Today I have been re-reading “Clearing the Cobwebs : Understanding Christian Experience” by Kel Willis. In the book Kel talks about when we first become a Christian our focus is on what God has done for us. But sometimes, after we have been a Christian a while, our focus slowly drift away from what God has done and we begin to focus on what we are doing for God. We need to return to our original focus. Kel points out that God’s grace is not only available to save us but also available so we can live the Christian life. We need to focus, not on what we do, but on what God does. He also has a bit to say about the church:
“The average non-Christian has not consciously rejected Christianity. He just doesn’t think about it because he isn’t confronted by the compelling reality of the risen Christ visibly expressed in the lives of His people. The majority of non-Christians find the Christianity they observe to be uncompelling and uninteresting. They see nothing that would cause them to consider it as a viable alternative to their life-styles. The sad fact is that the Church seems antiquated and meaningless to many of them. Yet the believers in the New Testament turned the world upside down. They could not be ignored. Their lives and the message they brought permeated their communities. Obviously God intended the Church to be a dynamic and relevant community with eternal significance. The fact that Jesus Christ is alive and at work today in people’s lives should be evident in those of us who say we know Him.”
YES YES YES
YES YES YES
I thought you would like that quote. Willis also feels one of the reasons Christians don’t evangelize is because we often don’t know how to explain our faith to a non-Christian, e.g. If we were asked, why did Jesus die? We would probably said to save me from my sins, which is true, but not particularly helpful to a non-Christian who doesn’t feel guilty about their sins. Perhaps a better answer would be because God loves us so much and wants to restore the relationship between Himself and mankind.
I thought you would like that quote. Willis also feels one of the reasons Christians don’t evangelize is because we often don’t know how to explain our faith to a non-Christian, e.g. If we were asked, why did Jesus die? We would probably said to save me from my sins, which is true, but not particularly helpful to a non-Christian who doesn’t feel guilty about their sins. Perhaps a better answer would be because God loves us so much and wants to restore the relationship between Himself and mankind.
Yes i agree that most people don’t feel particularly sinful and we do our best to MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SINFUL SO THEY REPENT. There’s gotta to be more to the Christian life then just forgiveness of sins…God wants to change my life and fix what’s been broken…i’ll need to think some more on that
Yes i agree that most people don’t feel particularly sinful and we do our best to MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SINFUL SO THEY REPENT. There’s gotta to be more to the Christian life then just forgiveness of sins…God wants to change my life and fix what’s been broken…i’ll need to think some more on that
Amen to Kel Willis’ quote. This sounds like a great book Susan.
Amen to Kel Willis’ quote. This sounds like a great book Susan.
It seems that those who impact the world for Jesus live radical lives. Even Jesus himself did. Christianity, in its truest form, is radical. We’ve just tamed it over the years. For to love like Jesus did?? That’s far out radical.
It seems that those who impact the world for Jesus live radical lives. Even Jesus himself did. Christianity, in its truest form, is radical. We’ve just tamed it over the years. For to love like Jesus did?? That’s far out radical.