WithoutWax.tv by Pete Wilson | Tag Archive | people of the second chance
Tag Archive - people of the second chance

Scandalous Grace

November 16, 2010 in Spiritual Growth with 36 Comments

I’m so excited about my friend Mike Foster’s new book Gracenomics. I spent some time this weekend reading through it and over and over it reminded me of the man I desperately want to be. A man with a ministry that is described as exhibiting unexpected, excessive, and scandalous amounts of grace.

I love what Mike wrote in the book describing the People of the Second Chance movement:

Together we’re setting out to be the first in line to forgive.

We’re racing to release grudges.

We’re making room for those on life’s margins.

We’re raising our voices for the vulnerable.

We’re accepting the unacceptable.

We’re becoming the Red Cross relief team for the disasters in people’s personal lives.

We’re setting out to be the living, breathing PEZ dispenser of grace for our world.

Click our heads back and out pops forgiveness for our enemies. Pop us again you get healing words for the wounded. Click us once more to score friendship through devastating pain. Pop it back again and again and the response will always be a sweet delectable second chance. We are grace dispensers who practice second chance living.

Reading through this book I was reminded of just how much I love the idea of grace until it inconveniences me or gets in the way of my agenda. I have a lot more work to do in this area than I thought.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

Get a hard copy HERE. Get an electronic copy HERE.

What do you think holds you back from exhibiting grace like you should?

No Strings Attached

June 7, 2010 in Spiritual Growth with 42 Comments

We’ve spent the last three weeks in a series entitled “People of the Second Chance.” I wanted to say a special thanks to Mike and Jud for their ministry which is the inspiration behind the series. They’ve modeled what radical grace looks like for the entire Kingdom.

Yesterday, I spend the majority of my time talking about the parallels between the father in Luke 15 and our Father in Heaven.

I’m still blown away by beautiful picture Jesus gives us of the heart of God. It erases so many of the misconceptions we have.

Here’s my favorite part of the passage in Luke 15…

21″The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22″But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

These symbols prove full forgiveness and restoration of the son to his prior status. The robe is a sign of great distinction, the ring the sign of authority, the sandals a luxury (only slaves were barefooted) and the slaughter of the fattened calf the sign of a very important celebration in the family.

This is not only radical grace, but complete restoration.

Please hear this: SIN DOES NOT MAKE YOU SECOND CLASS.

Too often the church today wants to offer…

limited grace

conditional grace

strings attached grace.

It’s “You’re forgiven but we’re going to be keeping an eye one you.”

It’s “You’re welcome back in the church but you’ll never be able to be in ministry again.”

Can I just say that when God looks at you he doesn’t see a

prodigal

servant

or screw up.

He sees His son…His daughter…

complete

whole

forgiven

restored…completely.

No strings attached.

An Emotional Hell

May 25, 2010 in Cross Point Church, Videos with 47 Comments

This past Sunday we launched a new series entitled “People of the Second Chance.”   We showed a video on Sunday about the power of secrets, which is a subject I’ve written about before. I was so proud of Elisa and her willingness to step up and share her story. I don’t know too many people who are brave enough to share this…

I was shocked the other day to read at the current rate, one in three American women will have at least one abortion by the time they reach age 45. Interestingly, 78% of these women report having a religious affiliation.

Anyway you spin the stats here’s the reality, our churches are full of women who are carrying a tremendous amount of guilt regarding an abortion they’ve had. For the most part, the church is silent on the issue primarily because it’s become such a political hot button. However, our silence on the issue (usually because we’re wisely trying to be sensitive), has left thousands upon thousands of women wondering if they could ever be forgiven, which is simply compounding the emotional hell they’re going through.

I don’t know about you but, I’m so happy I worship a God of second chances.

People Of The Second Chance

May 20, 2010 in Leadership with 10 Comments

I’m so excited about this Sunday I can hardly stand it. We’ve got two huge things happening.

First, our Cross Point Bellevue campus is opening! I can’t say enough good things about Justin Davis, our campus pastor, and the hundreds of volunteers who have jumped on board to help us get this thing launched. I’m also so proud of the thousands of people who made a financial contribution to Faith, Hope & Love. The ministry that launches this weekend is happening because of your faithfulness!

Secondly, we’re launching a new series called People Of The Second Chance. I really believe this is going to be a life changing series for many.  If you’ve got a friend who needs to receive or extend radical grace make sure you bring them along with you for the launch of this new series. Here’s a quick promo.

People of the Second Chance_Promo from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

My Problem Isn’t With Tiger, the Media, or His Sponsors

December 18, 2009 in God with 62 Comments

tiger-woods

Like many of you I’ve been unable to escape the constant media attention given to the Tiger Woods scandal. Does it seem ironic to anyone else that the media is giving Tiger such a hard time for living out the lifestyle they portray on almost every single television show they air?

But to be honest, my problem isn’t with the media outlets. They’re just doing what they do. Feeding ratings.

My problem isn’t with the sponsors who are either ditching Tiger or standing beside him. They’re just doing what they do. Making money.

My problem is with the millions of Christians (including myself) who have jumped right in and used this as an opportunity to throw stones.

I thought my friend, Mike Foster, wrote an absolutely amazing blog post on this topic a couple days ago. I couldn’t agree more with his suggestions (#3 alone I will never forget).

As People of the Second Chance, here are a few of my suggestions:

1. You have so many words that you can share in a day. Decide whether they will be about blessing or cursing someone.

2. When someone is caught in a scandal, I visualize two buckets that I can fill. I can add to the “Shame Bucket” or the “Second Chance Bucket.” Sometimes my first/easy/fun/human nature response is to fill the “Shame Bucket” so I have to work harder not to do that.

3. For all you online peeps…write your articles, blogs, tweets, and comments as if the person in crisis (and their family) were reading it. Why? Because they do! And the jokes, snarky comments, sloppy facts and flippant remarks hurt people. Instead, devote your computer keyboard to the restoration of people.

4. Refuse to participate in the gossip session around the water cooler. Or better yet, jump in and turn the conversation towards grace and second chances. BTW, just plan on being called a “buzz kill” and not invited back to any more social functions.

5. Realize we are either part of the judgment problem or the grace solution. But we can’t be both. So choose wisely.

What are your thoughts?