Stephen Mansfield begins Chapter 6 (“Truths for Getting Whole”) of Healing Your Church Hurt by drawing on Jesus’ cleansing the ten lepers, as found in Luke 17: 11-19. Stephen notes that the Greek word for “cleansed” is katharizo, meaning to “make clean”, to remove “physical stains and dirt, as in the case of utensils.” In other […]
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” -Luke 6: 27-28 As Stephen Mansfield concludes Chapter 5 of Healing Your Church Hurt, he confesses that he failed many time to forgive those involved in his […]
In this post, author Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) discusses the third and most significant facet of forgiveness and how it is essential to being set free. 3. Charizomai means “to bestow favor or extend mercy”. Stephen admits that during his journey to forgive, he came to realize his tendency to transform his mental image of […]
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” -Matthew 6: 14-15 Today Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) discusses the second facet of forgiveness and how it is essential to being […]
As Stephen Mansfield concludes Chapter 5 of Healing Your Church Hurt, he states that as he paid attention to three words God uses for forgiveness in Scripture, he found the actual steps we need to take in order to forgive and ultimately leave us changed. The author notes: “Each presents a distinct facet of what […]
In Chapter 5 of Healing Your Church Hurt, author and former pastor Stephen Mansfield notes that before we can let go of the bait in the trap, pull ourselves free and forgive, we have to take a good, hard look at ourselves. As long as bitterness remains, the devil has us in his grasp. No, […]
“See to it that on one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” -Hebrews 12: 15 Commenting on this passage in Hebrews, author Stephen Mansfield notes in Chapter 5 of Healing Your Church Hurt that the word “bitter” comes from the Greek word pikros– […]
“And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the […]
In Chapter 5 (“The Throne Room of Your Mind”) of Healing Your Church Hurt, author Stephen Mansfield opens by relating a recurring fantasy he has where he is seated on a throne in a large, ornate room. Exuding benevolence and compassion, he is approached by all the people in the world who have ever offended […]
“Life has meaning only in the struggle, Victory or defeat is in the hand of God, So let us celebrate the struggle.”- Swahili proverb Today author Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) presents and discusses his fifth and final question designed to help us find life in the midst of our adversity. 5. During the bruising […]
Today author Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) presents and discusses the fourth question in this series. 4. What did those closest to you do when you went through hard times? Stephen notes that by answering this question we can tell a great deal about ourselves. Crisis, however, can test the dearest of friendships. Some […]
In today’s post, author Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) continues his presentation and discussion of five questions designed to help us heal and restore. 3. Were you clinging to anything that contributed to your church hurt? Stephen states that this question will be harder to answer than the others because we never want to […]