Archive for December, 2007
12:01 am…Where Are You?
December 31, 2007 8:52 pm
Christian - what does that really mean? It seems that everyone claims to be a Christian. And how does one really know? Because we consider it some “personal” issue. So personal that we live however we want and say whatever we desire without and question. But the problem is there are questions!
I’m thirty (which is the new twenty, haha) and I hate what I see within my “religion(?).” So recently I got a new book for Christmas that is really helping me squeeze thoughts out, is called “UnChrisian” by David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons. Over the next few weeks I hope to digest this book with you. I would love to hear people’s thoughts: those who proclaim to be Christian and those who do not. Over the next weeks let’s keep in mind a few reasons for such a book.
First, this book is a research of those who consider themselves “outside” (those looking at the Christian faith from the outside). Because it’s hard to define who is Christian the book gives a good definition. A Christian is someone that is born-again and you’re a born-again Christian if you have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important to you and have you have confessed sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. Of course only God knows ones heart and reaction to Him. But you are not a Christian just because you go to church, identify as a Christian, read the Bible, or do good things for others.
Second, we’re serious about paying attention to outsiders because Jesus cares about them. It’s easy to just turn away from the perspective of people outside the church. To make some type of excuse that their “heart is hard” or “they are just making excuses.” But I’m afraid we have made their hearts hard and their “excuses” are reality (at least it’s what I see too). We’re talking about millions people and this book’s focus is on the 24 million between the ages 16-29. That is decision makers in today and tomorrow that strongly oppose Christianity.
Third, Christianity’s image problem is not just an issue for the outsider - it’s an issue for the insiders too. The born-again believers in their twenties and thirties are bringing up the same challenges, questions, and doubts facing those outside the church.
Fourth, this is a huge movement and not something that can be changed overnight. “The vast majority of Americans identify themselves as Christians; most adults in this country say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life; and nearly half are relatively active churchgoers. Of course, the depth of most Christians’ faith leaves much to be desired, but the fact is Christianity leaves an enormous footprint in America.”
I’ve already find myself looking in the mirror and asking what role did I play in how people perceive Christianity? I’ve led in bed thinking back to when I was in school and the words, actions, and attitude that may have caused someone to be nauseous at what they see - not at Jesus - at this form of Christianity I display. I hope not but I’m afraid so.
Christmas and things like that…
December 27, 2007 8:06 am
My wife asked me a few days before Christmas what would make it special. Besides the gifts and hoopla that comes with this holiday what would make it feel like Christmas. That is a weird question for me because all my good memories were as a child when Santa was a real person and it still had a mystic. About the time I learned Santa wasn’t real and I learned my parents love for each other wasn’t real either. So around the age of ten I lost Santa and my dad to divorce - Christmas hasn’t been the same since. Oh, I hate divorce, too.
When I got married I had the chance to start something new and this year was Tatum’s first Christmas. So we started new traditions or adopted old ones. I think I actually have new memories for Christmas. We didn’t do anything super strange - exchanged pjs, bought a tree ornament, and remembered the nativity story. But the gifts meant less this year and the reason (giving to others, spending time with family, stopping to remember) meant more.
Oh, I got a couple of good books which will probably show up in blogs in 2008 and I got a new Bible. That may seems strange since I have many types of Bibles but I got a personal reading, study, growing Bible in the ESV verison.
