How the Church Shapes Us on Our Faith Journey
GCD Newsletter – Friday, June 7, 2024
This last week, we published wonderful articles on the website, including several from our staff writers. Rob Bentz wrote about the importance of the Christian community of a local church in giving us feedback on our progress in the faith. Ashley Anthony reached a huge milestone, finishing her seminary degree, and she wrote about what she learned along the way and how God changed her in the process. Tim Shorey shared another update from his journey with Stage 4 cancer. I continue to be blessed by his candid and faithful updates about what God is teaching him in the fiery furnace.
We also had a book excerpt from Chris and Elizabeth McKinney’s book about loving our neighbors. And Kevin P. Emmert, and editor and author with Crossway, wrote a technical but thoughtful article about baptism in the local church.
Just yesterday I was interviewed on a podcast about writing. In the process of answering questions, it hit me in a deeper way how thankful I am for GCD—not only the great articles we publish but also the writing community that has formed, whether through our Writers’ Guild or the Writers’ Cohort.
Speaking of the cohort, the next one will begin on July 15 (more information here). We’re looking for ten more writers who want to spend 6 months investing in their craft. I went through the program four years ago, and it was super helpful. I was actually in it with Elizabeth McKinney, who is on her second book, the one we posted an excerpt from this last week.
Thanks for reading,
Benjamin Vrbicek
Managing Editor
Gospel-Centered Discipleship
Last Week at GCDiscipleship.com
Why Only Pastors Can Baptize
By Kevin P. Emmert
In our anti-institutional age that highly values equality, many Christians today are confused about who can perform baptisms. There are biblical and theological, as well as historical, reasons why only ordained ministers should perform baptisms.
How the Church Shapes Us on Our Faith Journey
By Rob Bentz
“In moments of spiritual introspection, we are left to wonder: How am I doing? Is my faith in Christ strong enough to navigate the storms of life? Will I persevere in faith to the end? These are the sort of honest, authentic questions we, as people of faith, should regularly be asking ourselves. This kind of quiet self-reflection is a good and right practice for humble followers of Jesus as it can bring us to a place of joy-filled worship for the goodness of God in our lives. It can also bring us to our knees in heartfelt confession as we seek a renewed measure of God’s grace for our lack of Christlike faithfulness.”
What Do “F-U-N Funerals” and “Death Cafes” Teach Us about Mourning?
By Chris and Elizabeth McKinney
In this excerpt from the recently released Neighborhoods Reimagined, authors Chris and Elizabeth McKinney explain why a Christian’s full understanding of death and grief can be a good way to share our faith with our neighbors. By the way, the McKinneys wrote their first book for GCD, Placed for a Purpose, and this is the follow-up, published with 10ofthose.
Mom, Seminary Is for You, Too
By Ashley Anthony
“When my husband and I first moved to Philadelphia for seminary, we moved as a family of three. No one suspected we were expecting our second little one. Our son arrived that winter and new church friends filled our kitchen table with home-cooked meals. Class schedules punctuated our family rhythms as we settled into our seminary apartment. Winter gave way to our first spring in a new state, and two little ones became three, and then eventually four. I’ve spent seven years as a mom in seminary. The beauty of those years? When I say that I’m not the same person I was when I started seminary, I mean it.”
Living for Your Progress and Joy: Faith Reflections from a Cancer Oven (#20)
By Tim Shorey
“As I consider my life, sickness, and confusing prognosis, I have no illusions that God needs me in any literal way. That’s silly! True, there may be people in my life or near to it, who need to “progress in faith and joy” (as Paul puts it), and it’s possible that I may be the one that God has positioned to help them to that end, for which he will keep me alive a while longer.”