Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social aspects that directly effects Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details.
These guys are telling us that faith and hearing come by being cool enough to relate to today's youth.
People who adopt christinaity because it's cool are missing the boat. John would say when they leave eventually that they never knew us.
While this is a sloppy way of saying it, and I don't entirely agree with the application, I have to admit this comment reminded me of I Corinthians 5:9-10 "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world."
I can understand the need for people to relate to a younger crowd in order to get them interested in Christianity, but this "Jesus is my homeboy" stuff is blasphemous, IMO. It's clearly a mockery of Christianity, considering the works and deeds of people like Madonna and Ashton Kutcher, who are the ones wearing the gear and leading the pop-marketing trend. It's sick.
I'm the Youth Advisor for our Church, and I see no need to use these silly t-shirts to reach out to the youth. The Word of God is, and should always be, enough. Bending the word of God by creating slogans in order to "get" to youth is the wrong approach. I've found that being able to RELATE the word of God to situations they're dealing with, and in turn giving them heros to look up to, to be the most effective method.
The Revival will not be televised...
Mainline churches = weak, Godless, men-pleasing, spiritually dead, mausoleums with emptying pews.
In most "mainline churches" Christ is not preached, repentence not mentioned, holiness not spoken of, the Bible is never referenced, and Christ's return is considered a scary fairy tale believed only by those icky fundamentalists who believe what the Bible says.
I entered the Kingdom of God one dark night in 1985 after reading a Jack Chick comic about two Christian dudes going around the world in bell bottoms doing good. The one on the end times literally scared the Hell out of me.
People may think they can meet in a "gym" and discuss the Bible but in the end you have people who don't know what they're talking about. Is it any wonder these people say homosexuality is just another sin and we're all sinners?
The church is losing it doctrinal integrity by pastors and priests who spend more time thinking up social programs to do and by people who don't actually study the Bible outside the context of Lord of the Rings or the DaVinci Codes.
Why not? I can't talk to folks from different walks of life because I don't look like them? I surf with Christians, I hunt with Christians, I break bread with pastors, pray with firemen, and hold the hand of small children. They all look different, dress different, act different. No judgement on their appearance.
I'm afraid these folks might be too focused on "glossies" instead of the content. I'll take fire and brimstone, son - that's about as real as it gets.
The message must never change, but the vessel that presents that message MUST always change and adapt. Otherwise, we'd still be doing our services in people's homes, in Aramaic or Greek.
My regular parish does not offer a Latin Mass, but I try to enjoy the beautiful Latin language at least once a month at another church.
Yes, the Bible studies and other informal meetings are great, but I crave the formality and reverence of the Mass.
As the article points out, the fact that I can connect with ancient Christians via religious rites is important to me.
Let us act like David and serve our own generation. In Heaven we will hear those words, " Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"
Personally, I credit the music of Christian heavy metal band Stryper for helping planting a seed in me that was used to open me up to listening to what my Christian friends were saying to me in their attempts to witness to me. When somebody knows nothing about Jesus perhaps it is sometimes best to speak to them in a language they understand, this may be through the types of music they listen to. To say that Christian rock is bad is wrong, Christian rock may be a tool used to speak to a non-believing person and God may use this to bring them to the point of searching for the truth.
Anyone who thinks Christian rock is so bad may want to check out Neal Morse's Testimony album. Very powerful lyrics of one mans journey from rock star to Christian. One of the most inspiring testimonies I've heard.
Did Jesus not teach to go out into the world and be a light to the world, isn't there scripture that tells christians to go out into the world and preach to non believers in their language?
I have no problem with that at all. I think we can (we must) reach out to homosexuals to evangelize them, and we must oppose the radical agenda in our schools, community and government.
Judging by Steven's choice of words here I'd say chances of that are pretty slim.
"My generation is discontented with dead religion," said Cameron Strang, 28, founder of Relevant Media, which produces Christian books, a Web site and Relevant magazine, a stylish 70,000-circulation bimonthly that addresses topics like body piercing, celibacy, extreme prayer, punk rock and God.Unfortunately, in ten years his religion will likely be a dead religion too. This was tried in the '60s and early '70s.
Much of what I see in NYC is church-as-religion-themed-social-club.
For one thing, it's because we (both clergy and lay people) are serious about our Christianity. Also, we give them an island of stability in a very confusing world. Third, we genuinely love our kids, but they're still kids, and we teach them as such -- and the kids appreciate it. Fourth, we give them a meaningful part of our services -- we have two kids' choirs, a youth choir, and a thriving acolyte program.
IOW, it's not hard to keep kids in church. As with most of what ails society these days, we need only remind ourselves that we are the grown-ups, and the kids are not.