|
Welcome to Treasures
in Heaven, a new column in the St. Luke newsletter
devoted entirely to Christian Stewardship. You might be thinking,
“Why such an article?” or “Oh no, he’s going to ask me for money.”
Wait. Don’t drop click on "home" yet. Let me respond by
saying that I will not be asking for money! I will, however, be
asking for a few minutes each month to study and consider the Word
as it pertains to stewardship. The method is simple. We will study
scripture verses, maybe enjoy a few anecdotes, and read articles
written by notable authors and pastors. Additional print and internet
resources will be recommended regularly to aid in further study.
My goal is to instruct and guide, to motivate, and hopefully challenge
all of us in order that we may grow spiritually to become better
stewards of the riches that God has provided.
|
|
|
April 2008
Cultural relevance in the church today – it sounds like an
oxymoron. We live in a “me first” world where we are
told to “look out for number one”. We are bombarded
with advertisements that say “have it your way.” The
economy of our nation is teetering on the brink of
recession due to overspending as we constantly strive to
have the bigger house and the better car. Self-esteem, youth, and beauty are
so idolized that the amount of money spent on plastic surgery in 2007 was
$13.2 billion. Culturally relevant – if anything we are completely counter
cultural. From the very foundational doctrines of the Christian church it
seems that we can in no way hold any relevance in the world today. Yet, this
is exactly how it should be.
Our cultural relevance is built on the counter-cultural foundation of
Jesus Christ and extends from there. We are called to be His hands and feet
in a world in need and to meet the churched and the un-churched alike right
where they are. We are to open the snuggly closed doors of our private
sanctuaries and reach out to the community around us in a manner that is
loving, welcoming, and understanding. By relating to people in a culturally
relevant manner we have an opportunity to offer the counter-cultural Word
of our loving Savior as a remedy for those in need.
Back to Bulletin
|
|
