It’s worth pointing out a few things the evangelical church could learn from the losses of the Republican Party this year. Let me be clear at the outset that I am not equating the two. A political party only has life as long as people find it valuable. The church is guaranteed a future because of Christ’s promise as Master Builder.
You may be surprised to discover just how much your culture determines what you see in the Scriptures.
During the years in Romania, I found myself challenged by the insights Romanian pastors drew from the text. Preachers seemed to spend time on things that I tended to pass over. Even now, when Corina and I discuss a passage of Scripture, we often latch on to different words and phrases. We’re both inclined to think the other has missed the point and is majoring on the minors.
Cultural background and social location play an important role in the way we read a text.
The Holy Spirit gives us power for a specific task – He leads us to proclamation of the gospel. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are necessarily focused on Jesus. Curiosity about the Spirit’s gifts is not the sign that you are filled with the Spirit. Talking about Jesus all the time is a more likely indication of the Spirit’s presence.
In the book Live Sent: You Are a Letter, Jason Dukes lays out 10 questions to help Christians discern whether or not they are operating with a missional mindset. Trevin Wax adapted and explained them in this post.
Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.
