Comments on: A People Of Purpose http://sermonrant.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/a-people-of-purpose/ "Discovering the truth, one dialogue at a time" Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:14:08 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: youngren http://sermonrant.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/a-people-of-purpose/#comment-214 youngren Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:21:01 +0000 http://sermonrant.wordpress.com/?p=56#comment-214 Ken -- You're absolutely right. Encouraged as always to hear about your missionary work. Keep pointing to those wheels spinning within wheels. God is using you and your insights are excellent. P.S., I'm sorry for stealing but I'm using that blunt sword line next time. Ken — You’re absolutely right. Encouraged as always to hear about your missionary work. Keep pointing to those wheels spinning within wheels. God is using you and your insights are excellent.

P.S., I’m sorry for stealing but I’m using that blunt sword line next time.

]]> By: kennethc http://sermonrant.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/a-people-of-purpose/#comment-213 kennethc Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:18:53 +0000 http://sermonrant.wordpress.com/?p=56#comment-213 Within my secular circles, I've been participating in some great conversations about God and the Bible. Unfortunately, it seems as though I've had to spend most of my effort gently correcting and admonishing the participating believers rather than engaging the non-believers. Just from this experience alone I would believe the statistics you provided from the Barna Group are tragically true. When we don't have an answer for the hope that lies within we come up with winsome statements such as, "What a dumb comment. You opened this thread...no one forced you to. Go away." or when our theology is flawed we say, "I'm Christian and I don't believe the Bible is perfect. You should not either. Perfect is simply a concept of man." Despite the family correction, the conversation has remained vivid and fruitful with the non-believers. While non of them have yet to profess a new found faith in Jesus... one of them did expose a secret not often said but we should all remember. At the end of a long reply... my non-believing friend Habibi said to me, "When this is all said and done, I really hope you are correct and I am wrong; for your view of the afterlife is much better than the non existant one I'm expecting. I really want to believe... " Your sermon on Sunday reflects what Habibi revealed about himself. Romans 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. Habibi and others like him indeed are groaning for the good news. They just have a hard time believing it when those whom are called to be the flesh of the word to the world are merely seeking to win an argument rather than save a lost friend. We foolishly hit them over the head with a blunt sword rather than piercing their heart with the love of Christ. Within my secular circles, I’ve been participating in some great conversations about God and the Bible. Unfortunately, it seems as though I’ve had to spend most of my effort gently correcting and admonishing the participating believers rather than engaging the non-believers. Just from this experience alone I would believe the statistics you provided from the Barna Group are tragically true. When we don’t have an answer for the hope that lies within we come up with winsome statements such as, “What a dumb comment. You opened this thread…no one forced you to. Go away.” or when our theology is flawed we say, “I’m Christian and I don’t believe the Bible is perfect. You should not either. Perfect is simply a concept of man.”

Despite the family correction, the conversation has remained vivid and fruitful with the non-believers. While non of them have yet to profess a new found faith in Jesus… one of them did expose a secret not often said but we should all remember. At the end of a long reply… my non-believing friend Habibi said to me, “When this is all said and done, I really hope you are correct and I am wrong; for your view of the afterlife is much better than the non existant one I’m expecting. I really want to believe… ”

Your sermon on Sunday reflects what Habibi revealed about himself.
Romans 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

Habibi and others like him indeed are groaning for the good news. They just have a hard time believing it when those whom are called to be the flesh of the word to the world are merely seeking to win an argument rather than save a lost friend. We foolishly hit them over the head with a blunt sword rather than piercing their heart with the love of Christ.

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