I recently read an interesting article in Outreach Magazine by Dan Kimball on the “Emerging Church”.
Here is an excerpt from that article and his new book.
Today’s non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of
Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like–and why you should be listening to these emerging voices.
Every now and then, we experience an epiphany of some sort that drastically changes our life’s course. For me, it’s an extremely vivid memory of what happened when I took the time to step outside the busyness of ministry and listened to some college students from
what was known to be one of the more anti-Christian campuses in California. It was these “pagan” students who gave me such incredible hope for the Church.
I was leading a young adults ministry we had recently started at the church I was on staff with at the time, and occasionally during worship gatherings, we showed man-on-the-street video interviews to set up the sermon. For an upcoming message series on evangelism, we decided to go to this college campus to interview students and hear firsthand their thoughts about Christianity. We asked two questions: “What do you think of when you hear the name ‘Jesus’?” and “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘Christian’?”
(read the entire article here)
-EXCERPTED from Outreach magazine, “Features,” March/April 2007
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“Copyright © by Outreach magazine. All rights reserved. Used by permission
Ok…so…we seem to have pissed some people off with a blog entitled “Why Christians Suck”. We have had numerous people send us emails and comments attacking us personally in regards to the statements made in this blog. They have questioned our commitment to Christ, our knowledge of scripture, our salvation, and have been called “limp wristed” (Did I get that right Chris?) and weak minded. We have even had people take offence at use of the word “Suck” in the title to the blog. We even had one “demand” an apology for what has been written here on this site. They have called us “kingdom players” and have lumped us in the same category as Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Erwin McManus, and Dan Kimball just to name a few.
THERE WILL BE NO APOLOGY! We stand firmly on what we believe. We live our lives and direct our ministries according to the scriptures that are in the Holy Bible. We believe there is a “hot hell” and we are doing everything we can to keep people from going there by reaching out to them with the love of Jesus Christ. We live our lives according to the commands of Jesus. And what are the commands of Jesus? Jesus summed them up in two phrases…”Love God…Love People”
Call me revolutionary. Call me part of the “emerging church”. Call me foolish. Call me in love with people. Call me desiring to fulfill the calling God placed on my life. Call me what you will.
I am a “Christ-Follower”, a born again Christian, a child of the Living God. I depend strongly on His mercy and grace. I have put my sins under His blood. I am His…and He is mine!
So you don’t agree with us….that’s ok by me. If you don’t like what you read on this site…stop reading it! We will still love you with the love of Christ.
Peace.
