Sometimes you think about useless things. For me I have the most useless thoughts while I'm driving. Last week I was waiting for a train (tracks near the church), and I had this thought why did they make trains roll on two tracks instead of one. In fact the only train I know of that rolls on one track is the monorail at Disneyland. The reason for two tracks is balance, the weight of the train is balanced on two rails.
It makes me think about a verse I was reading in the Bible yesterday. One that I never really noticed before.
John 17:15 - My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
Jesus was praying for his followers because he was leaving earth soon. He knew that people would have a problem with his followers because they would follow kingdom principles instead of the worlds, yet he prays that we would remain in the world.
For us to be relevant Christians in 2006 we need to be in the culture of the world, we need to be able to relate to people in everyday life. As Pentecostals we have a tendency to separate ourselves in the name of holiness, but sometimes all that does is separate us from the people we are supposed to reach. The word for this fundamentalist behavior is sectarianism. Not allowing yourself to be involved in anything secular.
Jesus also prays that we would be protected from the evil one. Sometimes believers will become so immersed in the world that there is no difference between their lifestyle and the lifestyle of a non-believer. That is called syncretism.
Jesus prays that we would become neither a sectarian or a syncretist, he wants us to be real people that don't disengage from culture but yet stay away from sin.
If we don't, we either become irrelevant or we fall into a destructive lifestyle and either is a train wreck.
Just some thoughts to help keep our lives on track. I hope this blog helps you not get derailed (I had to say it)
PJ
3 comments:
it's true - good point
how many christians have the right idea but somehow become irrelevant in the process....but then how do you become relevant after being in the slump for so long? Anyone have any ideas or thoughts about that?
i call it the "Christian Bubble."
sometimes the only way to stop being the bubbled one is to change your mindset on things and see things how God sees them. I think naturally you'll become relevant when you become real and associate with real people.
I just wrote a whole blog on my thoughts and feelings on this subject please feel free to go take a read - it was a long one so I did not want to add it all on here - well - what are you waiting for? lol
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