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Carrie Lloyd Shaw
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  • Jul 27 2020 July 27, 2020June 18, 2021

    Why Belonging To A Local Church Isn’t Optional

    ByCarrie Shaw InPersonal 2
    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    The last six months have been an unsettling and disruptive time for millions of people around the globe. The impact of COVID-19 on our ordinary routines and daily habits has been, in many cases, bewildering. The ways in which we would usually connect have had to adapt to these new and strange times – and it seems we’re not out of the woods just yet. Our lives may not return to normal any time soon,…

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  • It's not an either/or but a both/and.

We are saved by grace through faith alone π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘› 𝑀𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 (Ephesians 2:8). "Grace alone" means that God loves, forgives, and saves us not because of π‘€β„Žπ‘œ 𝑀𝑒 π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘‘π‘œ, but π‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜ π‘œπ‘“ πΆβ„Žπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘‘.

We confess that Jesus is Lord and we believe that God raised him from the dead. This is our confession, this is our doctrine, this is our truth. This is orthodoxy.

Yet faith that remains alone is not faith that saves; our theology must find expression in how we live. 

We are created in Christ Jesus π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘”π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘ , which God prepared π‘Žβ„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑒𝑠 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘œ (Ephesians 2:10). 

It's essential that good works flow from a heart rooted in love to Christ but without this anchor point, good works devoid of Christ have no power at all. We cannot have one without the other.

It's not an either/or but a both/and. Right belief and right practice. Othodoxy + Orthopraxy. 

'Albertine' | Brooke Fraser: https://open.spotify.com/track/0O0crCji70lBiNo3BWwFow?si=35793b2ddf3c4f34 (link in bio)

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #blog #bloggersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthopraxy #theology #faithwithoutdeeds #fullyalive #savedbygrace #savedforapurpose #intentional
  • Celebrating amazing women of faith; then, now, and yet to come... πŸ™Œ #internationalwomensday 
(tag an amazing woman of valour who's impacted your life.❀)

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #blog #bloggersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #women #womenoffaith #cloudofwitnesses #proverbs31 #womanofvalour
  • The reappropriation of Jesus to bolster whatever campaigns the current cultural climate wants to advance simply ends up lowering him to the lowest common denominator: us.

In no way do we want to diminish his humanity, that he experienced all that we experience, and that in this way he can fully sympathise with us. His humanity was an important reality of his redeeming and restoring work. 

But this is not 𝘒𝘭𝘭 he was. 

Jesus was also God-With-Us. Fully human, fully divine. The one and only of his kind. 

He showed us the kind of humans we were intended to be and the kind of life we were created for. He calls us out and upward, beyond the mess and chaos that our mundane humanity demands, and into the glory of Abundant Life, the place where God dwells.

He wasn't a political revolutionary, a social-justice activist, or an example of modern 'wokeness'.

He wasn't just a great teacher, an inspirational leader, or a 𝘨𝘰𝘰π˜₯ 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯.

He was the One and Only Son of God. The Word, who took on humanity and dwelt among us. 

He came into the world to save the world from the consequences of sin. He came to overthrow death. He came to vanquish the enemy of all things true, and just, and right. 

And he came to assert the rule and authority of Almighty God over His creation, to remind us that the sovereignty of God has always existed and will always exist, and that we need to pay attention to what God is doing in our world; saving, rescuing, atoning, justifying, ruling, and reconciling people for the glory of His name, all in pursuit of His purpose.

I don't think we need reminding that Jesus was human. I think we need reminding that he was divine. 

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #blog #bloggersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #therealjesus #culturalclimate #progressivechristianity #hegetsus #divine #theword #godwithus #abundantlife
  • It seems to me that it has become increasingly difficult to speak into many issues or situations that the church faces today; not because the Bible is silent, not because the church doesn’t have or hasn’t held a historical position on a matter, and not because we, as Christians, don’t know 𝘸𝘩𝘒𝘡 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘡 𝘡𝘰 𝘣𝘦 π˜₯𝘰π˜ͺ𝘯𝘨.

Rather, we are feeling pressed into silence, in many instances, simply on the basis of one little verse found at the beginning of Matthew 7; β€œJudge not, that you be not judgedβ€œ.

But what does the gospel of Matthew mean when it says β€˜judge not’? Is an individual’s responsibility different from that of the collective body, the church? Is it being too judgey to talk about sin?

And how does the church protect the name of Jesus, displaying the glory of God to the nations, in practice?

New Blog Post: 'Judging // Discerning' out now... (link in bio)

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #blog #bloggersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #judging #discerning #walkingwithgod
  • "𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘡𝘰 𝘒𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴, π˜₯𝘢𝘴𝘡 𝘡𝘰 π˜₯𝘢𝘴𝘡." It's the only thing we know for sure: we will all die.

But a long time ago, a promise was made. A prophet called Isaiah said a messenger would come to proclaim good news to the poor and brokenhearted, β€œto bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Those who once repented in dust and ashes β€œwill be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendour” (Isaiah 61:3)." (Rachel Held Evans)

We remember our fragility today, we acknowledge that we are dust and to dust we will return, we confess our sins, and we repent, believing His promise and trusting that He is faithful. #ashwednesday 

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #blog #bloggersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #dusttodust #thepromise #acrownofbeautyforashes #theoilofjoy #agarmentofpraise #rachelheldevans #searchingforsunday #goodnews #thegospel #lent #seasonoflent
  • β€œAnd in everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.” | Romans 8:37 πŸ™Œ

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #bloggersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace
  • I really love talking about church.

Not, as in, my church or your church.

Not, as in, what flavour of church, in a denominational sort of way.

And not, as in, which kind of church; mega church, home church, missional church, or cell-group church (and, oh boy, I wish whoever had come up with that last descriptor had really given it a bit more thought… )

I love talking about church, as in, The Church. The bride of the lamb, the woman of valour formed from the saviour’s side, the universal, time-transcending, death-defying reality, made up of many individual and diverse parts but united together as one organic, institutional identity.

There is nothing quite like her in all the world...

NEW BLOG POST // β€˜What The Church Is (And What She Isn't)’ up on the website (link in bio)

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #bloggersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #thechurch #womanofvalour #blogpost #blog #blogarticle #christianblog
  • #carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #bloggersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #wounded #healing #community #richvillodas
  • And if you confess with your mouth, β€œJesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

#carrielloydshaw #christian #christianblogger #christianbloggersofinstagram #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #blogpost #bloggersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #faith #life #doubt #gospel #jesus #letstalk #grace #kingjesus #saved #romans109 #john316 #godsoloved #believe #confess #life #eternallife
Carrie Lloyd Shaw
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