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Showing posts from May, 2021

Following Jesus in a World That Hates Him

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by Bart Denny Central Text: John 15:18-25 We've come to part five of our series, The Upper Room Way , where we've been listening in on Jesus' parting words to His original disciples, and seeking to understand how they call us to counter-cultural living today. We all understand visible allegiance Sometimes it is a wedding ring. Sometimes it is a team jersey. Sometimes it is a company badge, a logo on a hat, a sign in the yard, or a bumper sticker on the back of a vehicle. Those things communicate something before you ever open your mouth. People see them and immediately make an assumption: You belong over there. You are with them. That is your side. Most of the time, that kind of allegiance doesn't cost you much. But some allegiances get expensive. Some loyalties change the room. Raise the temperature.  Some loyalties make people pull back.  Some loyalties make you stand out. That's where many Christians feel the tension. It's one thing to be associ...
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"People just don't want to come to church anymore!" The Last Words of a Dying Church

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 Lately, I've had the opportunity to observe some dying churches, and to talk to people about the increasing problem of church decline and death. I know many dying organizations subscribe to the mantra, "We've never done it that way before." But, in the case of churches, it assumes that at least someone  in the organization is trying to turn things around.  Why does no one show up for worship on Sundays? Because "no one wants to come to church anymore." It's actually an answer that I heard before COVID, but the pandemic seems to reinforce that line of thinking. And I understand that cultural Christianity is dead. There is no societal expectation that people show up for church just because that's what "respectable" people do. That should be a win. Do we really want unregenerate people in church leadership? But it does cut into the numbers, especially for churches that don't really have much to offer by way of authentic community, vibrant...
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