What follows is an excerpt from Frank Viola’s new book – ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today. The endnotes which contain first-hand sources are not included in the excerpt. WARNING: BEFORE GOING FURTHER, READ THIS FIRST 1) Some of the so-called shocking beliefs that I cover in ReGrace are beliefs that I myself agree with. Others I find abhorrent. Consequently, just because a shocking belief is listed doesn’t reveal how I personally feel about it…. Read more

Every other day this month, I will be sharing excerpts from some of the chapters in my new book ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today. In November 2014, Rick Warren asked me to write a series of articles called “Shocking Beliefs of [the Great Theologians]” on my blog. The series had but one objective. To call for grace, civility, and tolerance among Christians when they disagree with one another over doctrinal issues. Since… Read more

Since it’s Saturday, we’ll do something on the lighter side. I happen to be 100% Italian. Here’s an old Italian joke that I like. My fellow Pizons will appreciate it.  — An old Italian man lived alone in upstate New York. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his… Read more

I don’t think anyone who lives in the United States can say that our country is a “Christian” nation. Yes, the country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. This is hard to dispute (though many of the founding fathers were Deists). But to label the USA a Christian nation today is difficult to maintain. Studies have shown that the percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades. The foundations of America’s “Christianized” culture is falling apart…. Read more

CLICK HERE to download the first 5 chapters of my new book ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today. Order the book on discount from Amazon here Read more

What follows is the Introduction to Frank Viola’s newest book – ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today. Scroll down to read the first five chapters for free. Back Cover Description The church is tired of seeing Christians act ungraciously toward one another when they disagree. Social media has added to the carnage. Christians routinely block each other on Facebook because of doctrinal disagreements. The world watches the blood-letting, and the Christian witness is… Read more

Back in 2009, I wrote a song based on a series of messages I delivered on Ephesians. To my mind, Ephesians 1 and 2 are among the most sublime passages in all the New Testament. And so I wanted to put the key thoughts to music. The song is called “In Christ.” I wrote the first stanza, the chorus, and the bridge. The church to whom I delivered the messages wrote the next two stanzas in response to an assignment… Read more

I keep hearing people in ministry say, “I have no hope for today’s Christians who are in their 20s and 30s. They aren’t interested in the deeper things of God. They are only interested in celebrity Christianity and what’s supposedly popular but shallow.” My response: This may be true for the majority, but the deepest Christians I know who are in their 20s and 30s are part of *The Deeper Christian Life Network* and they are an impressive tribe of… Read more

Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea … ” Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new… Read more