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Simplified Missional Living

I came across a helpful article on how to live in a missional way with those around you as a Christian… (click here)

here is one of the tips…

Be a Regular
“Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places at the same times. Get to know the staff. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of leftover pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give them to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a regular.”

(HT – Between Two Worlds)

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Why They Don’t Get It: Helping Students Understand Worldview By John Stonestreet

John Stonestreet has written a very helpful article on youth today. He is the the Executive Director of Summit Ministries (which in my opinion is the finest worldview camp for high school students in America). If you have a high school student or are a youth pastor you owe it them to check this summer opportunity out.

(excerpt from article) “The battle of ideas is often the battle over definitions. Asking students, “What do you mean by that?” has never been more crucial. Assuming that we share definitions, or that traditional definitions will go unquestioned, with the emerging generation is a mistake with significant consequences. Among the more crucial words needing careful definition include God, human, truth, faith, Gospel, Kingdom, evil, tolerance, male, female, pro-life, justice, marriage, family, freedom, rights, responsibility, and the good life.”

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Americans not losing their religion, but changing it often

I came across this CNN article, Americans not losing their religion, but changing it often, and it was interesting reading.

A few observations:

1 – “I began to see there were some things I wasn’t able to get on board with fully. I don’t like the traditional Episcopalian focus on the afterlife.”

Notice the criteria for this change; not I investigated or studied the Bible and came to a different conclusion, but rather…”I didn’t like it.” as if it was Butter Pecan ice cream vs. Mocha Almond Fudge. Truth is not a flavor of ice cream. But many people treat religion like it is.

2 – “More than four in 10 American adults are no longer members of the religion they were brought up in, while about one in 10 changed religion, then went back to the one they left, the study found. Just under five in 10 — 47 percent — have never changed faith.”

Change is not necessarily bad of course, but the reasons are what is important here. And if it is simply people being too busy and drifiting or not liking something…those aren’t good foundations to build a worldview and way of life on.

Christianity works becasue it is true; it is not true because it works.