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Does today’s church believe in absolute truth? Does today’s church even know what absolute truth is?

There’s no doubt that the culture around us is on a downward spiral as far as morality is concerned. What worries me is that many within the church today can’t discern truth well enough to know where and if that downward spiral is taking place. The problem with deception is that it usually starts out small. Anyone can spot a blatant lie from a long ways away, at least you would hope so. However, when truth becomes blurry and lies begin to blend with truth, the result is a concoction that appears desirable yet actually is deadly.

In order to see this, all you have to do is look at modern media. Eat Pray Love, a movie starring Julia Roberts, is currently at the box office. Here’s what a reviewer at PluggedInOnline.com had to say about the movie and the main character, Liz:

Like so many before her, Liz has turned her back on a godly religious conviction and morality, and sought a less challenging spiritual system instead. A system that requires only vaguely sending “light and love” to others rather than buckling down and fighting for a covenant relationship’s survival and growth when things are emotionally difficult. A system that encourages sweetly masked self-indulgence over real self-sacrifice, and salvation without real repentance. Instead of God and His majesty, Ms. Gilbert wants cheap grace to help her get through her needlessly miserable days.

While people may be quick to discount this as only a “movie” or “mere entertainment,” the reality is many women have taken her advice and have attempted to find “themselves” through the same means as the character in the book/film. While there may be elements to the story that are uplifting, encouraging, and positive, there are also elements to the story that are self-indulgent and potentially dangerous. Is today’s society, especially today’s church, able to filter the good from the bad?

While some have blended elements of truth with elements other sources, many have attempted to ignore truth altogether and present sinful behavior as desirable. Take a TV show like Pretty Little Liars for example. The show has been rising in fame, most notable among teenage girls. It actually won the 2010 Teen Choice Award for “Choice Summer TV Show.” Teen show. Award winner. On ABC Family. Should be an acceptable show for teenage girls to watch, right? Not quite. The show has included storylines involving the main female characters “experimenting” with lesbianism. While some may say that they’re just portraying life how it actually is, I would beg to differ. I don’t believe that’s where we are yet. (Sadly, the keyword might be “yet”) Rather, I think that is where the producers and writers want to take our culture. They know they have influence. They know they have ratings. They know they can spread their agenda and people will listen.

Sadly, talk to any youth pastor in this country and there’s a good chance he’ll tell you that many of his teens are influenced by shows and movies like the ones I mentioned above. They get hooked in with the drama, scandals, sex, and provocativeness, and they sit through the agendas, propaganda, and blatant messages that the writers attempt to get across. Before too long, they believe THAT is reality and see nothing wrong with the sinful acts presented on TV because they look quite desirable and fun. To be honest, I think young adults fall into this same trap too.

What influence do these shows, movies, books, music, etc have on us? The truth is we can’t solely watch only for entertainment value because what we watch becomes part of us. It begins to shape our worldview. Don’t believe me? Then why do we get defensive when someone badmouths a show we watch or even objectively disagrees with what the show promotes and endorses?

To be honest, it almost seems like we’ll defend our favorite (trashy) TV show before we’ll defend the truth of Scripture. Sometimes we’ll defend our favorite TV show OVER the truth of Scripture.

My concern is that either we don’t know how to discern truth, or we’re refusing to because it would force us to change our guilty pleasures.

Sadly, I think truth is dying in many churches today. We may say we believe in the truth of Scripture, but in no way do we allow that same Scripture to direct our lives and shape who we are.

It used to be that we had teenagers in the church who had no sense of right or wrong. Now those teenagers have become parents and their skewed view of truth is what is helping shape the lives of their children.

When we don’t have a firm understanding of truth and what we believe and why we believe it, we will be influenced by anything and everything. Every new idea, fad, lifestyle, and “religious idea” will intrigue us. When discernment takes a backseat to intrigue and entertainment, we turn our backs on the truth in which we claim to believe.

If you have been involved with youth ministry for any length of time, I’m sure you’re familiar with the name Walt Mueller. Walt Mueller is the founder and President of CPYU, the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding. Last Friday he was in a serious bike accident. The following message is from an email from CPYU:

The evidence seems to be growing but now it’s hit a very weird point. Several months ago, reports came out from divorce lawyers that said Facebook was to blame for failed marriages. In a nutshell, spouses were reuniting with old flames, becoming too acquainted with friends of the opposite sex, or meeting new potential partners through Facebook. According to an article in USA Today, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 81% of its members have used or faced evidence from Facebook, MySpace,Twitter and other social networking sites, including YouTube and LinkedIn, over the last five years.

As sad as that is, it’s probably not too shocking. However, the news has continued to get weird. According to an article from Lindsay Robertson of Yahoo! Movies, some women have nearly destroyed their marriages by neglecting their spouses in favor of Twilight-related activities.

It gets weirder. As if that wasn’t enough, apparently FarmVille and World of Warcraft are now to blame for ruined marriages. Men and women are neglecting their spouse and their children in favor of taking care of a virtual farm of fake animals and crops, or fighting mythological creatures in quests on the computer.

While it’s easy to point the finger at Facebook, Twilight, FarmVille, and World of Warcraft, I think we would be pointing the finger in the wrong direction if we passed the blame off on them. While all of those things take up our time and attention, ultimately WE are the ones who choose to spend time on those things. WE choose to get on Facebook. WE choose who we talk to, flirt with, meet up with, and pursue a relationship with. WE choose to spend all day on Twilight message boards. WE choose to give lunch to a virtual cow rather than make lunch for our own children.

When we pass the blame onto a web site or book or game, we’re ultimately removing responsibility from ourselves and placing it on some “thing.”

The truth of the matter is divorce happens because a person or both people fail to live up to their responsibility as a husband or wife. It’s not the fault of Facebook or FarmVille. Those things can be vehicles which help get us off track, but ultimately the responsibility falls on us.

That is why it is so important to have a marriage that is grounded in Christ. If anything else is the basis of our relationship or marriage, we’re building it on a weak foundation.

Via: Online MBA

For the last couple of years, I have been part of Mocha Club, an organization that exists to fund relief and development projects in Africa. They work in five main project areas: Clean Water, Education, Child Mothers + Women At Risk, Orphan Care + Vulnerable Children, and HIV/AIDS + Healthcare.

The premise is very simple: Every month Mocha Club receives $7 from your bank account–the price of 2 mochas. That money is then used to make a huge difference in Africa.

How much can $7.00 do? $7 can feed person for a month. $7 can educate 2 children for a school term. $7 can save 1 person’s life from malaria. $7 can provide clean water to 7 Africans for a year.

My team, Won’t Stay Silent, has been supporting a Clean Water initiative. There are 300 million people in Africa who do not have access to clean drinking water. Mocha Club’s clean water solutions are freeing individuals from this devastating situation by providing water that is safe and free of disease. Through our giving, we are helping building wells in the Sudan for refugees of the Darfur genocide, who are often forced to live in wilderness areas where they have to drink muddy water, if they are able to find any water at all…

Due to the lack of clean water, diseases run rampant. Each new well is designed to serve 500 people, but our experience on the ground in these remote, insecure areas, is that they end up serving more than 1,000 people.

Once again, the premise is very simple: You only have to give $7.00 a month. In fact, once you sign up, there’s nothing else you have to do. The money is withdrawn from your bank account each month, and I can almost guarantee that you will never miss that money or even notice it’s gone.

$7.00 doesn’t sound like much, but as you read above, it makes a huge difference. Plus, when people working together, incredible things happen. Our group, Won’t Stay Silent, was started in September 2008. Since that time, our group has combined to donate over $1000.00.

If you’re interested in finding out more information, click on the following link, one of the Mocha Club pictures, or send me an email at david.jones@randallhouse.com. Click here to access Mocha Club

Several years ago when I had my first opportunities to speak/preach, my dad gave my some wise advice: “Don’t speak to the giraffes.”

Ummm…what?

Yes. Don’t speak the giraffes.

Sounds kind of crazy, right? Well, not exactly. The idea actually came from one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons:

“A farmer one day, after he had listened to a simple sermon, which was the very opposite of what he generally heard, exclaimed, “O Lord, we bless thee that the food was put into a low crib to-day, so that thy sheep could reach it!” Some brethren put the food up so high that the poor sheep cannot possibly feed upon it. I have thought as I have listened to our eloquent friends, that they imagined that our Lord had said, “Feed my [giraffes].” None but giraffes could reach the food when placed in so lofty a rack. Christ says, “Feed my sheep,” place the food among them, put it close to them.”

When it comes to preaching and teaching, one of the most important elements is knowing your audience. So often we either preach and teach above or below our audience. In my own case, I had just come back from a year of biblical training at college. My dad’s warning was a good one. It reminded me not to let what I had learned turn into arrogance. While I wanted to sound profound, I had to make sure I was seeking to lead God’s sheep and not try to impress people with big words to which I barely knew the definition. Let’s face it: the only reason I knew those words or concepts was because I had to memorize them for a Systematic Theology test the week before.

This concept is an ongoing struggle for myself and many others, and will always be a struggle as long as we are teaching and preaching God’s Word. We are called to lead God’s sheep; not try to tickle the ears of people who are much smarter than we are by reciting what we read in our Study Bible a few days earlier.

Understanding God’s Word shouldn’t be like trying to understand quantum physics or ace Jeopardy.

Teachers and preachers, let’s lead the flock that is hungry for the Word.

(Special thanks to blogofdan.co.uk for the Spurgeon quote)

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.”
- President John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961, Inaugural Address

When I read the words from John F. Kennedy’s famous speech, I cannot help but think that today’s church can learn a great lesson from the principle.

There are some in the church today that believe the church is all about them. They jump church to church looking for a church that will suit their needs, provide them with luxury service, and will serve them. In essence, they expect the church to treat them like a fancy restaurant would. They come in and expect to have everything laid out before them. From there, they can decide what they want based on what meets their needs/appetite. However, unlike a restaurant, don’t expect them to pay much money or leave a tip for using that “service.” They think the church is all about them. They only get involved in what sounds appetizing and never lift a finger to serve anyone else.

However, there are others who seem to “get” the principle. They realize the church isn’t about them. They realize the church doesn’t exist to fit their needs and the church’s purpose isn’t to serve them like the restaurant down the street might do. They are interested in serving the church, serving others, and serving Christ. They don’t look to see what the church can do for them; they look to see what they can do for the church to serve the body of Christ for the glory of God. They’re willing to do the dirty work and the things that never get noticed. They’re willing to sacrifice their time, energy, and money to better serve the church.

Which category do you fit into? Are you looking for the church to meet your needs and desires? Is your church attendance and drive in ministry based on recognition and what seems “fun” at the time? Or are you seeking how you can better serve the church? Do you constantly ask, “How can I be a better servant?” and “How can I serve my church, my God, and my community?”

How important is church attendance? Should Christians be there every time the doors are open? Should believers make it a habit to attend Sunday School? Is Wednesday night attendance important for believers? Have we put too much of an emphasis on being at the church facility?

Give me some feedback…

The following is an excerpt from Shannon Primicerio’s article “Bold Is Beautiful: Learning to Stand Out in a Fit-In World” from the Fall 2010 editions of Horizon and Direction magazines:

Choosing Your Celebrity Friends Wisely

I used to believe that what I watched wasn’t a big deal, but most of us could probably quote more movie lines than Bible verses, a talent that doesn’t exactly come in handy in the middle of temptation.

When I was in college my friends and I were into a popular sitcom. Every week we piled into one dorm room just in time to watch the unfolding events in the lives of our favorite characters. From the very beginning my friend Jen was opposed to the show. She thought the characters led immoral lives. Many times she chose to sit out in the hall and do homework while we used her roommate’s TV.

Over time, Jen lost her willpower and began watching the show with us. When some of the storylines got old to the rest of us, Jen found them fascinating because they were new to her. She was hooked. About a year later she started making poor choices. It was like she became a different person.

Our friend Jill decided to talk to her about the drastic change. Immediately Jen was defensive. “Wait a second,” she said. “For years you watched the characters on our show do things like this and you didn’t have a problem with it. So, don’t tell me you have a problem when I do it.”

Although Jen’s actions weren’t justified, she had a point. Inviting similar behaviors into our dorm rooms each week (via our favorite show) was hypocritical. If we wouldn’t live like those characters, we shouldn’t have been willing to watch them make poor choices week after week.

First Corinthians 15:33 tells us evil company corrupts good habits. That’s just as true with the company we keep through our television sets and movie screens. Choose the TV shows and movies you watch the same way you choose your friends—wisely and with godly discernment. They really do matter more than you think.

Check out the rest of the article in the Fall 2010 editions of Horizon and Direction magazines.

On Monday’s Brink Podcast (which you can listen to by clicking HERE), we discussed the following question: Is it necessary for a Christian to be a committed member of a local church?

Many Christians today (especially twentysomethings) attend several different churches at the same time (i.e. Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights, etc.). Is this a good thing? Is it a bad thing?

Also, church membership doesn’t seem to be as important as it used to be. Is church membership overrated today?

What are your thoughts? Is it necessary for a Christian to be a committed member of a local church?

I would love to get feedback from pastors, youth pastors, teachers, young adults, teenagers, etc.