According to a recent Time magazine article highlighting Kevin O'Keefe's new book The Average American, we are 36 years old, but in reality we are newborn and toddling, aged and wise. We exercise close to the recommended 20 minutes a day, but that's because 17% of us exercise for well over an hour, while the rest of us scarcely stir at all. A vast majority of Americans believe in God, and more than 90% own a Bible, but only half can name a single Gospel, and 10% think Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. [For more info, click the cartoon.]So if any church does any kind of evangelism or ordinary outreach, those are the kinds of people we're going to find. The question is, when we do, will we like the early church in Acts 15:19 decide to "Not make it difficult" for people turning to God?
For example, will we require guests to suit up? During communion, will we make them feel like "2nd class citizens" in the sanctuary while the righteous march out to participate in foot washing? Will we yell at them if they bring a meat dish to potluck? What do YOU think we should ask of the average American we bring to church? Has your perspective ever changed?
3 comments:
Excellent blog, Mike! Jesus didn't call us to judge, but to love and spur each other other towards love and good deeds. Let's let go of our bitterness and our own devices and throw off everything that hinders and entangles and run hard after the prize of Christ!
Dealing with Distraction
"So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step."
— 1 Corinthians 9:26
In first-century track competitions, each runner would be assigned to a lane on the track. Each was expected to stay in his assigned lane. In the same way, as you and I run the race of life, our competition is not with other believers. Rather, our competition is with our enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil. The goal is not to outrun someone else. The goal is to outrun those wicked influences that could bring us down.
You might justify your slow pace by pointing to other people still running behind you. True. But there are probably some people ahead of you too. You are not to concern yourself with who is behind you or who is ahead of you. You are to run the race before you. God has not called you to run someone else's race. We are each called to run our own race.
An incident from the life of Peter illustrates this truth. After Peter had been restored to the Lord following His denial, Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Then the Lord proceeded to tell Peter how his life would end. As they were talking, Peter noticed another disciple, John, was walking behind them. Peter asked, "What about him, Lord?" (John 21:21).
Jesus said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me" (John 21 22). A loose paraphrase would be, "Peter, it is none of your business. You just do what I have told you to do."
I ask you today, are you just offering a half-hearted effort in the race of life? Or are you running as well as you can?
Excerpt taken from Greg Laurie, Harvest Ministries
Mike! My perspective has changed. When I came into the SDA church I remember feeling like I had landed on another planet. They didn't eat like me, speak like me or wear what I wore. I tried so hard to fit in. I just didn't know what I was supposed to do! I was more lost as an "SDA" than I was as a "sinner" and thus felt like a failure as a Christian. I didn't know my bible let alone this Ellen they spoke of. I found myself in study after study just trying to scratch the surface. One thing I do remember hearing at one time is that Ellen White spoke of a "shaking". I used to think that she meant a shaking away of all the "unrighteous" the people who didn't know or believe in the doctrine, who didn't measure up so to speak. My view has changed to the point that I think there is a shaking going on now. Shaking off the need to "suit up" for church. There is no need to "become" SDA. I do not feel that how you worship is the answer. It's who you worship, plain and simple. I don't measure up to anyone's standard. I do however strive to measure up to God's standard. His insthe only opinion that matters to me at this point in my walk.
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