Is Every Single Person a Child of God?

An Essay Exploring the Universal Fatherhood of God in its Implications for our Mission as Followers of Jesus Christ.

In the last few years, I have stumbled across a major moral problem among people who are dedicated, sincere, authentic followers of Jesus Christ. And this problem is a two-tier moral standard between how we treat those who are "in" and those who are "out" of the Christian fold.

And this problem revolves around the concept of who God is a Father to, and who are "children of God". There is one standard applied to Christians who are "God's children": The standard of unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial Love (cf. 1Corinthians 13). For those who are "in" the Christian fold, we should spare no effort or expense in helping them, and protecting them, and treating them with dignity.

Always Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

A Sermon For Year C, Easter 5
Copyright © 2010 Nathan L. Bostian
Based on John 13:31-35, Acts 11:1-18 and Rev. 21:1-6

The duty of every good pastor is to clearly and concisely teach and preach what God desires for our lives: To teach it clearly, in such a way that anyone can understand; To preach it concisely, in such a way that anyone can remember.

And although I feel I have been very clear about what I have taught you these last four years at Canterbury, I fear I have not been very concise. Our two hour Bible studies, while deep and intense and even hilarious, desperately resist being put into a "nutshell".

And now we are coming to the end of one Journey of Ministry, and we are beginning another. But before I leave, I want to give you the nutshell. The big picture. The cliff notes of what this has all been about.

For Everything a Season

2010.March.14

Dear Canterbury Community,

My sisters and brothers in the Lord, the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… a time to plant and a time to harvest… a time to weep and a time to laugh." Over the last 3 1/2 years I have shared many tears, and even more laughter, with you all. You have planted love and joy in my heart that is impossible to put into words, and I hope I have planted Christ in your lives as well. And now the Lord has harvested what you have sown into my life, and has prepared another field for me to work in as the chaplain at The Episcopal School of Texas / Texas Military Institute in San Antonio [EST/TMI website: www.tmitexas.org]. My ministry at Canterbury will end on May 31, 2010, and I will begin at EST/TMI on June 1, 2010.