Culture Creep: How an ‘orientation’ is born
“Some academics do not dispute the view of Tom O’Carroll, a former chairman of PIE [Paedophile Information Exchange] … that society’s outrage at paedophilic relationships is essentially emotional, irrational, and not justified by science. ‘It is the quality of the relationship that matters,’ O’Carroll insists.”
The thing to notice here is that while you weren’t looking the word “relationships” snuck in without debate. Another place gained. The language of alternative lifestyle slowly replaces today’s more common terminology of “abuse” and “victim.”
Never Start a Ministry Without a Minister
Most small churches get in a hurry and try to do too much. Pray and wait for God to bring you the person best shaped to lead it, then let them start the ministry. If there’s no interest in a particular ministry, don’t worry about it. It is so important for church leaders to have a long-term perspective concerning their church’s development. Solid growth takes time.
My fear is that some will give in to the criticism, become overwhelmed by the complications in discovering what it means to live justly. I fear that some will give up and sink into apathy and instead of using energy and resources to serve God and others, they will squander.
I believe regardless of one’s ideology, our humanity is wired to care for others. I further believe the Christian faith offers the best narrative of how to live honoring God and others. For faithful disciples of Jesus, social justice is part of the gospel. My hope is that we continue to mature in this conversation.
As I thought about this, six types of selfishness in my own life came to the surface, which, if I wasn’t confident that Christ died to kill them, might leave me in despair. But since I know that Jesus, because of his great love for me, died so that I would no longer be shackled to my little life, I am free to admit my selfishness to him (and to you).
Let us remember further that when the church was persecuted and when Christians were martyred, the church grew. Our congregations are shrinking, and many are closing, all while we allow the people in the pews to carry guns. Do I want our members slaughtered in their seats? Of course not. Am I advocating a return to martyrdom? No. What I am suggesting, though, is that our churches have become so accommodated to culture that we are no longer relevant. We are no longer any different from the world. We have lost our saltiness, and might as well be thrown out onto the ground to be trampled.
We later visited in a nearby room. During the conversation, I expressed to my friend my uncertainty regarding my future plans. I said, “I really wonder what I will be doing someday.”
My friend very wisely said, “Someday is here.”
Think about that one.
Someday is here.
What have you put off? Have you repeatedly said, “I’ll do this tomorrow.”
Maybe today, you just need to begin.
Sins of the spirit are the attitudes and dispositions that lie beneath our behavior, but are what give them life and expression. Sins of the spirit are judgmental thoughts, a superior attitude, impatient words, bitter resentments, difficulty in being able to forgive, and have little room to love those we think are beneath us.
Why Young Churches Want Old Buildings
“Because that’s the thing about a building, or work of art, or even a sunset in the mountain,” Bean said. “You can engage beautiful objects or spaces, but they don’t ultimately satisfy your longing to encounter beauty. Beauty is designed to point to something beyond itself, and in that sense our passion for space is born out of a desire to have every aspect of someone’s experience with Redeemer point them to Jesus, as the one who is sufficiently and ultimately beautiful.”
List of Richest Pastors in Brazil Prompts White House Petition
According to Forbes, “prosperity theology” has allowed some pastors to hit the financial jackpot. Forbes reports that Edir Macedo, founder of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), is worth nearly $1 billion. Last Saturday, his autobiography made its American debut.