City On A Hill
I am haunted by statistics that compare Christians to the general population in areas of morality. See article. It has seemed to me for some time that whatever the world accepts as normal becomes the norm for Christians ten or twenty years later.
I am haunted by this because my greatest fear as a pastor is not that I will fail. My greatest fear is not that my church will close its doors. My greatest fear is not that I will one day face persecution for my faith. My greatest fear as a pastor is that I will preach and spread a diluted and distorted faith that appears attractive but saves no one.
I am haunted by these statistics because Christ called us to be a light in the darkness, a city on a hill, and it seems that we are happy being a row home in northeast Philly (love my Mayfair friends).
Should I just take an Ambien and get over it? Should I turn the other way the next time that reckless and rampant immorality presents itself in the church? Who am I to judge anyway?
July 6th, 2009 at 9:21 am
This reminds me of the Casting Crowns song “Slow Fade” (Yes, I have to talk about music 24/7). Anyway the lyrics say “People never crumble in a day”. By making small choices or allowances here and there, you may find yourself in complete acceptance of something that a year or so ago you would never have accepted.
Our world is screaming at us to accept anything and everything and it is a difficult thing to go against the grain. That is why we have a church family. We need to help build eachother up so that when we leave the church building we are going out to change the world instead of it changing us.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Very well put Xine.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Xina I completely agree with you….people are becoming more acceptable of moral issues everyday. The problem is when as a Christian you stand your ground on moral issues it makes us look wrong, I agree we need to pull together as a Christian community and not let people change us or our views and stand our ground in our Faith….FYI… there is nothing wrong with my rowhome in Northeast Philly (I love my Levittown friends too) HAHA