Imagine Warren Buffet’s personal assistant called your friend one day and told him that the famous investor wanted to personally teach your friend the secrets of financial success. What if the offer included personal investment advice with a guarantee that your friend would dramatically improve his lifestyle by becoming more prosperous, successful and influential? Now imagine that your friend told the personal assistant that he would be happy to learn from Mr. Buffet provided the billionaire first dressed more culturally relevant, listened to popular music, would speak common street jargon, would relate his teachings to popular television and film, and would post catchy memes on popular social media sites. Continue reading “The Warren Buffet Guide to Church Culture”
FGS: A Christian Plague?
I see it all the time. If you hang around church people, odds are, you do too. I’m talking about FGS. If my experience is indicative, it is one of the most prolific, unhealthy and damaging conditions in all of the Christian community.
Like a chronic health condition we learn to ignore, the signs of FGS are subtle and seemingly benign to those desensitized by years of exposure. To the unconditioned non-Christian or the sensitive believer, however, the manifestations are alarming, confusing, and can result in observer’s attempts to avoid God and His followers completely. Continue reading “FGS: A Christian Plague?”
Don’t Lose Hope
What is Hope?
HOPE is a word that is often thrown around lightly: “I hope my plane is on time,” “I hope the Patriots win the Super Bowl,” “I hope the weather warms up.” It seems we spend a lot of time hoping for things we have little or no control over and little-to-no assurance that what we hope for is actually going to happen. Praise the Lord, our relationship with God doesn’t have to – be like this.
The kind of hope the Bible talks about is very different from the one above. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for hope is defined as “confidence, security and without care (no doubt)” In the New Testament, the word for hope denotes “trust”. Doesn’t that sound much better than the kind of hope most of our culture has?
“Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” – Proverbs 13:13 (MSG)
The Foundation of Your Faith
There’s an old story that speaks to the heart of tradition and one of the challenges inherent with it.
One day a young girl was spending time with her mother learning how to cook. Wondering why her Mother cut the roast in half and cooked it in two pans, she inquired. The Mother thought for a moment and said, “I’m not really sure, that is the way my Mom taught me, so I have always done it that way as well. Let’s give Grandma a call and ask her.” Continue reading “The Foundation of Your Faith”