Pursuing God's dream where everyone belongs, everyone matters, and everyone can thrive.
A great internal debate throughout christian history has been on the subject matter of war and violence. Is there such thing as a “Just War”, and should Christians participate in war or any acts of violence?
Let’s begin the dialogue, freestyle with me and briefly tell me what you think… (biblically that is).
Have you seen it yet?
This is creativity, ingenuity, and innovation, realized! What are your impressions?
Check this video out (and yes this seems to have been made right when Obama becomes President, which is why he is such a huge part at the end.)
What do you think? (This post is not meant to be political about Pres. Obama, but the black american experience in totality)
A lot of religious frontin goes on in the church. Decide what you want “A Religious Front or Spiritual Depth”. Here is my most recent sermon…
Freestyle with me…
I am convinced that the American church has lost its way. We are so enslaved by materialism and entrenched with a consumeristic mindset, that we fail to see how much we have watered down the faith. American Evangelicals think they have it all figured out, but it is my conclusion that we (evangelicals) have the most diluted expression of the Christian faith globally.
We talk a good game, we go to church, we carry around fancy Life Applications Bibles, listen to some christian radio and music, and talk in our our inner club language, christianese. Yet when it comes to obeying and imitating Christ’s actual teachings, we are MIA. In fact, the most offensive thing someone can do these days is qoute Jesus in a church. We love Paul, but we can’t swallow Christ. Must we really love our enemies, be peacemakers, turn the other cheek, deny ourselves, pursue justice, and care for the least of these in our society?
No, instead we will call Jesus Lord but disregard his actual teachings. But then Luke 6:46 jumps out and smacks the chap off our lips. Check it out…
I liked the new version overall… but to be honest, I thought Lil Wayne, and some of the other brothas using autotune to sing was real weak. Not trying to sound like an old man, but we are the world ought to have been about talent. The black R&B singers represented well, aside from Wyclef, Kanye, and Will.I.AM, the rappers were whack (don’t get me started on that corny rap chant)! What u think, freestyle with me…
Working out my thoughts for a talk to a group young black teenage males who are not “churched”. Freestyle with me…
I had a great conversation with some friends and our discussion found its way to the discussion of church. I know, me talking about the nature of the Church, surprise surprise!!! Anyways, one friend knowing my long term goal to do a church plant, asked how I would ensure that I did not fall into the routine of what most churches fall into, and how I would ensure I would be different.
I am satisfied with the answer I gave, I basically said that my goal is not to be different. My main critique of some of the emerging dialogue going on is not with approach or style, but with the goals it has. This is not the first person to articulate a desire to be different. And I know beneath that there are stronger convictions that recognize that the church indeed has not always been faithful nor relevant to God and the communities it serves. However, it still seems to be a reaction centered type of thinking to me.
I too am very frustrated with the Western Church as a whole and especially American churches. However, my main focus is not on how to be different than them, it is more on how to be faithful to God. For me I must ask the question, “What does a faithful Church look like in the 21st Century?” And after continually going back to God’s Word, praying, and being shaped by other believers in Christ who are asking the same question, a Kingdom imagination breaks forth, from which the Spirit gives discernment on what that might look like. And then I repeat the process again.
For me I want to make sure that I am lined up with what God is doing, and do not become just another approach that happens to be very different. I desire that God direct me on how I and my ministry can align with what God is doing. Everything centers around what God is doing first, and then me being a faithful participant in God’s doings.
I know I have thrown out the term Missional at various times on this site, with out spending the time to define what it is. While I have critiqued aspects of it as a movement, and how it has been lived out, I tend to agree with the overall theological foundations and assumptions.
A friend had this video on there blog, and it seems helpful in getting at the heart and core of what a missional church is all about, at least in theory. Freestyle with me, what do you think?
Drew G. I. Hart