Michael Lawrence > Quotes

“The Spirit doesn’t simply make me a singular new creation. He makes me part of God’s new creation people. He inscribes God’s rule on my heart, teaching me about love for neighbor and love for my brothers and sisters in Christ especially. He teaches me that my life with God includes a life with God’s people, in the corporate worship and common life of the church. This is why John can say that you’re a liar if you claim to love God but don’t love your brother (1 John 4:20). Or why Paul can say that we, Jew and Gentile, have already been made one new man (Eph. 2:13–16). Regeneration gives us a heart not only for God, but also for God’s people.”
― Michael Lawrence, Conversion: How God Creates a People

“What is this freedom we’ve been given? It’s not a freedom to live as we please, but a freedom to glorify God through lives that display his glory. We’ve been given work to do (Matt. 9:38). We’ve been given our marching orders (Matt. 28:18–20). We’ve been entrusted with a message (2 Cor. 5:14–21). And, as a result, our lives find purpose in God’s delay, for as God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:1–2)”
― Michael Lawrence

“The church’s public gatherings are designed to be events that appeal to the outsider, rather than assemblies that give corporate expression to our identity as the people of God.10”
― Michael Lawrence, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry

“God cannot be God without love, for God is love, and there has never been a moment, and never will be a moment, when he is not.”
― Michael Lawrence

“Being missional is a way of thinking about the church and how it relates to the world. A missional church understands that the church doesn’t go on mission, or send people out to do missions. Rather, the church is the mission of God into the world, in order to heal the world and reconcile people to God. As a result, the church is not so much entrusted with a message, but is called to incarnate a person. We aren’t primarily about proclaiming Jesus’ work on the cross to the world. Rather we’re about making the words, deeds, and life of Jesus visible in every corner of our city.4”
― Michael Lawrence, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry

“If revelation is the story of God’s saving acts, a story that begins at the beginning and ends at the end, then it’s a story that contains our lives and our age, and therefore is extremely practical.”
― Michael Lawrence, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry

“From the garden, to Abraham and his descendants, to Israel, to the church, to the New Jerusalem, God has always worked to save a people for his Son.”
― Michael Lawrence, Conversion: How God Creates a People