The Church’s struggle to be perceived as countercultural is directly related to it’s political approach. When the Church uses the tools of the State to enforce Christian their ideals on the broader world, it should be no surprise that the result of this approach is a perception of hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is not a Christian problem; it’s a human problem. Continue Reading…
The Despised Ones is a new collective of writers and bloggers trying to describe what it means to follow Christ. The group was inspired by the 1 Corinthians 1:28, “He has chosen the despised ones and those who are not to bring to nothing the things that are.”
The group grew out of the discussions of Zach Hoag, Morgan Guyton (who Zach refers to as “Master Splinter”) and T.C. Moore. Guyton likens the proclamation of being despised to a shift in the life of John Wesley.
When John Wesley decided on April 2, 1739 to preach outside of the official Anglican pulpit in the streets and fields of England, he wrote in his journal: “At four in the afternoon I submitted to be more vile, and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation.” Wesley was a despised one; there have been many others.
This week kicked off the first ever Despised One’s Syncroblog. Zach suggested we all respond to Philippians 2:6-11. Check out my response and these others:
The church has the character of a polis (the Greek word from which we get the adjective political), namely, a structured social body. It has its ways of making decisions, defining membership, and carrying out common tasks. That makes the Christian community a political entity in the simplest meaning of the term
…stated very formally, the pattern we shall discover is that the will of God for human socialness as a whole is prefigured by the shape to which the Body of Christ is called. Church and world are not two compartments under separate legislation or two institutions with contradictory assignments, but two levels of the pertinence of the same Lordship. The people of God is called to be today what the world is called to be ultimately.
I listen to a LOT of audio content. It has helped me get in shape, learn more about my favorite topics, and grow closer to God. I don’t expect you to listen with the veracity I do, but I can promise you that by just listening 8 hours a week will change your life. Hereare my favorites.
This American Life — Consistently number one on iTunes, PRI’s Ira Glass uses an overarching theme, entrancing music, and humor to present stories of everyday people that are funny, sad and moving.
Radiolab — Seth Godin and I agree that this is simply the best audio program ever made. Robert and Jad use sound as a paintbrush to break down the mysteries of science in everyday ways. As if the radio show wasn’t enough, they “deleted scenes” to make additional content just for the podcast. Listen to every single episode.
Catalyst — More than just a commercial for their conferences, it’s a great resource for leaders of all types. Church leaders like Andy Stanley and Erwin McManus show up regularly, as well as business leaders like Guy Kawasaki and Chris Anderson. A great resource for early adopters.
Mars Hill Bible Church / Mars Hill Church – I enjoy listening to the two young, charismatic Christian doppelgangers back to back. Rob Bell and Mark Driscoll gave their churches similar names, preach for an hour and appeal to young adults, yet have drastically different approaches to communication and theology.
North Point Ministries – I know no better communicator than Andy Stanley. He has a deep theology, yet a simple style. Great, no matter where you are in your faith walk.
Stuff You Should Know — Ever wondered How Muppets Work? How to Steal a Nuclear Bomb? How to Fake the Moon Landing? Give Chuck and Josh 15 minutes and you’ll have great ammo for the next boring cocktail party.
The Moth — Real people sharing personal stories on stage and unscripted. Hilarious, heart breaking and enriching.
Two Gomers Run a Marathon — Steven and Anthony are two dudes who have been best friends since growing up in youth group together. Fed up with the legendary lethargy, they try to do something they’ve never done: run a marathon. It is so funny I am afraid of laughing my way into oncoming cars on a run. Moreover, listening to how the deep faith and sincere friendship leads two normal dudes to do phenomenal things makes me want to accomplish more with my life, and dive deeper into my friendships.
Take a listen.
The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
Blessings on you and yours.
Marantha.
Growth and Mission provides tangible observations and actionable methods for living more like Jesus, as individuals and the Church. Please take a moment to subscribe below.
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