a Biblical thought...
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)
a Book thought...
For a lifetime of growth, continual learning is an essential. Experience alone will not guarantee learning. It’s what you learn from your experiences that will transform your future. (p101 Cordeiro)
For a lifetime of growth, continual learning is an essential. Experience alone will not guarantee learning. It’s what you learn from your experiences that will transform your future. (p101 Cordeiro)
a Dave thought...
Here is the opening summary to Dan Kimball’s book They like Jesus but not the Church:
Today’s non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like–and why you should be listening to these emerging voices.
Here is the opening summary to Dan Kimball’s book They like Jesus but not the Church:
Today’s non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like–and why you should be listening to these emerging voices.
Here are the six most common perceptions of the Church among post-Christian 20- and 30-somethings which Dan deals with in the book.
1) The Church is an organized religion with a political agenda.
2) The Church is judgmental and negative.
3) The Church is dominated by males and oppresses females.
4) The Church is homophobic.
5) The Church arrogantly claims all other religions are wrong.
6) The Church is full of fundamentalists who take the whole Bible literally.
If you have not had an opportunity to read this and want to understand why many young people are leaving the church I’m sure you will find it helpful.
Just a thought.
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3 comments:
The negative attitudes Kimble speaks of sound very much like the typical post-modern allergic reaction to absolutism. This doesn’t of course mean that these things are not present in the church, unfortunately many of them are and they are a far cry from the Scriptures vision of Christian community. However, while people may say the think Jesus is the ants pants it doesn’t mean they are reading the Bible on any regular basis for the simple reason is that as soon as they open it they bump up against the absolute that “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life”. Jesus is great but are they willing to heed his call to “follow me”, a call that leads to a relationship that is no longer relative but one that is absolute and brooks no rivals. Therefore according the postmodernist one that is oppressive and so must be treated with deep suspicion if not scorn. The allergic reaction needs to be taken seriously and it needs to be addressed if people today are ever to hear the gospel of God’s redemptive reign anew. We are called to shape our collective imagination as followers of Jesus in such a way that ours and worlds current imagination is set free and transformed according to the image of Christ.
I wonder how many of these 20 and 30 somethings have actually had a life transforming experience of Christ. If you have there is a good chance that you will overlook some of these very negative points that have been made. The Church is not perfect because the Church is people and they are not perfect but any church worth its salt is preaching about the saving grace of God which transforms people's lives and instead of always looking at the negative they see the positive side to belonging. Meeting with God's people and sharing in each others journey with Christ is a very powerful and worthwhile experience. Let us, particularly at this time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Christ, look for something uplifting and encouraging and share that message and not take such a negative approach.
This book was required reading for our recent Evangelism for Emerging Cultures course here in the USA South.
Cadet Aaron Abram
Prayer Warrior
Evangeline Booth College
School for Officer Training
USA Southern Territory
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