Intrigued

I am haunted by the question: Why don't Christians look more like Christ?
The people Jesus taught were experiencing real transformation.
Instead of counting Christians in the pews every Sunday, Dallas Willard suggests "we need to weigh them. We weigh them by focusing on the most important kind of growth - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, kindness; fruit in keeping with the gospel and the kingdom. The gospel as Jesus brought it to earth is the most powerful thing that has ever hit the world."
A growing understanding of the Good News of Jesus coupled with simple practices that "clean the inside of the cup" will result in Christlikeness. Trust Jesus. That's all.

Grace vs. works: "In most churches we're not only saved by grace, we're paralyzed by it. But grace is not opposed to effort, it's opposed to earning." (DW)
I take that to mean, we won't just wake up one day and be able to "bless those who curse us." Becoming the kind of person who can do that will take effort just as learning a language or musical instrument requires practice.

"Instead of making people dependent on us to keep them coming back for more, we ought to set their tails on fire and let them go." Not sure what Willard has in mind, but I love it anyway. My tail is ablaze and I hope to fire-up a couple of others along the way.

And this from Dieter Zander: "A lot of people live unintentionally. They get pushed around by circumstances and culture. The spiritual disciplines serve as anchor points - or a rule of life - that keep you from drifting all over."
At the church in San Rafael where he serves, Zander entreats: "We're going to learn how to live without anxiety and fear, is anybody interested?"

Yes, I am interested. I am intrigued. I want to know more.