Mark’s Gospel focuses on the theme of discipleship. From the beginning to the end, it’s about what it means to be called by and to follow Jesus Christ.

There has been and continues to be a considerable amount of talk about churches dying. And this has spawned work aimed at helping church’s die well, as well as work focused on breathing new life into declining churches.

Presbyterians know that whatever our doubts and fears about the Presbyterian Church (USA), we belong to God. The human institution that is the PCUSA may someday pass away, but God will never allow the church of Jesus Christ to die.

Studying theology can be hard––hard on us psychologically and spiritually, personally as well as interpersonally. We can find out more about ourselves than we ever wanted to know. Yet we can learn more about God than we could ever dream.

Those who oppose us and our convictions are not “the enemy” who attempts to take something precious away from us ––a place of and space for ministry within the PC(USA) ––and so we may be tempted to hold on to our stations ever more dearly. Instead, they who oppose us are the precious thing the enemy of the church attempts to take away from us and, thus, we are best advised to hold on ever more dearly to them.