Can People Change?

If you have ever served as a preacher or elder you have a story or two about a fellow elder or minister who have been the tough one to get along with. Aside from personality differences, what are we doing in our churches to help shape leadership around the character of Christ? This has been one of the discussions surrounding the "Life on the Vine" project; that is, can people's character change over time to look more like the gift of God's Spirit described in Galatians 5?

Or is this asking too much? Is it a foregone conclusion that every leadership group will contain some mean people?

Response on the Vine

While many of us are still winding down our "Life on the Vine" series, there is still work to be done. ACU's Ministry Summit on April 20-21 will host Philip Kenneson as our speaker, review this project among others, and ask questions as to the nature of other similar projects that ask, "What is the gospel in this culture?"

I would be curious to see a discussion begin here as to what your church's response(s) has been to the sermons and small groups materials on Life on the Vine. Have people talked more about virtue, that is, how the sermons and studies have affected personal piety? Have your members talked about the shared nature of the fruit of the Spirit with other people? What has the response been like?

For those of you who have preached or taught the fruit of the Spirit at other times than this project, what has been the primary emphasis? What did you stress as to what the list of virtues is really all about?

SELF-CONTROL Sermons

Please place your self-control sermons on this post as you preach them.

The Toughest Virtue

Self-control. We really need to get a discussion going on this one.

Not only do we not live in a culture that nurtures self-control, most of the values around us encourage excess. How can we possibly have a voice in this sermon that will be heard when the majority of our people will leave the sermon and go to an all-you-can-eat buffett? (Too cynical?)

And where do we begin? Should we bring up physical things around us every day? Our society's lack of discipline when it comes to expressions of anger?

Then add to this mix: "Self-control" is the only one of the nine virtues listed in Galatians 5 that is not an attribute of God. The other eight say something about the character of God, and are listed in Scripture as a descriptor of God. But self-control is not. What to make of this? Where, again, is God in the mix of this discussion.

Back to an earlier post: When we arrive at such virtues as patience, kindness, and gentleness, it seems that an awful lot of the weight falls on us. If we are to cultivate gentleness, for example, doesn't that seem to ask us to be gentle with those around us? Where does self-control fit into this mix?

Where God is in all of this? How much of the virtue of self-control is given as a gift from God? How much is dependent upon how hard I work at it? I know that Galatians 5 seems to suggest that these are "gifts" for those who live by the Spirit of God. I have been trying for years to live according to God's will, but lack self-control in a number of areas. What gives?

Penny for your thoughts...

GENTLENESS Sermons

Please place your "Gentleness" sermons here.

Being Gentle

Many of us end our sermons with a few suggestions as to how we might cultivate the particular virtue of the week. I am having a little trouble getting beyond "gentleness" as treating others with respect. Help.

Please post some comments on what it is to cultivate gentleness. How might we help our congregations to practice this in various ways during the week?

FAITHFULNESS Sermons

Please continue the "Great is Thy Faithfulness" conversation below, but if you would like to go ahead and post your FAITHFULNESS sermons here, please feel free to do so.