Spirituality - Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church2024-03-29T08:59:35Zhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/forum/categories/spirituality-1/listForCategory?feed=yes&xn_auth=noShould Cristians listen to worldly songs or music?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2011-07-26:2422312:Topic:583282011-07-26T06:38:02.394ZT&J 5-20-09http://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/TJ52009
One of the greatest confrontations that individuals face in church is music. Music is the most powerful force in the world. It can either build you or destroy you. God made everything in the world especially music. He receives it when its done to praise him or glorify him. Letting go of the habits of the past is very difficult and may seem impossible in a human's eyes but God says that everything is possible for those that believe in him. We must believe with faith and trust that he will take…
One of the greatest confrontations that individuals face in church is music. Music is the most powerful force in the world. It can either build you or destroy you. God made everything in the world especially music. He receives it when its done to praise him or glorify him. Letting go of the habits of the past is very difficult and may seem impossible in a human's eyes but God says that everything is possible for those that believe in him. We must believe with faith and trust that he will take away the things that hinder us. As children of God we must be seperated from sin and worldly desires. When a person becomes friends with the world the Lord states that he is his enemy. Does this mean that any worldly desire can turn us into enemies of God? The answer is yes. We are not perfect and as humans we sin by nature but giving into worldly desires will indeed keep us away of the glory of God. When David played the harp demons that tormented Saul has no choice but to leave. Demons cannot hold or be still when a person's worship is heard by God. When our worship has the annointing of God, things happen. The atmosphere begins to change when God is pleased with our worship. Worldly songs do not worship God but they are intended to worship Satan. Most of these worldly singers or artists are fornicators, adulterers or drug atticts. The demons that are in these people can penetrate through their music to cativate any soul that lends their ears to it. Listening to worldly music will hold your soul hostige. You will feel a burden that is uncontrollable. As christians we must stay away from lending our ears to music that is just binding our souls up when we can be worshipping God and being a tool in the hands of the Almighty. Music can change the atmosphere and especially your life. We are God's flock and he is not pleased when his flock is wondering around and becoming involved with the world. We must live in holyness according to his word. Nobody is perfect but the first step in becoming a better christian is admitiing our faults and changing them into our victory. GAME PLAN for LIFE by Joe Gibbstag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2010-04-20:2422312:Topic:350032010-04-20T20:05:12.205ZZonda Bodifordhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/ZondaBodiford
Has anyone read this? I just started it a little while ago. It talks about the importance of Faith, from a coach's point of view. (Gibbs was past coach of the Washington Redskins). I'm really enjoying it.<br/>
Has anyone read this? I just started it a little while ago. It talks about the importance of Faith, from a coach's point of view. (Gibbs was past coach of the Washington Redskins). I'm really enjoying it.<br/> Hanging on to your Dreamstag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2009-10-10:2422312:Topic:263042009-10-10T03:32:16.649ZPreston Campbellhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/Pie_Man_AKA_Preston_Campbell
Have you ever had something you love to do? In the future, you can still do it even when people say, "You can't do it!" "It's not gonna' happen!" You job is to hang on to those dreams no matter what you do! God made a talent in you for a reason! Don't walk around thinking "I now i'm good at this but i'm not gonna' do it!" No! Say "I can do this! God made me this way and I want to keep it like this!" I have a talent of singing and I want to do it. That should be you! It doesen't have to be…
Have you ever had something you love to do? In the future, you can still do it even when people say, "You can't do it!" "It's not gonna' happen!" You job is to hang on to those dreams no matter what you do! God made a talent in you for a reason! Don't walk around thinking "I now i'm good at this but i'm not gonna' do it!" No! Say "I can do this! God made me this way and I want to keep it like this!" I have a talent of singing and I want to do it. That should be you! It doesen't have to be singing. It has to be thing your best at whether it singing, teaching, or even working! God made you a to follow a certian path and you have to follow it! You have to hang on to your dreams tight and not let them go. Don't ever say "I don't like the way God made me and I want to change!" You were made in the image of God! That's how special you are! You were made in the image of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! Your that special! Here's a good way to explain it-If God had a refridgerator your picture would be on it. If God had a wallet your picture would be in it. That's how much he loves us. Even if we were in jail, God would still love us. God will love us no matter what happens! Give half of the credit to Joel Osteen! Minister of Lakewood Church in downtown Houston. He's the one who mde the wallet joke & he inspieres you because he made books thet inspire you! (He also made the "<i>wallet & refrigerator</i> joke) Following Jesus. By N.T. Wrighttag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2009-10-06:2422312:Topic:262562009-10-06T18:11:12.524ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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Following Jesus is a compilation of twelve sermons by N.T. Wright. The first six sermons examine Jesus as he is portrayed in Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation. The last six sermons look at the Christian themes of resurrection, the renewal of the mind, temptation, hell, heaven and power, and the new life and the new world.<br />
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Each sermon contains various exegetical or theological gems of insight that would be expected from a…
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Following Jesus is a compilation of twelve sermons by N.T. Wright. The first six sermons examine Jesus as he is portrayed in Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation. The last six sermons look at the Christian themes of resurrection, the renewal of the mind, temptation, hell, heaven and power, and the new life and the new world.<br />
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Each sermon contains various exegetical or theological gems of insight that would be expected from a scholar of Wright’s caliber. For example, as he speaks of the “powers” in Colossians, Wright reveals why Paul’s statement of Christ’s victory over the powers was so significant. In ancient thought, all of life was governed by the powers (gods or spiritual forces). These gods had to placated through gifts and offerings. If something bad happened, it was due to these powers. The obvious conclusion about the cross, then, in ancient minds was that the powers had defeated Jesus. Instead, Paul reveals that the powers were defeated through the cross!<br />
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As a literary work, Following Jesus suffers somewhat due to its nature. Sermons are best heard and experienced, not read, and no written version can do a well-delivered sermon justice. The written versions leave the reader wanting more detail and depth on Wright’s exegetical gems, whereas one hearing these sermons would probably view the level of detail and depth sufficient.<br />
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Still, despite the limitations of the genre, Wright’s skill in illustration, metaphor and rhetoric are apparent. For instance, he begins his sermon on Mark with the following quote: “This man is going to set all Europe ablaze through his incendiary dreams of world domination.” This quote was placed as a caption underneath a picture of Adolf Hitler, leading one to believe that it is a quote about Hitler; however, Wright reveals that this in actuality was a quote that Hitler made about Churchill! This well-illustrated Wright’s point that we have a tendency to become that which we fear or despise in others. Jesus rebuked the disciples in Mark for seeking to establish the very thing that they hated—a kingdom built on force and revolution. Instead, Jesus calls his disciples to a kingdom established through laying down their lives for others, demonstrated in Christ’s supreme act of dying upon the cross.<br />
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Wright gives fairly traditional portraits of Jesus in each of the first six sermons. For Paul in Colossians, Christ is the conqueror of the powers. To the writer of Hebrews, Jesus is the final sacrifice. Matthew’s gospel looks at Christ as king. John’s gospel highlights Jesus as the one who brings glory to God. In Mark, Christ is crowned king at the cross. In Revelation, Jesus is the lamb that was slain. In several of these, the Eucharist is connected to these messages.<br />
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Other than addressing major Christian themes, most of the last six sermons have a strong emphasis on eschatology. The notable exception is the sermon on temptation. Perhaps an opportunity was missed to look at temptation through the same eschatological lens as the other sermons. All in all, this compilation of sermons form an interesting take on traditional Christian themes and portraits. Blue Like Jazz. By Donald Millertag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2009-10-05:2422312:Topic:258872009-10-05T16:35:20.682ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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Soon after Blue Like Jazz was published, this book by Donald Miller became the favorite book of young adults on Christian spirituality. It is indeed a quintessential work on postmodern spirituality, both in substance and style. I will explore the reasons for the work’s popularity below and their implications for ministry.<br />
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Miller writes in a raw, rambling style that exhibits postmodern values. He regularly brings out his flaws, which helps disarm a…
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Soon after Blue Like Jazz was published, this book by Donald Miller became the favorite book of young adults on Christian spirituality. It is indeed a quintessential work on postmodern spirituality, both in substance and style. I will explore the reasons for the work’s popularity below and their implications for ministry.<br />
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Miller writes in a raw, rambling style that exhibits postmodern values. He regularly brings out his flaws, which helps disarm a culture that is sensitive to hypocrisy and pretentiousness. The story that he tells is largely a journey narrative, and he even says that “I was beginning to believe I was a character in a greater story.” His encounters with strange but fascinating people (like the gypsies) on this journey reflect his equally strange but fascinating spiritual wanderings. Young adults are perpetually taking road trips, both physically and spiritually, and they can see their own spiritual journey within Miller’s work.<br />
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The content of Miller’s work also resonates with postmoderns. He discusses the church’s failure to address human rights, racism, and slavery, and virtually all readers mentally cheer as he relates the story of the confession booth, in which he and his friends confess the sins of Christians to non-Christians. Love, Miller says, is not logical, but an emotion. He has given up on argumentation as a pathway to truth, stating that one side can prove God exists and the other can prove that he does not. Frankly, the whole debate turns him off and he walks away from it. Miller deals with one of the paradoxes of postmodernism, the deep desire for community in younger generations contrasted by the present-day reality of loneliness and extreme individualism. In the end he comes to some fairly mainstream Christian positions on many issues, including attending worship, tithing, and prayer.<br />
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Miller’s work has given me good insight into the style and content that connects with our postmodern culture in general and young adults in particular. I am seeking to be transparent in my preaching and teaching, often referring to my less than perfect moments with a bit of humor. When I told a story recently about being angry about a guy who cut me off in traffic, one young adult said that he could not believe that a minister could be willing to share this. My sermons are largely inductive and rarely have anything that resembles the “points” of an argument, and I regularly work the above topics into my sermons. In short, I am seeking to play a little “Blue Like Jazz.” Hopefully this will continue to help me connect with our increasingly postmodern culture. UnChristian by David Kinnamon and Gabe Lyonstag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2009-10-05:2422312:Topic:258832009-10-05T16:26:36.385ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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In UnChristian, David Kinnamon and Gabe Lyons of the Barna Group reveal their research on the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs of sixteen- to twenty-nine-year olds in regards to matters of faith, morality, theology, Christians, and the church. Kinnamon and Lyons survey both Christians and “outsiders” (non-Christians) who fall into this age category, and the results are staggering. According to their research, many young Christians are struggling…
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In UnChristian, David Kinnamon and Gabe Lyons of the Barna Group reveal their research on the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs of sixteen- to twenty-nine-year olds in regards to matters of faith, morality, theology, Christians, and the church. Kinnamon and Lyons survey both Christians and “outsiders” (non-Christians) who fall into this age category, and the results are staggering. According to their research, many young Christians are struggling mightily in matters of faith and morality. These struggles are not unexpected, considering the age of the group and the pluralistic world in which they have been raised. While this is of concern, the most ground-breaking research, however, is this: young outsiders by overwhelming margins perceive Christians as “unChristian,” or not reflecting the values and actions of Christ.<br />
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Young outsiders have many negative perceptions of Christians. Christians are hypocritical, calling others to live lives that they themselves are not living. Christians view outsiders as objects for evangelism and as numbers, rather than having genuine relationships with those who have not yet acknowledged Christ. Rather than treating homosexuals with love, Christians attend anti-gay rallies and carry signs that say “God hates fag.” Christians are thus “antihomosexual.” Christians live sheltered lives, living in isolated, Christian bubbles in which they neither know nor understand outsiders. Christians are too involved in politics, using laws to impose their standards of morality. Christians are judgmental, claiming to “love the sinner and hate the sin,” but in reality hating both sin and sinner.<br />
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Some of these perceptions have been fostered by media portrayals of Christians or by one or two bad encounters with Christians. Unfortunately, some of these perceptions reflect the attitudes and behaviors of a large number of Christians.<br />
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While there are undoubtedly many causes behind these attitudes and behaviors, one common cause seems to be the breakdown of Christendom in the United States. For decades now, Christians have not been at the center of the public square. Our worldview and values are being rejected by our culture—and we are reacting badly. We often attempt to exercise “church discipline” by reprimanding, berating, and ostracizing those who engage in immoral behaviors. Yet, as Scripture tells us, it is impossible for people who do not have the Spirit of God to truly obey him. Outsiders do not need a better morality—they need Christ.<br />
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In fact, while the authors uphold the passing of laws to enforce morality and influence behavior, I question whether these laws will do more harm than good once their support starts falling below fifty percent. Besides, even if, for instance, marriage laws prevent homosexuals from marrying, this still does not mean that they are not lost. My experience has been that once state amendments pass on marriage, all thought of homosexuals is forgotten. There is no plan to reach out to them or seek their redemption. If we are to reach outsiders today, we must do this through love and service, following the way of Jesus, not force. Anything less is unChristian. They Like Jesus But Not the Church. By Dan Kimballtag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2009-10-05:2422312:Topic:258792009-10-05T16:19:34.476ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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Many Christians have heard the research that church attendance amongst those in their twenties in the United States is extremely low. For many, however, these statistics are either hard to believe or do not have a lasting impact. In They Like Jesus But Not the Church, Dan Kimball seeks to put “a name and a face” to these young adults by relating back their thoughts and concerns about the church. While they have many issues that they are concerned…
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Many Christians have heard the research that church attendance amongst those in their twenties in the United States is extremely low. For many, however, these statistics are either hard to believe or do not have a lasting impact. In They Like Jesus But Not the Church, Dan Kimball seeks to put “a name and a face” to these young adults by relating back their thoughts and concerns about the church. While they have many issues that they are concerned about, there is one overarching trend: emerging generations like Jesus, but they do not like the church.<br />
Kimball exhorts church leaders to get out of the office and to listen to young non-Christians. Most Christians do not have a single significant relationship with non-Christians—often because of the busyness in church life that is created by church leaders. Furthermore, Christians have created an entire church sub-culture, with Christian radio stations, schools, websites, and bumper stickers, that isolate them from non-Christians. I appreciate Kimball’s call for Christians to live missionally, interacting with non-Christians, living in their world, genuinely loving them, and sharing Christ with them.<br />
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Why is Christ so popular, while the church is so unpopular? According to the young adults that Kimball interviewed, Jesus was everything that the church is not. Jesus was non-judgmental; the church is judgmental. Jesus created a movement; the church is “organized religion.” Jesus changed hearts; the church is a political organization that forces its will on people. Jesus was a friend of sinners; the church hates homosexuals.<br />
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These perceptions of non-Christians are sometimes the result of negative media portrayals of Christians or a few bad encounters that people may have had with Christians. Unfortunately, these perceptions have often been true. At one of our Starbucks book talk gatherings, a young barista named Alex asked me what we were reading. I told her Blue Like Jazz. I said that this was a book about Christianity and following Jesus, not “church-ianity.” She proceeded to tell me that this sounded good. She thought churches were like cults, but she liked “that following Jesus thing.”<br />
If we are to change the perceptions of young adults about us we must do several things.<br />
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First, we must be missional and go to where people are. Second, we must really love people like Alex, building genuine relationships with them. Third, we must actually be Christ to them and serve them.<br />
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After talking with Alex, I went and bought her a copy of the book and wrote a note in it that said,<br />
Dear Alex. Thank you so much for serving us so well whenever we come in. You are clearly on the path to Jesus, because you love people. If we can ever pray for you or help you in any way, please let us know. God bless.<br />
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Amazingly, Alex later told me that that was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her. We can help people like the church by being the Jesus that they love.