Holiness, knowing what it means to be righteous before God, was a gift from the Jewish experience to the church. How was it lost during the separation of Jews and Christians? Recovering the Lost Legacy came out of a detailed investigation into what it meant to be a righteous Gentile in the first century. What …
Category Archives: Books and Resources
How to Decide What to Do Next When You’re Retired
What do you want to do with the freedom that comes with retirement? It’s up to you. Yes, we may have less energy as we get older, but how can we make sure we’re using what we have on what matters to us? I had three careers—techie, business person, and minister—but when I finally retired …
Continue reading “How to Decide What to Do Next When You’re Retired”
The Story Behind the Lost Legacy
The search for the lost legacy, for what happened to first century expectations for righteousness and behavior, was performed as part of the Doctor of Ministry program at Andover Newton Theological School. The three year program was supervised by professors Mark Heim and Robert Pazminio. The program included coursework at Andover Newton and Gordon Conwell …
Recovering the Lost Legacy
Recovering the Lost Legacy by Jean F. Risley Holiness, the knowledge of what it meant to be righteous before God was a gift from the Jewish faith of the founders to the whole church. It was the goal toward which each person should be striving. Righteousness, the godly behavior God asked of us, was originally …
A Place Where Everybody Matters
A Place Where Everybody Matters: Life and Ministry in a Small Church by Jean F. Risley from Wipf & Stock Publishers A Place Where Everybody Matters is about living out our life in Christ in and through the small church. Small churches are uniquely personal, and, as a result, they provide an unparalleled opportunity to …
Peace Be With You: Christ’s Benediction amid Violent Empire
Factions and factionalization in churches exacerbate and prolong conflict. This paper presents some basic techniques that can be used to interrupt the way factions polarize a community and to restore trust without forcing people to change their positions or convictions. “Using Girard to Address Factions in a Christian Community” by Jean F. Risley in Peace …
Continue reading “Peace Be With You: Christ’s Benediction amid Violent Empire”