Friday, May 17, 2019

HALF OF AMERICANS DO NOT BELIEVE HELL IS REAL


According to a recently study, only half of Americans believe that hell is a real place.  The research was done by Baylor University and published in Christianity Today.  From my perspective people struggle with the concept of hell because we have not only trivialized hell but the devil.  It puzzled me how a faith based university could have a Blue Demon as its mascot, and why one of my favorite coaches is leading the Blue Devils.  It’s not surprising people do not believe Satan is real.  We have turned him into a caricature with a pitchfork.  We might even chuckle at cartoons where people are sitting surrounded by flames shoveling coal to keep the fire going. 

Having grown up in an environment where it is all about “fairness,” it is easy to understand why Millennials and Gen Z’s struggle with the existence of a place where people are punished eternally.  Remember, “It’s not fair” is one of their favorite expressions.   Many young people are Therapeutic Moralistic Deist.  If all roads lead to the same God, then Heaven is the place for all “good” people.  Such a perspective does not leave room for punishment.

In the past many Christians have used the “Turn or Burn” approach to bring people to faith. I see that being part of the problem.  When the church comes off as judgmental or accusatory we run the risk of turning people off. I would suggest rather that we love people into heaven. When we exhibit grace, we are opening the door to a possible dual relationship.  People are going to be more open to a long term relationship with us.  That provides us the opportunity to introduce them to Jesus.  That could lead to another long-term relationship.  As they explore God’s Word the realities of both heaven and hell will become more real. 
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Sunday, May 5, 2019

Remembering Rachel Held Evans


Rachel Held Evans died yesterday.  I grieve her loss.  She was only 37 and the mother of two young children.  She was also a Millennial who addressed the issues of faith and culture from that perspective.  Rachel Held Evans grew up, and still lived in, Dayton, Tennessee and graduated from Bryan College (Think Scopes Monkey Trial).  She wrote about growing up in that conservative environment in her book Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions.  Another book I would recommend is Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving and Finding the Church. 

It is ironic that in her last blog, posted on Ash Wednesday, she reflected on death.

“It strikes me today that the liturgy of Ash Wednesday teaches something that nearly everyone can agree on. Whether you are part of a church or not, whether you believe today or your doubt, whether you are a Christian or an atheist or an agnostic or a so-called “none” (whose faith experiences far transcend the limits of that label) you know this truth deep in your bones: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.”

“Death is a part of life.”

“My prayer for you this season is that you make time to celebrate that reality, and to grieve that reality, and that you will know you are not alone.”

Lord, I thank you for the life of Rachel Held Evans.  My desire is to live her legacy and be Jesus in a broken world.