Skip to main content

culture war

 


The back2school outreach was amazing, and there is more to share to come.  We will hold off on sharing more stories, yet please know there is much more to come as we see all God has done and is doing.


We continue our series from the book of Romans at The Community Fellowship, and this Sunday we began chapter 12 with a sermon titled “Culture, Compromise and the Christian Life”.  There is so much to talk through and share in the first couple verses, and I would like to challenge you to take a close look at these.


Romans 12:1-2  NLT  

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.


We live in a world that is in constant battle.  Years ago I read a book by Peter Kreeft titled How to Win the Culture War.  It was an insightful yet small book that made me check my faith in light of the world around me.


God calls us to be different.  In the world but not of it.  Right?  Be part of the world but be like Jesus.  That isn’t as judge but as His message bearers and living witnesses.


This chapter is one of those that the church needs to hear again and again.  It begins with transformed living and moves in to how we interact with others using the gifts that God has given us.  The defining of culture is critical.  I am concerned as the church we may very well be losing the culture war because of compromise.  Yet we are in need to choose to live the confident, christian life.


There is a problem.  Let’s be honest.  Not all of us agree on all facets of live and faith, yet I remind you that we come to this passage believing that God is real, that His way is right.  But the world needs Jesus.  Right?  The culture is in need, deep and dire need of change.  Here is where we find it.


It is easy to let the everything other than God define us or even tell us what to become.  As a follower of Jesus we cannot let that be the case.  God’s word shapes us, our thinking and even our living.  Think about it.


1 John 2:15  NLT  

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 


1 John 2:17  NLT 

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.



Prayer List:

Frank Harrison, Brynlee Coleman, unspoken need, Tim Southers, Geraldine Nunn, Clarence Pickurel, Waymon Lockett, Randy Rae, Clyde Gilley, Steven Goff, Nancy Wright, Dawn Campbell, Hank DeHart, Danny and Kathy Wilson, Martha Pennington, Timmy Howell, Joe McKissick, and James Clifton.  Those battling cancer: Nichole Helms, Brian Lawson, Stephanie Penn, Ron Harris, Janet Miller, Felecia Watkins, Leisha Wickham, Dionna Cameron, Cindy Kanode, Leslie, Barbara Matney, Tom Swartz, Jo Anny Russell and Steve Bradshaw.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more