In This Episode

This week we’re diving into the second chapter of Galatians, looking to the letter to explore lessons for leadership.

Chapter 2 of Galatians is a twisting, turning, confronting whirlwind of rhetoric from Paul to the people of Galatia.

We’ll share the four movements of embrace, point to verses in Chapter 2, and leave you with a question to think about and act on.

The Galatians and false teachers and even some of Paul’s brothers in Christ were having a hard time navigating things they thought were opposites. Here are just a few:

• Law v. Gospel
• Works v. Faith
• Jews v. Gentiles
• Torah v. grace

Paul says no way – the God I know in Jesus says in stretching out my arms on the cross, I’m embracing you. These are not concepts that are competing and they certainly aren’t about division. The reality is…What the world seeks to divide, God seeks to unify.

Hold those challenges in mind as we step into Episode 065 of LeaderCast.

Miroslav Volf in his book Exclusion and Embrace uses the metaphor of an embrace to talk about the dynamic relationship between self and other.

We’re talking about what an embrace symbolizes. So don’t worry, we’re not getting all touchy-feely.

Keep Growing!

After listening to the podcast, consider the following:

• What are you doing as a local church leader to open arms to the community around you? Have you defined your mission field? What signals to the people in your community that you want to be in a relationship with them…especially people living in poverty.
• What would happen if you began to pray as a congregation, Lord, help us be the congregation you need us to be in this time and place?
• Who do you have a hard time sharing space at a table with? Why?
• What do you need to open your arms and let go of as an act of grace?

Next Steps

• Become a LeaderCast Insider – be the first to know every week when a new episode of LeaderCast goes live. You’ll also get links to the resources for each episode!
• Get Following Jesus Every Day: Galatians, Gospel of Grace, a daily Bible Study that invites you to read, reflect, and respond to Scripture every day. Get it today!