Love
Love, properly understood, is radical. Love goes where no one dare go. Love takes breathtaking risks. Love thinks less of itself and more of others. And because of this, Love truly transforms.
This is a message too often obscured and too easily forgotten. But without this Love, there is no hope for the addict _ and the non-addict, for that matter.
And this is what makes the current book and tour by Craig Gross so valuable. Gross, of XXXChurch, has written a book titled “Jesus Loves You . . . This I Know” with pastor Jason Harper.
While Gross repeatedly comes in for criticism from within the Christian Community, he continues to demonstrate a vision closer to the risky love of God shown in the Bible than that shown by many Evangelicals.
In keeping with Gross’ tendency for bold expressions of God’s love, he is taking his message on the road, again.
ABC News did this piece on him.
As a former addict, i have the strange privilege of knowing the power of God’s transforming, radical love in a way i didn’t know before; and in a way, it seems, few other Christians do.
The irony is that we all need God’s bold love and need to learn to give that love to others. This Love is not just for the really messed up people and the addicts. While our identities are those of imagebearers of God at the deepest level, life in our world means that each of us is guilty of murder, adultery, deception and thievery.
None of that stopped God. It shouldn’t stop us.
Intentional Warriors 
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