A View about the Western Church.

I enjoy reading news and updates compiled in an electronic publication called "What in the World". You will find a link to this below in my favorite links box titled "News and Devotional-BJU".Take a few minutes to check out the latest edition along with archived editions available.

Here is a piece I found interesting:


The church in the Western world is in a
“Babylonian Captivity,” says Os Guinness in
his new release, The Last Christian on Earth.
“The church is exploding in the Global
South, while failing badly in Europe and
faltering in the U.S.,” says Guinness. “But the
church in the Global South is largely premodern,
and the major reason for the weakness
of the church in the West is captivity to
the spirit and systems of the modern world.
Put differently, much of the church in the
West is in a profound Babylonian captivity.
It has become deeply worldly, like the European
church before the Reformation.”
Guinness’ first example is an easy target:
“Anyone with their eyes open can see the
link between modern consumerism and the
horrors of the health and wealth gospels,” he
says. But Guinness doesn’t stop at easy targets:
“Fewer people have analyzed the links
between our modern views of time, ‘fast
life,’ the ‘culture of immediacy’ and the equal
errors of our recent Evangelical craze for
‘change,’ ‘relevance,’ ‘innovation’ and ‘thinking
outside the box.’”
Guinness says that the result of this culture’s
influence on the church is that “many
Evangelicals have become second only to
the extremes of the Protestant mainline
in the way they are energetically breeding
forms of worldliness.”
Guinness says that a doctrinally sound
Christian worldview must be paired with an
understanding of how modern culture has
distorted God’s good gifts to mankind.
But that doesn’t mean reading the culture
more carefully so much as “Evangelical
renewal.” Guinness says. “The issue is faithfulness
and discipleship, and how we are following
the call of Jesus in our extraordinary
modern times. I hope many people will finish
the book and drop to their knees.” He adds,
“I believe we are in dire need of revival and
reformation.” (Between Two Worlds, 3/4/10)

A Rainy Monday Gets Me Thinking...

Due to my job(s), I spend a good deal of time driving around in a vehicle. I've found that my time on the road can be well utilized praying and reflecting on God. It is during these times that I sometimes happen upon an idea that sticks in my head. I thought I'd share my thoughts with you today, since I was reminded of them just this morning. Here goes.

The other week, I was out in a really bad storm. Dark clouds, heavy rain, very windy, you know, the kind of weather that you don't want to be out and about! Anyway, I started comparing my life as a Christian to this experience being out in a storm.

I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to live life without difficulties, pain, disappointment, etc. I would liken it to enjoying a sunny, breezy day, temps in the upper 70's, no humidity, with me sitting in the shade with a sweet tea and a good book. Reality check. How often does that happen? Very rarely.

Life, and the weather, throw more at us than just the 'perfect' day. We have to deal with the storms, the lulls, the catastrophes, etc. I'm just glad that Christ has promised us that He is watching over us and that ultimately we are protected. Sometimes physically, but always spiritually.

That got me thinking to what it must be like to be unsaved, with very little or no real hope. I have to guess at this since I was blessed to have become a Christian at 6 years of age...I really don't know what it's like to have no hope, or false hope, or dwindling hope, or whatever.

Here's my theory or analogy.

Those who are not Christians live in a spiritual storm. Not only a storm, but one that happens at night. It is dark, there is always some amount of rain, wind, lightning, and thunder. If the storm does subside and the moon appears, it only provides a little light. These poor souls my recognize there are good things around them, but they don't understand or appreciate those things.

I then thought about my experience as a Christian. I likened it to the point where day has come and the storm has subsided. The sky is still cloudy but it's light enough that we know the sun is there behind the clouds and we can look around us and see all that the light has made visible. We long for the sun to shine, but in the mean time we are glad at least that the storm is over. There will be times of showers, etc. but we are glad and thankful for the light of day, even if it is behind the clouds.

Now is this as good as it gets? Of course not, because we know about those days that I first described above - blue sky, bright sun, calm breeze, etc. I liken that type of day, spiritually speaking, to the time when we shed these faulty earthly bodies, we gain victory over sin, and we meet Jesus face to face. What a day that will be! We shall see Jesus as He is and we will be like Him; that is, we will have perfect bodies and we will never again see death!

Is this rambling thought 100% accurate and true? No, because I realize Christians still face storms, and some of them are in the black of night. Also, I know unbelievers who seem pretty content with their lives and would not describe them as 'stormy' or in the 'black of night'.

I tried to apply this scenario this way: I need to recognize that unbelievers are in the dark spiritually speaking. They do not have spiritual insight and the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, does not dwell in them. I must be a reflection of that light to them and pray the Holy Spirit opens their spiritual eyes to see their need.

Also, I know a better day is coming. No matter what I face here on earth, I have a blessed hope that one day the sun (THE Son) will shine in its full splendor for me to see and bask in. I'm also reminded that while I'm living this life here and now, I get to catch glimpses of the sun and the Light of the world lives within me, showing me through the Word of God, the Bible, how to live and what to expect.

When we next experience a real thunderstorm, may we be reminded to pray for those we know need Christ and pray they come to the point where they receive spiritual rest from the perpetual night storm they are experiencing.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Good day,

Ben

A desire to share hits the blogosphere...

I've always enjoyed reading and taking interesting tid-bits of information and sharing those with others. At a previous church, I was editor of a monthly print newsletter which we distributed to members in our Sunday school class and others as well. I enjoyed the process because it really kept me up-to-date on issues, events, and happenings related to the church age in which we are living and striving to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Following the example of my wife, Renae, I've decided to start a blog. It seems blogging is more au courant than editing and printing a newsletter, so I thought I'd give it a try. It may be updated daily, weekly, or whenever I have a chance to contribute. What I hope to do is glean interesting articles, quotes, cartoons, sayings, book reviews, etc. and share them to you, the reader. My desire is to provide "suggested reading" to Christians, to supplement their personal study of God's Word, in order to see them encouraged and lifted up.

I chose to name this blog, "Called. Chosen. Faithful." because it reminds me God has called us to Himself, He has chosen us, and He wants us to be faithful to Him in our walk. Consider the following verses:

"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14).

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:28-30).

"They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:14)

I trust the Lord will use this hobby I enjoy as a means for reflection, growth, and understanding in my life and the lives of those who happen upon this blog. Ultimately, may Jesus Christ be praised and to Him be the glory!

Ben