What is it you really want out of life? Are you happy where you are or do you feel like you should be doing more? Walt Whitman said that, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”. We put on a great façade, but inside we are secretly dying. Christians are particularly adept at this. We show up every Sunday determined to convince everyone gathered that we have it all together. Deep within us there is a curious but insistent longing. We know we were created for more but we can’t seem to put our finger on what that “more” looks like.
Matthew
Doers of the Word
We live in a time where we have an unprecedented amount of knowledge available at our fingertips. Never before in the history of man have we had so many resources on hand from which to learn and study. The internet has leveled the playing field in many ways, providing rich content to people and countries that have been locked out of information sharing in the past. We can stream video of church services from around the globe anytime day or night. Podcasts make listening to sermons possible while we jog or drive. Hundreds of books are released each year containing fresh perspectives and spiritual insights. If you ever wanted to learn about Jesus, you certainly are now without excuse.
Why Are We Here?
So many Christians wander through life waiting to discover God’s will for their lives. I can’t help but believe one of the major reasons they can’t figure this out is because they are ignorant of the mission of Christ. How can you understand the call of God for your life if you don’t fully grasp the call of God on the life of Christ? If you are frustrated or confused as to what you think you should be doing, I humbly suggest you get back to the roots of your faith and dive a little deeper into the reasons the Son of God became one of us.
The Local Church
Bill Hybels has said, and I agree, that “The local church is the hope of the world.” In times of tragedy, it is often the local churches that come to the aid of those in need. For many, attending a weekend service is the only exposure they ever get to the teachings of Jesus and the love of God. Stories abound of people who, having reached the end of their rope, stumbled into a church service just to check out the “God thing”. Beyond all of this, the local church should be the launching point – and the refueling station – for believers to go about the great commission of taking the good news of Jesus throughout the world.
The Boy Scouts and the Church
Recently several churches in my area have been dropping their sponsorship of Boy Scout troops. My own church home has made headlines because of their decision to follow suit. At issue is the recent decision by the Boy Scouts of America to allow homosexual boys to join their ranks, something that has previously been forbidden. The churches that are pulling their support from the scouts are doing so ostensibly so they are not financially supporting or associated with a group that allows homosexuals to benefit from their funding. Upon learning of my home church’s decision, I took an afternoon to think and pray about this stance. I’d like to share my thoughts with you.