In this post I wanted to offer a challenge of our view of salvation / commitment to Christ.
Chuck Colson offers the following thoughts from the book unchristian:
50% of Christians when asked, 'What is Christianity?' answer that it is a relationship with Christ.
Chuck challenges us that the Gospel cannot merely be a private transaction.
Christianity is a way of seeing all of life and reality through God's eyes.
Christianity is a world view... a system... a way of life!
Jesus constantly spoke about the Kingdom coming... not a private transaction... or a personal relationship.
Our discipleship needs to center around helping people change their thought patterns to a Kingdom mindset.
Infact... its interesting that the place Jesus was crucified was on Golgotha... or the 'Place of the skull'. Our greatest battles will always be in our thinking. It is our thinking that we must address in our discipleship. (and as we have seen in a previous post... only 3% of under 35's embrace a biblical world view!)
If you think back to your faith 'upbringing'... what would have been your most significant places of discipleship / training in new thought?
I'd love to hear your comments.
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2 comments:
Looking at your last few posts:
I can only comment on my experience, not the experience of anyone else. I found the Christians I grew up with very willing to compromise, accepting of the parts of belief that suited them and it really didn't seem to impact their lives and behaviours at all (a common complaint about Christianity!). When I think back to my teenage years I had a great, budding faith. If someone had come alongside me at that stage, boy the places I could have gone. Unforunately I had no-one to mentor and disciple me and by the time I was 18, I was back-slidden. I think it's really important for adults to step up, look at the youth (especially those with unchurched or unbelieving families) and be there as a Christian presence that can encourage them to grow in their faith. I consider it an honour to have a couple of teenagers I can mentor in my life. I really didn't have any significant places of discipleship or training. I had to find it all myself and I had no idea how to find a church. I didn't know you could just walk into one. That was a difficult journey. I still squeak in at under 35 and I'm still growing but at least I have found a firm foundation in a scripturally sound church where people do try to live out their faith, accept that we're all on a journey and will make mistakes, and make a genuine effort to reach the younger generations. It is my hope that an increase of such churches will result in a young generation strong in their faith and able to impact the next one through this.
Its awesome that you are now stepping up and being for others what you never had.
The great thing is that you don't need to be a pro to be a mentor... you just need to genuinely care for the people and share your life and thinking with them.
Good on you for the great comment mate.
Clive
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