The Thoughts of a Young Preacher

If you are in ministry I cannot recommend this book enough!

Here is some more meat from the book:

Tolerance is defined by Webster as sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own. The very idea of toleration implies enduring or putting up with something that you don't like or value. OUR CULTURE DIETS ON THE CANDY OF TOLERANCE, BUT WHAT IT REALLY CRAVES IS THE MEAT OF GRACE. Tolerance does not value people people but simply puts up with their behavior or beliefs. Tolerance alone cannot accommodate both justice and mercy- it can only look the other way. Tolerance might deal with differences, but it can't embrace us in full knowledge of sin and remove our guilt.

God is the most tolerant being in the universe. No one exhibits more tolerance for beliefs or practices conflicting with his own then God. Paul points this out in Romans 2, addressing those who judge others unworthy yet fail to see their own sin. "Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you towards repentance? Yet God far exceeds the requirements of tolerance with grace. If we are to re-present God through the church, we must exhibit far more then tolerance. We too must show grace.

Wow, this is the response to the whole tolerance issue that I having been trying to come up with and yet never could! This book is really resonating with some of the frustrations that I have had in the past of trying to create an effective ministry to people that know knowing about God.