Thanks! Some good pointed articles there:
Jersak:
conversion under compulsion is not conversion at all—it’s just spiritual blackmail.
Zahnd:
At the Cross, the sin of the world coalesced into a monstrous singularity of deicide—the murder of God. But God in Christ absorbed the singularity of sin and forgave the world.
Urista:
Praise music and hymns can help us experience deep and meaningful communion with
God and with others, whether in a church, within a small group—or with a three-year-old! They can uplift us and help us remember the gospel of God’s love for all mankind, as long as we remain mindful of what we are really singing.
Rohr:
It is almost impossible for humans to believe that we can be good or worthy without some kind of “payment” to earn that dignity. The free flow of unearned love, what we call grace, is almost a punishment for most people. They fiercely resist it. This view of scarcity, as opposed to a God and a worldview of infinite abundance, must be radically transformed for the Gospel to even make sense.
Wolverton:
Exceptionalism—being different from, or somehow better than, the norm. It’s an easy tactic for leaders to fall back on. It provides a sense of identity and serves to keep a group together. Just keep telling them they have features that make them better than all the
others. Sure, God may love the world, but he loves us more. Unfortunately, exceptionalism is only a step away from exclusivism.