At McLean Bible Church our pastor is doing a series on "Identity" for our Frontline community. As a 20's to 30's community we tend to look at the world around us from a wider lens. We are also a generation with a desire to make a difference...and I truly believe we are. Yet, I also believe that as we seek to make a difference our Identity should be sure. Listening to Lon's sermon I am challenged to examine my Identity.
I identify with Christ. I John 4:10 "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." Jesus is the Son of God and that reality alone is the bedrock of who I am.
I can identify with McLean Bible church because their core values are in direct submission to the authority of Christ. Lon made some bold statements regarding where our church stands on controversial issues. Specifically his sermon mentioned abortion and homosexuality. The Bible states that Christ is the head of the Church. If we submit to Christ individually and as a church our stand will be in oposition to the worldview, but we must be set apart. I John 2 states, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." The Bible is very clear regarding the consequences of loving the world. It leads to death, which ultimately is separation from God. If a lifestyle or action leads away from God, we need to point the way back to Him. We are instructed to not love "the world", but we must touch individual lives. Time and time again Jesus reached out to those caught in a detrimental lifestyle and turned them toward God.
Lon's sermon also referenced the emergent church. This phenomenon is directed at our generation. Please note the distinction between emergent and emerging. Emerging focuses on changing methodology, but not the message. Emergent is an attempt to break down and redefine the doctrine of the Church. We must be sure of our Identity and not waiver regarding our message. The methodology can change (Frontline is a method), yet our message must stay true to God's authority. Lon will explore this in greater detail over the next two weeks.
Now that you have my view...what is yours? Where should our Identity be? What is our stand to be on controversial issues? What is our stand to be on the emergent church?
About Me
- ATurbeville
- God is big in my life and I love to share that with those I encounter. We each come at life from different experiences and backgrounds, creating a unique lens. I hope this blog will give you a view through my lens and in turn you will share your view.
2 comments:
great thoughts! While this is a hard topic to wrap the mind around I think it is worthwhile especially in a more and more post-Christian culture. My hope is that we can be a generation that is awakened to the reality of living a Christ-like life, and a generation which holds to the foundations of the gospel. We can become missionaries in our world, but hold true to the full weight of the gospel message.
Thanks so much for starting this blog... I look forward to what God is going to do with it!
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