Filed under: Christian, Christianity, General, Real Life, Relevant Christian, Relevant Life, Revolutionary
There has been much discussion on this site about worship styles, emerging churches, traditional churches and many other items that there are many, many, many differing opinions. So when I ran across this article in the Christian Post, I found it very interesting.
According to Senior Pastor Jim Shaddix of Riverside Baptist Church in Denver, Colo.,
“Young people, he believes, are not opposed to hymns. In fact, they sing revisions of hymnals sung by contemporary artists such as Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman.”
“Pastors clad in a suit and tie are also not a turnoff to the younger generation who watch late night show hosts Jay Leno and David Letterman run their monologues in a suit and tie.”
“Beyond the form of traditional churches and worship styles, young people, who are labeled as the future of the church, are opposed to the “fabricated Christian culture” within the traditional churches.”
“They’re opposed to the lifeless and heartless way we often sing those hymns,” Shaddix said at the second Baptist Identity Conference in Jackson, Tenn.
“Young people are not necessarily running to something,” the Southern Baptist pastor highlighted. “They are running away from something.”
And the standard answer church leaders would give to the question of what they are running from is the church form, the worship style, the traditional denominational affiliation – the tangible. But Shaddix believes the young believers are running from “lifeless Christianity.”
“This generation of young people “can see through” the emotionless expression during worship and the frequent listing of prayer requests but the little time allotted in services for actual prayer.”
“They can see through our hypocrisy,” said Shaddix.
“This generation has the gift of discerning authenticity in the church”, Shaddix plainly stated. “And this generation wants to do missions, not just study and give to missions.”
I found Pastor Shaddix’ thoughts very interesting and right in line with what John Burke, the Pastor of Gateway Community Church in Austin Texas, says in his book, “No Perfect People Allowed”.
Burke writes, “I am convinced authentic community provides the context where the majority of spiritual growth and healing can take place.
Emerging generations, like never before, crave this sense of community inside a spiritual family. If they don’t experience hope for authentic relational support, I don’t care how hip the service, or how rippin’ the music, or how vintage the vibe…they won’t stick.”
He continues, “As you can see, the challenge for the church of the twenty-first century has very little to do with the type of music or weekly service or drama or art or candles or coffee we serve. These things are important and may attract people initially, but they will never keep people connected and growing in faith community.”
So, in a nutchell, today’s generation wants authenticity. They want people passionate about God. They want people who live their lives for Christ and not just talk about it. They want something real, powerful, tangible.
Now that’s being Relevant!
Peace!
Filed under: Christian, Christianity, General, Politics and Christianity, Real Life, Relevant Christian, Relevant Life
It appears that Presidential campaigns begin earlier and earlier every four years. The upcoming 2008 election is without a doubt a pivotal point in our Nation’s history. How will America define the world, and how will the world define America? As of now, America has defined the world in a dichotomous fashion: Good and Evil, Right and Wrong, Terrorist and Non-Terrorist. America has also been defined. Some labels include: Imperialistic, Suppressors, Liberators, and Arrogant. Will these be the terms we carry into the next administration?
In light of the current world affairs, it appears that the Christian vote is becoming more and more desired by candidates. Political figures are well aware of this demographic as it is estimated that the Christian population was instrumental in Bush’s re-election (see figures here)
But why?
Simply put, It is primarily because of the way the world has been defined and portrayed on our televisions. The globe is being split in two: East versus West (or more accurately, Middle East versus West). Accompanying the Middle East is the Islamic religion – and this has many fundamentalist Christians running to the polls to play their part in the battle of “Good”
and “Evil”.
As Christians, we need to be a bit more responsible. We must know the facts instead of endorsing the first candidate that advocates our religion and/or Jesus. At present time, it seems that appearances (and that includes appearing like a Christian) have more political weight than actual policies.
The country was built upon the Christian ideal that human beings desire more than just being told what to think and believe. Unfortunately, politicians have strayed away from the nation’s original intent and instead they strive to tell us what is important, what to believe, and why to support them. I for one will not tolerate being treated as a puppet – and neither should you.
The Christian vote should be the result of a prayerful reflection and a personal investigation of candidates. Do the candidates’ ideals truly match yours? If not, why would you vote for them? Just because they are Christian? No America, the country needs responsible citizens to choose a competent leader.
I encourage all of you to follow the coming election closely. Research the candidates (and no, research doesn’t include relying on the smear campaign commercials). God has given us an amazing ability: the power to reason, analyze, think, and make rational decisions; no other creature in existence has such a privilege. Let’s make use of this gift.
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I’ve always been bewildered by the fear of change in church. I know there is a justifiable concern about doing new things and that the new things line up with what scripture tells us. But many churches I have encountered in the past take change as an attack on Jesus himself.
I’ve always compared need for change in church to the medical industry. They’re very similar. They both designed to help people and restore them, so I think it fits very well.
Suppose you go to a hospital to get some surgery on a hurt knee. They bring you in and after filling out some paperwork they take you back to the OR. You roll in to see the doctor in some clothes he wore out on a hike, his hands covered in dirt and sweat. On the cart beside him, you see his arsenal: a bottle of Jack Daniel’s for anesthesia, a rusty handsaw for disection, and a wooden peg.
Of course, you would immediately limp out the door hoping that the orderly is small and slow.
Sadly, this has been the state of change in the church today. We have been using outdated methods that people don’t get. We’re still trying to ‘fix their knee’ but in a way that was relevant to the people back then. And just like we would retreat the hospital, people, both Christian and non-Christian alike, are fleeing the church in droves.
Now imagine that the next day you are walking down the street and a guy that notices your limp says he can fix your knee. He takes you to a smaller building he’s converted into a super-clean up-to-date Surgery center. He uses the latest technology to cleanly and easily repair your knee and gets you back up and going. His methods are new and unique, and he’s using cutting edge technology, and he’s in a place that you wouldn’t expect a ’surgeon’ to be, but he’s still serving the same purpose, fixing your knee. And he’s more effective at fixing your knee than what the hospital would have done for you.
This is the change that the church is beginning to make. The mission is still the same, it’s just the methods that are changing. Some of these changes are extreme, some are uncomfortable, sometimes even scary, but it’s a necessary step we as the church are overdue in taking. We have to adapt our methods to fit the culture we are in.
I’m excited to see what the next 25 years holds for Christianity and the church. So many changes for the better are to come in this new generation and I predict a new revitalized Church to be the engine that gets the revolution going.
Ok…I just thought this was funny and thought that I would start the day off with a little levity.
