I love quotes. Here’s a new favourite:
‘In Western society we are culturally conditioned to assume that intellectual assent to a set of propositions is an adequate substitute for obedience.’
I’ve been listening to a track from my mate Steve’s CD which mixes dance music with teaching. One track has Mike Pilavachi saying: ‘Do you remember when you first became a Christian? Do you remember when you first gave your life to him? We were captivated by Love. We were captivated by Grace.’
Today I’ve been working on the programme for Youthwork the conference – through this we aim to resource and equip anyone in youthwork or youth ministry. We’re focusing on Transform: Knowing the Word – Knowing the World. I’ve been in so many conversations this past few weeks which essentially go along the line of ‘Yeah of course I love Jesus; Of course I know he’s saved me. But I just don’t know what for… Oh and by the way life just feels a bit boring and meaningless.’
A few of my mates call me a ‘Line Drawing Maniac’ (I’ll post on this another time I expect.) Anyway it feels like there are lots of lines being drawing in my life between the conversations I’m having and the work I’m doing. The more I’ve spoken to people over the past few weeks the more I’ve realised how we constantly need to remind ourselves what our faith is about because it certainly isn’t just about ‘intellectual assent to a set of propositions’… it is about knowing who God is and then knowing who we are in him.
It’s exciting to spend time thinking around the issues of personal transformation and social transformation. And, to be in these conversations and to watch the ‘lights’ go on in people’s hearts and minds when they realise that far from being ‘boring and meaningless’ their lives should be exciting and transforming – both personally and socially.
Seriously… you really can’t transform communities until you’ve transformed individuals. And the only place to start is by being transformed by Jesus yourself…
W x
