One thing that Christians do a great job at is creating our own what we see "seperate and unequal" culture. Christians for the past 30 years do a great job in living outside of the world norm. For example Christians have their seperatist norms and convictions. That we shold stay away from drinking and smoking tobacco! That we should spend thousands of dollars sending them to private schools! We have to protect them from those "dirty/sinful people" In fact there is an entire movement the 6th largest in the world that says you will not inherit the kingdom of God if you drink, dance, smoke etc (which my friend is heresey). Those folks who say that are the same people who have 9 times out of 10 never shared the gospel with anyone. And my friends there is more to sharing the gospel then walking with a cross down the road, or handing out a gospel track.
In Puerto Rico I experienced a lot of great things. However I use this blog to sometimes highlight my frustration with the church. I do not get why there are so many both young and old Christians missing the mark. I do not know if you know are Judeo Christian values are going away, and Islam is the fastest growing in the world. Why are we not on mission? Were too busy putting our hope and faith in false Gods. For folks in the US, it is the American Dream. It is the go to alcohol/drug for our culture. This might be a bold statement but there is no way that you can achieve the American Dream while being a Christ follower at the same time. Shame on me and shame on us!
Yet through all of the negative, there is a rising generation of Christians who want to change the world through the gospel and universal/local church. There is a new generation that is hungry for sound doctrine and being on mission. There is a generation that is willing to go to the end of the Earth to make Jesus known. In fact in places like Uganda and Kenya, there is an increase in Christians being perscuted. While this is sad, the reason that this happening is there is a Gospel Resurgence going on in Africa.
The same thing happend in the book of Acts which accounts the first modern day church. In Acts 2-3 the church expands and grows by the thousands! The Romans and teachers of the old Hebrew law are being threatend by the power of the gospel! Throughout the next chapters starting in Acts 5 with the stoning of Stephen, the local church goes under heavy perscution (Yes that means people die).
"The highest form of selfishness is to go to heaven alone"
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
What Would Jesus Do?
My time in Puerto Rico has allowed me to discover a lot about who God is in such a positive way. By diving into the word and coming to this project with an open heart, I have a better understanding of the magnitude of his love. I have seen that same power and love change people's character in less than three weeks.
One of the things it has also allowed me to do is become better educated in the beliefs and foundations of our movement. Just like politics there are over 34,000 different sects of Christians throughout the international world. Each have their own good and bad things. Even within Campus Outreach and the PCA church, there are things that need to improve drastically.
I however do not want my personal walk with Jesus to be defined by theology. It should be defined by love for a broken world that needs Jesus. How we get people to experience and be changed by that is the primary role of the "world church."
In Puerto Rico there is a lot of mainline Pentecostal churches scattered across the island. I would say about 30-40 percent of the churches on the island are Pentecostal. In fact the church we work with, La Travesia is the only one I know of preaching the gospel "through grace and faith alone."
What would Jesus do about a church that is defined by earning your works to get your way to heaven? What would he do about a church that is not defined by grace. I am totally ok with folks who speak and tongues and speak prophetically. (As long as the gospel of faith/grace alone is preached). But a movement that is defined by "losing your salvation, or telling people they will burn in hell if they do this or do that is not Jesus at all!
The reason I get so mad at this movement is because myself and other students I disciple were apart of it. In fact this movement of false teaching is what threw me away from pursuing God in the first place. It was not until three years later that I finally came face to face with the gospel through the ministry I work for now. I know I am making big assumptions about a movement that makes up nearly 60 million people, but there are false teachers out there with an agenda. Don't believe me? Check out this video from Dr. Daniel Akin, President of Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIU6lAv7wsM
And so many people wonder why an entire generation is missing the link and experience with God's glory. When part of my calling and job is to lead people and generations into God's presence, I want to make sure it is not false. I want to make sure their experience with Jesus, is actually an experience with him.
One of the things it has also allowed me to do is become better educated in the beliefs and foundations of our movement. Just like politics there are over 34,000 different sects of Christians throughout the international world. Each have their own good and bad things. Even within Campus Outreach and the PCA church, there are things that need to improve drastically.
I however do not want my personal walk with Jesus to be defined by theology. It should be defined by love for a broken world that needs Jesus. How we get people to experience and be changed by that is the primary role of the "world church."
In Puerto Rico there is a lot of mainline Pentecostal churches scattered across the island. I would say about 30-40 percent of the churches on the island are Pentecostal. In fact the church we work with, La Travesia is the only one I know of preaching the gospel "through grace and faith alone."
What would Jesus do about a church that is defined by earning your works to get your way to heaven? What would he do about a church that is not defined by grace. I am totally ok with folks who speak and tongues and speak prophetically. (As long as the gospel of faith/grace alone is preached). But a movement that is defined by "losing your salvation, or telling people they will burn in hell if they do this or do that is not Jesus at all!
The reason I get so mad at this movement is because myself and other students I disciple were apart of it. In fact this movement of false teaching is what threw me away from pursuing God in the first place. It was not until three years later that I finally came face to face with the gospel through the ministry I work for now. I know I am making big assumptions about a movement that makes up nearly 60 million people, but there are false teachers out there with an agenda. Don't believe me? Check out this video from Dr. Daniel Akin, President of Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIU6lAv7wsM
And so many people wonder why an entire generation is missing the link and experience with God's glory. When part of my calling and job is to lead people and generations into God's presence, I want to make sure it is not false. I want to make sure their experience with Jesus, is actually an experience with him.
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