Our Young Disciples

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.  (1 Timothy 4:12)

I was sitting in an office on Thursday afternoon and overheard a conversation between two women who had just returned from giving a presentation at a high school.  Both were lamenting about the sad state of our youth.  This is a conversation that's been had many times in various places, and it goes something like this: The youth today are more disrespectful, less disciplined, and not the critical thinkers that their preceeding generations were.  If all we do is watch the news, then this certainly would ring true.  In reality, I think the youth of every generation are not given nearly enough credit for being the thoughtful, intelligent, passionate, and resilient masterpieces they are.

Just look at the youth at Christ Church: could there be a more promising, more amazing group of young people?

It's useful to have a conversation about how we, the body of Christ, can do more to reach the youth in our midst.  But for today, let's celebrate the youth who are already impacting the community for Christ.  Let's give a much-deserved shout out to the amazing young people at Christ Church and beyond.  These wonderful young people are not just the future of our church and our society; they are also shining examples of the Gospel of Christ in action!

Please consider leaving a comment here or on Facebook celebrating our wonderful youth!

Superpowers

For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.  For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.  (2 Corinthians 13:4)

A few days ago on this blog, readers were challenged to choose among many "just do it" options in terms of something to focus on in exercising faith in Christ.  Here were the list of options:

Which option did you choose, or (if this is your first time seeing it), which appeals to you most?  Why?  How did, or might, you go about exercising that particular expression of faith in your daily life?

What's interesting about the above list is that they are all related (some are nearly identical), but they call upon our specific talents as individuals and as followers of Christ.  For example, we know some great preachers and teachers - perhaps you are one yourself - but preaching and teaching is definitely not my greatest talent.  Yet aren't there other methods of preaching than standing before a congregation on Sunday morining, and aren't there opportunities for teaching outside a formal educational setting?  Similarly, "telling," "proclaiming," and even "singing" suggest a need for gifted vocal chords, but aren't there other ways of proclaiming the Gospel?  Do not the great art forms of painting, photography, sculpting, and poetry (among many others) have the capacity to convey the love and truth of Christ?

Not only do the particular modes of expressing our faith differ based on our particular God-given talents, but so too do the methods of receiving what is shared.  A good sermon can reignite the Holy Spirit in one who readily absorbs the spoken word.  Another person can be moved to tears by an artist's rendering of Christ.  And still another person can be spurred to action by witnessing the actions of a believer.  Variety is not just the spice of life in general, but also the spice of life in Christ!

Every talent, every power we possess is so because of Christ alone.  In sharing Christ through our talents, and in experiencing Christ through the talents of others, we celebrate His power and His immense love for us.  So, whether it is from the list above, or something more specific or intimate, what superpower do you have in Christ?  What superpower in others impacts you the most?  Tell us about it!  Let's share our faith in the best way possible - as God intended for each of us to share it.  By sharing the love and power of Jesus through our own "just do it" talents, His love and power is spread ever-wider.

Just Do It

Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10)

The above verse is among my favorites because it is such a simple challenge to the many ways in which I manage to complicate God and my relationship with Him.  A few years ago, one of my Bible study sisters slyly claimed that she was having a hard time coming up with her own favorite verse and wanted to know what ours were.  Little did we know that she was stitching each of those verses on our own personal framed canvases.  Mine still hangs near my fireplace.

This past Sunday, Pastor Norm recited the Nike slogan, that of course being "Just do it."  When it comes to faith, what holds us back from "just doing it?"  There are many reasons, ranging from pure laziness to abject fear.  I have visited both extremes and numerous posts in between, but no matter what mile marker I find myself at, there is one antidote (being still) and one truth (He is God).  At its most basic level, just doing it requires stilling and quieting ourselves from the chaos in which we dabble, and remembering what our hearts, minds and souls have always known: He is God.  Even before we knew Christ, the deepest part of us yearned for Him.  He has always been, is now, and will forever be the Great I Am.  We need only be still, know that, and just do it.

The picture below is of the front of a t-shirt I bought at a dingy souvenir shop on Hollywood Boulevard.  Among the hundreds of cheesy, cheaply-made shirts in this shop, this one was the only one that lacked mention of the surrounding landmarks.  It also happened to be the shirt that found me at the exact moment I was thinking that the broken, voyeuristic souls on this street were exactly the kind of people Jesus would've chosen to hang out with - and so should I.  It's two sizes too large and has a small grease stain below the wording, but I still bought it.  I then stilled my considerable fear and hung out for a while with the broken souls outside the souvenir shop.  Sure enough, He is God, and I found Him right there on Hollywood Boulevard.

Look at the list of "just do it's" on this shirt and choose which one stands out for you as something to focus on this week.  Then, share it with others by commenting in the comment section of this blog and/or on the Facebook post.  Later this week, look for another blog post with a follow-up opportunity to upstage Nike in the just do it department!