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The Washington Post reported on October 24, 2009 that some evangelicals are feeling a need for renewal. Below are a few extracts from that article, and a link to the full article below them. At the very bottom I have posed a question that I am hoping will be discussed honestly in this thread.
Concerned evangelicals gathered last week to search the soul of their movement and find a new way forward.
Among evangelicals, who account for a quarter of the U.S. population, the idea that they must focus their attention on shaping authentic disciples of Jesus has always had broad support. But how to do that in a consumerist society with little appetite for self-denial is fueling internal debate.
"The church in a sense has lost its mission to go out and love the people," said Steven Mayo, pastor of Elm Street Congregational Church in Fitchburg, Mass. "We've become useless in a society that desperately needs us."
Too often, they say, Christians came to display un-Christian behavior in the public square and did a disservice to the cause of making disciples.
"Beware the escalation of extremism," Guinness said. "Christian sayings such as, 'Love your enemies' -- they're forgotten.
People are attacking their enemies, but they're certainly not on the side of Jesus in this."
The problem, he said, is that the doctrine-obsessed have lost touch with the heart of Jesus.
Although renewal strategies might vary in the years ahead, evangelicals expressed agreement that their inspiration is to be found in their bedrock source: Scripture.
John Jefferson Davis, a Gordon-Conwell theologian, said today's Christians "need a high-intensity experience of God" and should seek it through meditative readings of Scripture. Still, he conceded, even Bible-based worship will need to be "more attractive and more enjoyable than a trip to the shopping mall."
"Unless we can experience God in a way that is as real and as appealing as what we see on a 60-inch, high-definition plasma home theater screen," Davis said, "we are in trouble."
It appears that some sincere Christians who write on discussion boards seem to feel they have a mission to criticize the religious beliefs of other followers of Jesus Christ, instead of proclaiming their own. If you agree with my observation, do you think the above extracts support the need for a change in such behavior? How do you see it?
I think Christian activism in political issues, has seriously impacted Christians ability to minister to a hurting world.
The leading pastors and preachers who urged their congregations to be more vocal in politcal matters, were in error, IMHO. The crusading against homosexuality, in particular; has hurt Christians' ability to reach others with the gospel.......that all mushroomed in the '80's. The so-called Moral Majority, and so on.
Homosexual people were called "perverts" and degenerates from pulpits and it created a defensiveness and a backlash.
Instead of love, they saw and heard bold attacks, and so they put defenses up and became a political force of their own. I am not saying homosexual acts are acceptable in the eyes of God, (neither are heterosexual acts, outside of marriage); but I'm saying they should not have been singled out and called names, etc. JMHO
The Washington Post reported on October 24, 2009 that some evangelicals are feeling a need for renewal. Below are a few extracts from that article, and a link to the full article below them. At the very bottom I have posed a question that I am hoping will be discussed honestly in this thread.
Concerned evangelicals gathered last week to search the soul of their movement and find a new way forward.
Among evangelicals, who account for a quarter of the U.S. population, the idea that they must focus their attention on shaping authentic disciples of Jesus has always had broad support. But how to do that in a consumerist society with little appetite for self-denial is fueling internal debate.
"The church in a sense has lost its mission to go out and love the people," said Steven Mayo, pastor of Elm Street Congregational Church in Fitchburg, Mass. "We've become useless in a society that desperately needs us."
Too often, they say, Christians came to display un-Christian behavior in the public square and did a disservice to the cause of making disciples.
"Beware the escalation of extremism," Guinness said. "Christian sayings such as, 'Love your enemies' -- they're forgotten.
People are attacking their enemies, but they're certainly not on the side of Jesus in this."
The problem, he said, is that the doctrine-obsessed have lost touch with the heart of Jesus.
Although renewal strategies might vary in the years ahead, evangelicals expressed agreement that their inspiration is to be found in their bedrock source: Scripture.
John Jefferson Davis, a Gordon-Conwell theologian, said today's Christians "need a high-intensity experience of God" and should seek it through meditative readings of Scripture. Still, he conceded, even Bible-based worship will need to be "more attractive and more enjoyable than a trip to the shopping mall."
"Unless we can experience God in a way that is as real and as appealing as what we see on a 60-inch, high-definition plasma home theater screen," Davis said, "we are in trouble."
It appears that some sincere Christians who write on discussion boards seem to feel they have a mission to criticize the religious beliefs of other followers of Jesus Christ, instead of proclaiming their own. If you agree with my observation, do you think the above extracts support the need for a change in such behavior? How do you see it?
OMG OMG OMG!!!! I have been saying this for SO LONG. Christians are giving Christ a bad name by jumping into politics and being the "moral majority". The world is NOT seeing love---they are seeing HATE; real, percieved, or otherwise. We don't need to focus on blocking the rights of others because we may not agree with their lifestyle...we just need to show them LOVE, unconditionally. Speak the Word in LOVE, let the Spirit of God convict if that is needed...
OMG OMG OMG!!!! I have been saying this for SO LONG. Christians are giving Christ a bad name by jumping into politics and being the "moral majority". The world is NOT seeing love---they are seeing HATE; real, percieved, or otherwise. We don't need to focus on blocking the rights of others because we may not agree with their lifestyle...we just need to show them LOVE, unconditionally. Speak the Word in LOVE, let the Spirit of God convict if that is needed...
WOW! on so many fronts. It's bad enough I hear it on TV do I have to see it in a Christian forum?
Last edited by Fundamentalist; 10-26-2009 at 10:58 AM..
The Washington Post reported on October 24, 2009 that some evangelicals are feeling a need for renewal. Below are a few extracts from that article, and a link to the full article below them. At the very bottom I have posed a question that I am hoping will be discussed honestly in this thread.............
It appears that some sincere Christians who write on discussion boards seem to feel they have a mission to criticize the religious beliefs of other followers of Jesus Christ, instead of proclaiming their own. If you agree with my observation, do you think the above extracts support the need for a change in such behavior? How do you see it?
Dr. Os Guinness is a good man but his perspectives is shortsighted and backward even though I don't agree with getting involved in politics I can't fault other Christians who do afterall it's their country too.
There is some truth to this but some truth can still be a lie. The fact is that the gospel is offensive by itself. Why did they kill Jesus-and you honestly think you can make Christianity more appealing? The gospel shows men who profess their own righteousness as sinners which is an accusation that many are not willing to admit or face.
All that is important in our walk as Christians but that is a bit backward. THE most important thing is truth. Preaching the gospel rightly without any compromise. Tuth is the gospel, the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit works in the individual and people become SOUNDLY saved then the "so called" world problems like racism, greed, corruption, war etc....ends
Last edited by Fundamentalist; 10-26-2009 at 11:02 AM..
The Washington Post reported on October 24, 2009 that some evangelicals are feeling a need for renewal. Below are a few extracts from that article, and a link to the full article below them. At the very bottom I have posed a question that I am hoping will be discussed honestly in this thread.
Concerned evangelicals gathered last week to search the soul of their movement and find a new way forward.
Among evangelicals, who account for a quarter of the U.S. population, the idea that they must focus their attention on shaping authentic disciples of Jesus has always had broad support. But how to do that in a consumerist society with little appetite for self-denial is fueling internal debate.
"The church in a sense has lost its mission to go out and love the people," said Steven Mayo, pastor of Elm Street Congregational Church in Fitchburg, Mass. "We've become useless in a society that desperately needs us."
Too often, they say, Christians came to display un-Christian behavior in the public square and did a disservice to the cause of making disciples.
"Beware the escalation of extremism," Guinness said. "Christian sayings such as, 'Love your enemies' -- they're forgotten.
People are attacking their enemies, but they're certainly not on the side of Jesus in this."
The problem, he said, is that the doctrine-obsessed have lost touch with the heart of Jesus.
Although renewal strategies might vary in the years ahead, evangelicals expressed agreement that their inspiration is to be found in their bedrock source: Scripture.
John Jefferson Davis, a Gordon-Conwell theologian, said today's Christians "need a high-intensity experience of God" and should seek it through meditative readings of Scripture. Still, he conceded, even Bible-based worship will need to be "more attractive and more enjoyable than a trip to the shopping mall."
"Unless we can experience God in a way that is as real and as appealing as what we see on a 60-inch, high-definition plasma home theater screen," Davis said, "we are in trouble."
It appears that some sincere Christians who write on discussion boards seem to feel they have a mission to criticize the religious beliefs of other followers of Jesus Christ, instead of proclaiming their own. If you agree with my observation, do you think the above extracts support the need for a change in such behavior? How do you see it?
I posted this on another thread but thought it fit so perfectly with what you were addressing here.
EXACTLY....some focus so much on "doctrine" but always seem to leave the most important part of what Jesus taught us....LOVE. LOVE is all we need to fulfill Gods will. If we love Him with all of our hearts, souls and minds and love our neighbor as ourselves....what more is there? Walking in LOVE...pure and umblemished LOVE....is our calling. Take a really good look at the "church" of the 1st century because that is our true model for how we are supposed to be walking in LOVE. Doing Gods will is not about building big fancy churches and sitting on our butts on Sunday listening to some luke warm sermon...it's about LOVING and HELPING EVERYONE IN NEED. Our biggest sin is our SELFISHNESS. When we quit thinking about ourselves and start truly thinking about the welfare of others....there will be no need for a "church building" because we will all be believers and a true community of believers who share and share alike....this is what the people of the 1st century did and what Jesus taught them to do. It's easy to tell poor people, a homeless person, a prostitute, a drug addicted person, a widow, orphans that God loves them...but what they really need and what God wants from us is that we show them God loves them by what we do for them, whether giving them a meal, clean clothes, a blanket, money, just talking to them, etc. We truly are Gods hands and feet in this world and the only way His light is ever going to shine brightly in this world is for all of us to start doing Gods true will.
Maybe more and more will recognize what we really should be doing to Shine the Light of God!
WOW! on so many fronts. It's bad enough I hear it on TV do I have to see it in a Christian forum?
See what? Someone reasonable who looks at the facts themselves and doesn't spend all day soaking up the lies sold on Faux News? Oh okay, you're right, Christians are winning SOmany people over with those signs of Obama as Hitler!
See what? Someone reasonable who looks at the facts themselves and doesn't spend all day soaking up the lies sold on Faux News? Oh okay, you're right, Christians are winning SOmany people over with those signs of Obama as Hitler!
You don't even realize you took God's name in vain yet you are so quick to criticize other Christians with merely a different method of doing things which you do not agree with, they profess to be Christians, well it is obvious they are spiritually immature Christians who are still growing, how are you different? what makes you think your way is the best which by the way I do agree with.
You don't even realize you took God's name in vain yet you are so quick to criticize other Christians with merely a different method of doing things which you do not agree with, they profess to be Christians, well it is obvious they are spiritually immature Christians who are still growing, how are you different? what makes you think your way is the best which by the way I do agree with.
Where and when did I take God's name in vain? If you are referring to the OMG statment, that can just as easily stand for Oh My Gosh, and even if it didn't there is nothing wrong with saying Oh My God. If you consider that wrong then that is your own conviction. Please keep it to yourself.
They way they are doing things is doing damage to the church and turning people away from Christ. It in no way embodies love, unless one is a Calvinist...in that case the idea of Godly love may be warped.
I respect faiths that feel otherwise, but I think there are times a Christian should get involved in politics. If a state considers mandating people do things that go against their faith, whatever that faith may be, than I think it's understandable and right members of said faith would get involved.
Still I think he has a point on self-denial and showing more love for your enemies. Too many noted Christians live lives of gluttony, pride, and callousness to the poor. And the angry polarization in today's politics is unnerving. That said when things like this are in the Washington Post I find myself thinking that what they're really looking for or wanting is Evangelicals who think like them. If Evangelicals became more tolerant and compassionate, but still considered homosexual sex and abortion grave sins, they'd likely remain disdainful of them.
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If you are referring to the OMG statment, that can just as easily stand for Oh My Gosh, and even if it didn't there is nothing wrong with saying Oh My God. If you consider that wrong then that is your own conviction. Please keep it to yourself.
