Culture Change and the Church

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carol Davison on April 27, 2011 at 1:00pm

I am a Chrisitan because the concept of Jesus condescening to leave the worship of the angels to die on the cross for my sins is supercalifragilisticexpaladocious.  And then perhaps even more so he tells me to love as he did, to the death.  He also said he would let me into heaven because I ministered to the poor, sick, imprisoned, orpaned, widowed, as I would

have to him. 

 

However as a prison lay minister I don't see a lot of love even from "Christian" "family" members of those who think their brother is innocent.  There are no words to express how witnessing that broke my heart and concept of Christianity and family.   I guess it goes back to Ghandi saying "I like your Christ.  I don't like your Christians.  They are so unlike your Christ."  Probably because it is hard to meet any standard, but isn't the Holy Spirit supposed to enpower us to to these hard things?   

Permalink Reply by Sam Allgood on April 27, 2011 at 1:45pm

Carol, it is indeed sad that we do not more accurately reflect the image of Christ in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit does empower us, but we must accept and 'plug into' that power. This discussion is about how to help the church at large to truly grasp and cling to the Christ-centered culture, which requires a lot of laying down our own self-centeredness.

Permalink Reply by Matthew Goolsby on April 27, 2011 at 5:33pm

This is a very timely topic as yesterday I was discussing with my fellow men's bible study members how much like the world our Christian culture looks. It is really a shame that we have the same struggles with marital infidelity that people who are not believers do. I am not judging or criticizing anyone, I just grieve that we look this way as the American church.

 

What we as believers all need is a continual call to repentance by the Holy Spirit and conviction of sin. It's not easy for us to accept this, but what else will change us and how else can we look like the Christ-followers that we are supposed to be? The unbridled truth of our fallibility and our need for Christ to change us needs to resonate through our entire being. That way, we can experience the wholeness and blessings that God intends for us as new 'creations'!

Permalink Reply by Jason Hastings on April 27, 2011 at 7:26pm

We really need to stop "marketing" church as a place that people can come to simply to use God as a conduit for their happiness.  We should praise Him simply because He is God, and that He sacrificed His Son for the atonement of our sins. 

Permalink Reply by Carol Davison on April 29, 2011 at 10:13am

Thanks for your imput.  I'm with Jason.  The mainline churches that are only concerned with the abcs (attendance, buildings and collections) are losing members to the more ?conservative, evangelical? ones.  I believe that people are looking for meaingful, challenging faith lives.  Perhaps no one wants to join the Christian girl scouts, they want to join the Christian MARINE CORPS.  My family, friends, and co-workers saw what I experienced doing prison ministry.  Even those who have left their faith, or never had any, believe that I belive because I don't just avoid the don'ts I do the dos.  Saint Fracis of Assissi said to preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.  Another friend said that we way we live our lives earns us the right to witness to others.  It only seems logical to me that people know your faith by your works before you open your mouth.  On the other hand I can think of a person or two whose character made us want to retch when they prayed in Jesus' name because they didn't live in Jesus' name.    

Permalink Reply by Carol Davison on April 29, 2011 at 10:17am

Or in Jason's case the want to go into the Christian AIR CAVALRY!  OOO-RHA!

 

(I used to recruit for an Air Cav unit.  Does that make me a Trooper?)