The changing church?

Our church organization and churches are in an interesting place. The average age of an Adventist in North America is 59, which means that in 20 years, we will barely exist, unless something changes. But, change comes slow, if at all. The median age in our country is between 37-38 years of age, but most local churches are led by those who are 60 and above. It’s no wonder change is not happening. See, you attract who you are.

These days there is a lot of discussion about who different generations think: the “retirees” think differently than the boomers, who think differently than Generation X, who think differently than Generation Y…and what out for the Millenial generation. They are growing up fast!

I am not sure we have thought much about this generational divide that exist. It's in just about every church. Most Adventist churches do not contextualized their message or approach to reach people in different segments of culture influenced by media, music, entertainment and technology. For most, multi-generational church ministry is uncharted territory.

Check it out!

Sabbath

Why do I believe in the Seventh-day Sabbath?
One: It was institued by God at creation (Genesis 2:2, 3). In fact, God did three things with the Sabbath at creation: he told us to rest, he set it apart (or made it holy), and he blessed it. He did not bless Tuesday, he did not bless Thursday, he did not bless Sunday, he blessed the seventh day.

Two: The 4th Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11). Knowing we would forget his commandment, he said, "Remember" and he points back to the reasons given at creation (see above)

Three: Jesus kept the Sabbath (Luke 4:16), his disciples kept the Sabbath...

Seems to me these are some pretty good reasons to start with. What do you think?

Salvation

The second "S" is salvation, which is available through Jesus Christ...a free gift, at a great cost (not to us) to God. Romans 3:23, Roamns 6:23, John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, John 1:12

Scripture

At the Santa Rosa Adventist church, we have seven eSSentials that are at the foundation of what we believe. They all start with the letter "S".

The first one is Scripture. Three things:
We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.
It provides direction for our lives.
It reveals the character of God.

2 Timothy 2:3:16, 17
2 Peter 1:20, 21
John 17:17
Acts 17:11

www.santarosasda.org

Book

I am in the process of reading David Gergen's book, "Eyewitness to Power" in which Gergen talks about the lessons he has learned from serving in the White House for four different presidents: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton.

One of the things that jumps out at me is Gergen's comment that strength of character is the single most important factor in the success of failure of any leader...

Hmmm...can you think of anything or anyone in any industry in our country that has proven this to be true?

Reading

Some of you know that I concentrate my reading in a few different areas:

One: The Bible. I have currently finished a study of the Gospels and the outlining of every question Jesus asks.

Two: History. My goal is to read a biography of every American President. A few years ago, I decided to read them chronologically. I have really enjoyed getting a sense of history as I read consecutive biographies. I am currently reading a biography on our 7th President, Andrew Jackson titled, “American Lion, by Jon Meacham...and am also reading "Eyewitness to Power," by David Gergen.

Three: The 100 greatest books in history, the Classics, so to speak. I have three “List of the Greatest 100 books” that I use as reference (plus my own opinion). Currently, I have been working through, The Brothers Karamasov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Four: Books on spiritual growth, religion, theology, etc…This is the category I think Indelible Ink falls in.

Five: Books on leadership

What are you reading?

I'm Back

Ok, Ok...where have I been? Wow! Where do I start? This summer has been crazy. I had the opportunity to go to Egypt and Spain, I got back and had a lot going on...and I have been trying to come up with a new replenishment strategy. Am I the only one who needs one of these? I would love to hear what you do in this area.

What is the church for?

Jesus didn’t launch the church for people with a common interest, but for people with a common problem. The problem? People did not know where they stood with God, they did not know how God felt about them. This is still the problem today.

Jesus came with a very personal message…to invite us to call God our heavenly Father and to answer the question “Where do I stand with God?” This is the common problem. And, the answer, his goal, is for us to have a personal relationship with God.

Out for a while

I am out of the country until the end of June. Blogs will resume then.

Who knows where this is from?

"...don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceaces to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passion and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from contiueal lying to other men and to himself."

This is a quote from Elder Zossina in the book???

Quite a powerful and accurate description of the path that leads towards darkeness. Hmmm

I love books

The writer Umberto Eco is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories:
…those who react with "Wow! Signore professore dottore Eco, what a library you have! How many of these books have you read?"
…and the others -- a very small minority -- who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool….

Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you do not know as your financial means allows you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menacingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an anti-library. (From the introduction to “The Black Swan,” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb)

Life is a gift

I am reminded again today that life is a gift, and that we often take it for granted. Things like: taking your children to school, kissing your wife goodbye, eating lunch with a friend, having a place to work at...even hearing the rain pound on the roof last night, are all gifts from God.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that God is present in the midst of all these things, and most of the time God gives us room to recognize his presence or to not recognize him. But, one things is for sure, life is a gift and God is present. Today, I invite you to look at it as the fathomless mystery life is and to look for God for in the moments of your day.

Indelible Ink, pt. 2

Last night, I read another chapter of Indelible Ink. This chapter was written by Charles Colson, special counsel to President Nixon, who spent time in prison and became a Christian and started Prison Fellowship.

Colson top three books that have shaped his faith are:
"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (who knows what the C. and the S. stand for?)
"Confessions" and "The City of God" by Augustine of Hippo (also known as St. Augustine)
"How should we then live?" by Francis Schaeffer

I find it very interesting to read about how books impact and shape people's lives. What books have shaped your life? If you haven't developed your own list, maybe you should.

Reading "Indelible Ink"

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend a mine, I'll call him Big C, and he asked me if I had started reading this book, Indelible Ink. I hadn't, so last night I read a chapter. Indelible Ink is a book where 22 Christian Leaders discuss books that have shaped their faith.

Last night, I read Calvin Miller's chapter. In it, he shares his top three: the complete works of Shakespeare, the complete works of T.S. Elliot, and Silence by Shusako Endo. Endo's book is a story of Martyrs in the Samurai Era of Japan. I am going to have to pick this one up. Miller said "The power of Jesuit believers captured my soul as no other novel has ever done." (Reminds me of the movie, The Mission)

Here's another thing that struck me, Miller says that over the last 50 years he has read 100-200 books a year or about 7000 books. I thought I was doing well with 10-15 a year. For some, Miller's avid reading can be disempowering, but for me, it increases my motivation to read more and watch TV less. Because, as Miller says books have the power to confront us, change us and make us wise.