"Everything looks like a failure in the middle." Everything that's worthy of being done will encounter a moment of failure. Every significant task that God calls you to will be met with resistance and challenge. The prevalent reaction is flakiness. Many will choose to give up. But if God has called you to do it, the apparent failure is only in the middle. Every good work progresses toward an end. And in the end, we trust that God's will is done. (II Cor. 4:16-18).
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Pastor and author Carey Nieuwhof wrote this recently, “Much of the church’s outreach over the last 60 years has been based on a few assumptions that are less and less true every year.” He lists three assumptions that are no longer true. They illustrate what it looks like as we move from an era of Christendom to a post-Christian society.
o Young adults will return to church when they have kids. First of all, they're having fewer kids (or none at all). Second, when they do have kids, church is one activity among many (soccer, dance, tutoring, etc.). o People will turn to God when they hit a crisis. If they hit a crisis, they might turn to God. And if they do turn to God, they don't look to the church. Among younger generations especially, there is a distinct separation between the church and God. o Most people will come back to what they left when they were young. We now have people who are 2nd or 3rd generation unchurched. They have nothing to go back to because they were never there. For decades, we've built our church programming around these assumptions. What happens when these assumptions are no longer true? Are we building ministry around a people who no longer exist (or are a rare minority)? What does it look like to build ministry around the existing reality? My book, Tales from Kabekona, arrives September 5th with a Release Party. Pre-order an autographed copy here. A new book called The Zealot has been making the news. It's author, Reza Aslan, is an Iranian American scholar. He gets at the thesis of his book in this post. His central idea tracks his own personal experience in which he "lost Christ and found Jesus." Here are two of my reactions:
My new book, entitled Tales from Kabekona, comes out September 5th. I've been working with illustrator Caleb Kirksey and my "publicist" Maggie Vande Vrede to complete the project this week. It's a collection of children's stories that follow the adventures of two siblings and their wild band of friends. There are the three friendly goblins - Zorgus, Borgus, and Daryl. Gugga the Giant. The Wee Lil' Man. And they encounter an evil woman, The Gray Witch, and her henchmen the Bemboils.
One of my friends read a draft a while back and asked, "Are you on drugs?" Only if you count caffeine. I've been telling stories to my children for at least 6 years. I estimate I've told over 1,500. Some not worth repeating. But I've used stories to teach my kids, and to answer their questions. I hope that sharing a few of them will be meaningful to others. At least the illustrations are cool. If you're in St. Louis, we're having a book release party on Thursday, Sept. 5th from 4:30-7:00 at 5252 S. Lindbergh Blvd. The book will be available for purchase and author signing. There will also be activities, storytelling, and snacks. More information about pre-ordering and online ordering will come. "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." There is popular discussion about the viability of the church in America, particularly as new generations flee. The present drought often discourages us from planting. "It will never take." "It's too much work." "It's not worth it." Thank God that someone planted in a previous day. Thank God for investments made in stormy hours. Thank God for fathers and mothers in the faith. Today is our orchard. Now is our time. Mature trees must not stand alone. We are farmers of supernatural fields. We yearn for more trees and more fruit. God, give us plenty. Give us prolific plenty. |
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