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Authority on Demand

We all have different feelings about authority. Some naturally respect authority, while others consider it a right to wield control over their own life and choices. But God has designed the world to work best when things are rightly ordered. And God's followers are called to live in a healthy tension between the extreme uses (and abuses) of power all around us. In this series, we'll consider a Christian ethic of authority and power in multiple facets of life. We'll learn how to live in the grey areas. We'll consider how to apply authority graciously, as well as how to submit to (or reject) authority thoughtfully

The Equalizer

Jul 3, 2022

As humans, it makes sense to us that leadership and power are naturally used for the benefit of the one wielding it. Authority is leveraged to increase one’s personal standing, influence, or wealth.

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Sucession

Jun 26, 2022

Martin Luther paved the way for the individual’s right to decide—he prioritized each believer’s conscience over the dictates of the church authorities and even over hundreds of years’ worth of traditions. How much authority should tradition have in our lives? Conversely, are we our own best decider—should our individual choices supersede those of the group?

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Family Ties

Jun 19, 2022

Do people obey bosses because they’ve earned it, or because they’re the boss? Parents unquestionably are allowed to tell their kids what to do when they’re little, but when they grow up you can’t ground them anymore!

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Sons of Anarchy

Jun 12, 2022

It is a noble cause to wield authority for the sake of protecting those who can’t protect themselves (James 1:20). However, the attempt to protect often veers into an attempt to dictate the actions of others. How can we walk the line of advocating for people without constraining their freedoms, or the freedoms of others?

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Last Man Standing

Jun 5, 2022

As always, gender continues to be a dividing line in both culture and faith. Did God design the genders differently, or is it merely a social construct that we are free to modify or reject? Should men have authority over women, or is that a patriarchal relic of the past?

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The West Wing

May 29, 2022

Our government has authority because it can enforce its laws by force. How do Jesus’ followers balance the tension between obeying or defying governmental dictates?

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Who's the Boss?

May 22, 2022

We all have different feelings about authority. Some embrace it. Some resist it. But even though we like to think that we are the boss of ourselves, there is always some authority that we are submitting to, consciously or subconsciously. How do we recognize the true—often unspoken—authorities in our lives, and have a healthy relationship with those that God has put over us?

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