In Which I Quote Something Fantastic

Churches emphasize all kinds of things these days: collecting canned goods, contemporary worship, sending kids to camp, blessing animals (?!?), Sunday School attendance, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the power of positive thinking - the list is long and varied, and the items range from indispensable to indefensible.  The thing is, if the Cross of Christ is not central and foundational to any activity in which a local church engages or to any priority it pursues, and particularly if the Cross of Christ is incompatible with any activity (how about that animal blessing thing?) or priority, then that activity is worthless.

Dan Phillips puts it this way in The World Tilting Gospel:

"Christ and His cross are. . .central to the church of God as well.  Given that God pivots everything on the person and work of Christ, the church of Christ should do the same in its preaching, thinking, worship, and practice.

"To put it bluntly: If we think we have something better to offer, then we think we know something God doesn't know.

"Which. . .dude. Seriously. Whoa.  Think about that."

It's wisdom like that which is helping me to define the work that I do in my own local church, and even my day to day life.