Reflect on why Christian education, congregational care, and assimilation must each be present for the other.
As Fall begins these three areas should be part of the discipleship strategy of any local church:
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Christian Education – Growing in the knowledge of Christ
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Assimilation – Showing people who we are as a community of the redeemed and how they can be a part of it.
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Congregational Care – Serving and encouraging one another amid the practical demands of life and loving one another in community.
Think of it as a triangle – - make any side of the triangle stronger, and you will reinforce the other two. If one of side is missing it falls apart.
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If you grow in teaching people what accords with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), then they will want to be assimilated into small groups or adult classes, where they can be cared for and care for one another.
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If we do a good job assimilating people into the life of our church, then they will be educated and participate in care.
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If we care for people, then they will be assimilated and also they will participate in Christian education.
Published on
September 2, 2010 in
Blogging.
Newsweek quantifies the growth of electronic media. (Click here). Everything from the number of blogs to the number of reality television shows is considered.
What incredible potential for evil and for good.
HT: Z
There is something to be learned from Trueman’s thoughts about busyness. Why not read this and then find time to take a walk? Waste just a little time.
One of the amazing things about modern American culture is surely the pathological fear of wasting time. It is especially evident in the attitude to children. Public school kids have their lives scheduled from morning till night; homeschool parents seem to regard any second of the day from the age of two that isn’t used to learn Latin poetry or the cello or conversational Swahili as time that is wasted. It’s a far cry from my childhood, when school ran from 9 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon, and then I was free to ride my bike, walk on the common, or just sit around with friends. And it continues in to later life: all the technology we have, and people seem to have less free time than ever.
The rest here.
Published on
August 31, 2010 in
Politics.
We ought to be concerned that a Mormon television star is increasingly seen as an evangelical leader.
Dr. Russell Moore interacts with Beck’s role in a recent Washington D.C. rally:
A Mormon television star stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial and calls American Christians to revival. He assembles some evangelical celebrities to give testimonies, and then preaches a God and country revivalism that leaves the evangelicals cheering that they’ve heard the gospel, right there in the nation’s capital.
The news media pronounces him the new leader of America’s Christian conservative movement, and a flock of America’s Christian conservatives have no problem with that.
If you’d told me that ten years ago, I would have assumed it was from the pages of an evangelical apocalyptic novel about the end-times. But it’s not. It’s from this week’s headlines. And it is a scandal. . .
The rest here.
The thoughtful Ross Douthat reflects here. Regarding Beck’s invitation for Mormans and evangelicals to partner together, Douthat concludes:
Whether or not this is a conscious strategy on Beck’s part, I’m pretty sure that neither serious evangelicals nor serious Mormons should be terribly enthused by his Jesus-and-George Washington ecumenism. But one person who may be regarding it with a certain amount of guarded optimism is Mitt Romney.
If you feel like giving up, then meditate on Paul’s words to Timothy 2 Timothy 2:11-13:
The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Lock paraphrases the passage:
Who shares Christ’s death His life shall share:
They reign with Him their cross who bear:
Who Him deny He will deny:
Though all our faith fall, He cannot lie.
W. Lock quoted by Mounce.
Published on
August 29, 2010 in
Church.
Trevin Wax gives a good reason that we should be motivated to be at church today.
One reason that Christians need to be part of a church too often goes unmentioned.
I need the church in order to be prepared for the Day of Judgment!
It is frightening to think that I would allow myself to be the sole judge of my spiritual condition here on earth. I know how easily I deceive myself. Am I so bold as to say I am the best judge of my spiritual character? No… I need the church to affirm my faith in Christ, to assure me when I doubt, and to lovingly rebuke me when I err. Judgment day is coming!
Have you ever noticed that older people tend be more faithful to church than young people? This isn’t true everywhere, of course. But even in multi-generational churches, it’s often the older people who are the most faithful.
There may be a variety of reasons for this fact, but I think one reason is clear: people who are older know that the Day of the Lord is drawing near. Either Jesus will soon come back, or they will soon go see Jesus. And the closer you get to the end of your life, the more likely a Christian is going to realize the seriousness of walking with Christ.
Why is that so many people showed up at church after September 11?
Why is the youth group room filled whenever a young person is killed in a car crash?
Because, for a moment, we are shaken out of our slumber.
The rest here.
Darryl Dash almost always has a good set of Saturday Links. He’s in Canada though. So, you’ll need your passport. (Click here).
It’s football season here, so not much happening today on my blog. My oldest son (red #77 – - note that red #47 had an impressive block) played in his first high school game last night.
I mentioned previously that I am speaking at Peacemakers National Conference September 16-19. Today they put up a short video of me explaining why I wrote Unpacking Forgiveness.
Watch it here.
The devastation was beyond comprehension. See the rest at The Big Picture.
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