Rusty Kennedy
You might want to read through my whole ranting before you click on any of the included links…
Here is the latest greatest controversy in the religion realm.
www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=36196
www.DividedTheMovie.com.
Wow! Seriously? And we wonder why students are leaving the church in droves… Let’s be real… it’s not just teenagers. Adults and senior adults are leaving as well. This video is pretty typical of what is presented all the time in churches. There is much Truth (God’s Word) sewn throughout the video which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. There are many true and real statistics (and some that are not) which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. There is reference to history and past experiences which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. But it is full of agendas and "out of context" statements. Just like Sunday mornings. This generation is pulling back the curtain on the “great oz” of the institution and wants nothing to do with them. Yet many are still mesmerized by all the smoke & mirrors.
There are some great conclusions that are presented. I totally agree that the parents have the greatest impact on their own children. Parents cannot outsource or subcontract the raising and discipling of their kids to good people who they even trust. It just doesn’t work… if it does… it is only by the grace of God. It is Biblical that the parents are to teach their kids.
So, is the answer “worshipping together” on Sunday Mornings? Absolutely not! No! No! No! If the result of this documentary is to negate youth ministry/programs and promote family worship… they are still missing it.
I know this may sound arrogant… bitter… know it all… whatever… This is the world I lived in for most of my life. Serving as a youth minister for 15 years and now serving as a pastor to families… I have been there done that.
Of the list of videos on the www.DividedTheMovie.com site the most practical one is by Vodie Baucham (http://vimeo.com/28372823). I believe Vodie is spot on when he talks about the what the real issue is (31.5 mins into the video). He knows the parents have the greatest impact. He talks about importance of keeping the family together in worship. I think the editors used his video out of context to support their point of family worship.
Here is what I know and believe with all my heart. I will teach what I know. (Christ has redeemed me. I am forgiven. I live free of the Law but walk by the Spirit of God that lives inside of me and choose to obey the Law of Christ that reigns in me.) I then trust the Holy Spirit to reveal this to the men and women that choose to hang out with me… and not just on Sundays. It is not my responsibility to cause parents to “get it”. I pray that not only will I see more and more of this Truth every day, but my family and friends will see this truth as well. I pray that the Holy Spirit will cause them to believe it… I pray that they will trust the Holy Spirit to cause them to live it. When that occurs… the children are naturally taught on a day to day basis simply by watching their parents living it out and processing it as a family.
The Church has to wake up! We are absolutely in a battle and the tactic of the evil one is to consistently lie to us and keep us distracted. The institution and programs and videos like this are nothing more than distractions that emerge as light but lead to darkness. If it isn’t about the Biblical Jesus and what He has done for me and other believers… I’m really not interested.
Wayne Jacobsen stated it all very eloquently here… Read this!
http://www.story.house2house.com/2011/03/24/why-house-church-isnt-the-answer/
Trust me… you probably don’t want to waste your time on the above links (except Jacobsen’s)… as I did. Just stay focused on Jesus. He is what matters.
Right on Vodie… we have to stop focusing on changing the behavior of man and trust the Spirit of Truth will continue to save!
Rusty
Here is the latest greatest controversy in the religion realm.
www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=36196
www.DividedTheMovie.com.
Wow! Seriously? And we wonder why students are leaving the church in droves… Let’s be real… it’s not just teenagers. Adults and senior adults are leaving as well. This video is pretty typical of what is presented all the time in churches. There is much Truth (God’s Word) sewn throughout the video which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. There are many true and real statistics (and some that are not) which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. There is reference to history and past experiences which causes people to believe there is validity to their research and opinions. But it is full of agendas and "out of context" statements. Just like Sunday mornings. This generation is pulling back the curtain on the “great oz” of the institution and wants nothing to do with them. Yet many are still mesmerized by all the smoke & mirrors.
There are some great conclusions that are presented. I totally agree that the parents have the greatest impact on their own children. Parents cannot outsource or subcontract the raising and discipling of their kids to good people who they even trust. It just doesn’t work… if it does… it is only by the grace of God. It is Biblical that the parents are to teach their kids.
So, is the answer “worshipping together” on Sunday Mornings? Absolutely not! No! No! No! If the result of this documentary is to negate youth ministry/programs and promote family worship… they are still missing it.
I know this may sound arrogant… bitter… know it all… whatever… This is the world I lived in for most of my life. Serving as a youth minister for 15 years and now serving as a pastor to families… I have been there done that.
Of the list of videos on the www.DividedTheMovie.com site the most practical one is by Vodie Baucham (http://vimeo.com/28372823). I believe Vodie is spot on when he talks about the what the real issue is (31.5 mins into the video). He knows the parents have the greatest impact. He talks about importance of keeping the family together in worship. I think the editors used his video out of context to support their point of family worship.
Here is what I know and believe with all my heart. I will teach what I know. (Christ has redeemed me. I am forgiven. I live free of the Law but walk by the Spirit of God that lives inside of me and choose to obey the Law of Christ that reigns in me.) I then trust the Holy Spirit to reveal this to the men and women that choose to hang out with me… and not just on Sundays. It is not my responsibility to cause parents to “get it”. I pray that not only will I see more and more of this Truth every day, but my family and friends will see this truth as well. I pray that the Holy Spirit will cause them to believe it… I pray that they will trust the Holy Spirit to cause them to live it. When that occurs… the children are naturally taught on a day to day basis simply by watching their parents living it out and processing it as a family.
The Church has to wake up! We are absolutely in a battle and the tactic of the evil one is to consistently lie to us and keep us distracted. The institution and programs and videos like this are nothing more than distractions that emerge as light but lead to darkness. If it isn’t about the Biblical Jesus and what He has done for me and other believers… I’m really not interested.
Wayne Jacobsen stated it all very eloquently here… Read this!
http://www.story.house2house.com/2011/03/24/why-house-church-isnt-the-answer/
Trust me… you probably don’t want to waste your time on the above links (except Jacobsen’s)… as I did. Just stay focused on Jesus. He is what matters.
Right on Vodie… we have to stop focusing on changing the behavior of man and trust the Spirit of Truth will continue to save!
Rusty
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