Archive for the ‘Change’ Category
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
The world as we know it is rapidly changing. Current economic, demographic, technological, and political changes can cause our heads to spin. Yet, one change that may not be as obvious is that the American context is becoming less and less Christian, especially in the way Christianity has been traditionally understood and followed. People are asking such questions as “Why bother with church?” “What has the Christian faith to do with the real problems of life?” In some quarters, the questions are not as benign. These people aggressively ask, “Why are Christians so bigoted, narrow-minded, and anti-everything?” Studies show that while there is a growing interest in matters spiritual, Christianity and the church are increasingly viewed as irrelevant or passé, especially when it comes to our collective lives as Americans.
So, how are Christians to respond to this new reality? (more…)
Tags: Church, fear, identity, missional, shifts
Posted in Change, Church, Culture, Mission | No Comments »
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
A friend recently remarked that much of what is spoken these days falls into one of two categories; it is either combative and uncivil, or it is inane and trivial. His observation is that people either state matters as incontestable fact when what they are saying cannot be proved or verified, or they understate in a rather casual, urbane manner that which should be said with conviction and fervor. Since what is spoken in both cases seems to be without serious or careful consideration, my friend feels we must redouble our efforts to ensure that we measure our words, so that we speak to each other in a thoughtful manner.
My friend is absolutely correct for a number of reasons. (more…)
Tags: conjecture, conversation, Formation, integrity, speech, truth, words
Posted in Change, Formation | No Comments »
Monday, October 11th, 2010
What are Christians living in pluralistic, postmodern, and post-Christian America to do in order to overcome the negative reactions they now engender? This is the central question Gabe Lyons seeks to address in The Next Christians: The Good News about the End of Christian America (Doubleday, 2010, 224 pages).
Lyons addresses this question with inspiring stories of those he dubs as “Next Christians,” and with the promise of what could happen through their words and deeds. His faith in these Next Christians is boldly asserted in the subtitle on the book’s jacket, “How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith.” (more…)
Tags: Americans, culture, suffering
Posted in Change, Culture | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
BrettG, in response to a post of August 16th (Globalized Answers) comments: “Okay, now please help me understand how to ‘listen to what the Spirit is saying’.”
To the modern mind (not that BrettG has a typical modern mind), listening to the Spirit is a bit nebulous and subjective. We prefer a rational or programmatic approach to most everything in life, even our religion and devotion. So, we rely chiefly on reasoned or formulaic answers rather than those generated by processes that are Spirit-induced or Spirit-guided. This is not to say we should forgo reason altogether or that there is nothing to be gained from processes that people in other places have found helpful. The difference is that reasoning and formula can take us only so far and routinely give us expected, uniform answers when what is needed are new and local answers. (more…)
Tags: Spirit
Posted in Change, Church, Mission | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Life can turn dark and ugly because of things that I do, or things people do to me, or just because life becomes undone. These shake the foundation and stability of the world as I know it and my dream of what I want it to be. No matter that it is my own neglect, ignorance or sin, or that people of ill intent accuse or lay in wait for me, or that life-threatening disease or natural calamity invade my world, the result is the same – a nightmarish existence that creates darkness and anguish. What control and power I think I have evaporate and life makes little sense. (more…)
Tags: darkness, Hope, prayer
Posted in Change, Formation, Hope | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Two years ago, while visiting with a friend about producing a newsletter to share thoughts and convictions with friends past and present, he exclaimed – Why a newsletter! Why not a blog? The result of his coaxing and coaching has been mereHope. Two years and many posts later, I am thinking “Why would I ever do a newsletter?” I enjoy blogging, and I hope people actually enjoy reading what I post!
(more…)
Tags: mereHope
Posted in Change | 3 Comments »
Friday, October 30th, 2009
Everyday, in large and small ways, each of us are making decisions – real decisions with real consequences. No matter how hard we might try to rationalize choices, blame others, see ourselves as victim, or fain ignorance, we make these decisions ourselves and our choices impact the lives of people around us in either cruel or kind ways.
(more…)
Posted in Change, Formation | 1 Comment »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
A revolution is taking place right before our eyes – a mission revolution. Some might mistake it to be a rebellion against power and authority, but such a characterization would be wrong. A rebellion is an attempt to overthrow and unseat, while a revolution is the act of re-creating or re-forming from the bottom up. Rebellion takes place in the halls of power, revolution takes to the streets. Over coffee at Starbuck, on airplanes returning from Niger, in church offices, and at small gatherings, ‘like-hearted’ pastors and church folk are joining passions and resources into mission collectives.
(more…)
Posted in Change, Church, Formation, Mission | No Comments »
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
Even though I am driven by particular questions, I am not without answers. I open my hands toward what I do not know, and at the same time, I stand firmly in what I do know. For example …
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Posted in Change, Church, Formation | No Comments »
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
There are a number of questions that I continue to ask, that still drive me. Some of you will wonder what is wrong with me. You ask – Why are you still asking questions? Don’t you have things figured out yet? Well, I keep asking because the given answers just don’t fit or are no longer clear. For example …
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Posted in Change, Formation, Mission | No Comments »
