why learn if one’s knowledge can’t be used?

One of the great unsung demonstrations of the working of the Holy Spirit in the church in our land is what’s happening among women. They are becoming “maiden warriors.” I commend my sisters in the Lord. And I believe the Lord is challenging many of us who are men to confront the scandal of our sexual prejudices.

This chapter has been a cram course. I’ve tried to write too much in too restricted a space. Suffice it to underscore that this matter of prejudices is a real-life nightmare that continues to trouble the church. The Lord is telling me to grow up and stop acting out of little-boy fears. What’s He saying to you?

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

Share and Enjoy

Confront the Scandal of Our Prejudices—Part 8

Are times changing? I hope so. It’s never too late to dream. But, I wonder, will minor differences or our fears of one another continue to keep us apart so that we’ll never know how strong we could have been, if only we had worked harder at being unified?

Let’s face the facts. It still befuddles the average non-Christian that the church has so many divisions. If Christians agree on the greater portion of their beliefs, why don’t they concentrate on that rather than on their differences? Let’s wake up. Our divisions absolutely bamboozle nonbelievers! We Christians should be equally concerned.

I have preached in many different denominational settings. I’ve never yet found a group I didn’t like, never! Mennonites, Wesleyans, Nazarenes, Friends, Moravians, they’re all wonderful people. Lord, bring us together!

I believe He wants to do just that. I truly am convinced God is almost forcing us to confront this scandal of our denominational prejudices, because it stands in the way of His dreams for us becoming reality.

There are so many Scriptures which speak to issues like these. In 1 Corinthians 1, the Apostle Paul writes: “One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided?” Paul asks in wonderment! (vv. 12-13)

———————————————

Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

Share and Enjoy