Whatever Became of Grace?: Stories of Hope for Preaching and Teaching in a Graceless World (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780788030055)

Have you noticed a decline of grace in Christianity, seeing corporate worship more as a stage upon which sinners are shamed for their deeds? Rev. John Pennington has taken notice of this alarming trend and takes the opportunity in these pages to reintroduce God's disciples to the revolutionary concept of grace, freely given by God the Father.

Despite the free gift of grace through Jesus Christ, many churches and even some preachers have unwittingly convinced their congregations that they must live a certain way; they must serve God in exactly the right way to earn his love and forgiveness. Through various stories and examples, Pennington shows how grace is active in our world-we just need to open our eyes to recognize and accept it. Pennington says, "How can we change that connotation of preaching after people grew up hearing negative stuff? I think the clue can be found in the gospel according to Matthew where the Sermon on the Mount told us how Jesus preached...Jesus didn't come to fuss at people. He came to bless them, and only when preachers follow his example are they preaching the gospel.".

Throughout Whatever Became of Grace?, Pennington relates his own experiences as well as stories from around the world to help preachers share the gift of God's grace with their congregations. Pastors will find many stories and illustrations for preaching. Readers will be inspired to share God's grace with others.

Chapter titles include:

- "Times When Grace is Needed Most"

- "Recognizing Grace"

- "Never Be Ashamed of Grace"