Things I'm Thinking About...

I just watched the movie Jesus Camp. I'm thinking about that...

The movie reminded me of a discussion I had with a group of Pastors last month. We were talking about the real issues that our culture is dealing with - the issues that the church rarely discusses. As a part of our conversation one of the Pastors said that he thought one of our problems in church is that we are always telling people that this is going to be their best year yet... Or that this is their moment... Or that the best is to come... His point was that we are selling our churches a bill of goods that may not be true. He went on to explain that when we make promises to people about their situations we can give them a false hope and then it makes their circumstances become their God. Here is the bottom line - is Jesus enough? Do we need our circumstances changed? Or do we just need Christ.

At Leadnow+DC, Donald Miller made a point that the Bible tells us that we will grow like trees planted by streams of water. He said that a tree doesn't grow very fast. He even conducted a scientific study by taking a lawn chair out to the forrest and watching... The trees grew - a little (it's a joke people). The point is that while God can do anything, the way that He has orchestrated our growth is for it to be slow and steady. But we live in such a consumeristic society that we want it all and we want it now. I wonder what it would look like if we just simply tried to be faithful in the things that God gives us each day. Not looking towards some super Christian experience or accomlishment, but seeking out a life of simple obedience.