The Authority to Forgive (Or Not): John 20:19–23 & Matthew 28:16–20

Who decides who belongs? Who gets forgiven? Who gets held accountable?Often, we hand those responsibilities to pastors, leaders, or institutions and then blame them alone when things go wrong. But Jesus gives the work of forgiveness, discernment, and responsibility to the whole community. In week two of Authority Issues, we explore the difficult and necessary tension between personal responsibility, communal authority, and spiritual leadership.