The Provocative Church
The Provocative Church: First Things First
Bishop TJ Johnston
“There is only one power that exists on this planet that can change a heart. It’s the power of the love of Jesus Christ, the love that conquers sin and wipes out shame and heals wounds and reconciles enemies and patches broken dreams and ultimately changes the world, one life at a time. And the radical message of that transforming love has been given to the church, which is why the church is the most beautiful, the most radical, the most dangerous, the most glorious enterprise on the planet. There is nothing more worthy of our lives investment. There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community. It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused. It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned. It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world. Whatever the capacity for human suffering, the church has a greater capacity for healing and wholeness [in Christ Jesus].” Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter In An Urgent Day, James Emery White (148-149).