this comes from a pastor friend ryan bennett, who posted this on his facebook. thought it was worthwhile sharing today.
is giving way to talk of Depression. The stock market is at its lowest
point in over a decade, taking with it the retirement accounts of many
of our elderly. Things are bad.
So, with things this bad, where are people turning? In Tennessee, the
answer was obvious this morning with the news that February was the
biggest month EVER for the Tennessee lottery. $208 MILLION dollars were
spent on lottery tickets in the month of February alone.
This is a damning statement about the hopelessness and irrationality
that is so pervasive in our culture now. It is also a damning statement
about where people are not turning – the church. Why would people
seeking hope not turn to the church? I guess the answer is that hope is
not what we are offering.
The daily news is offering gloom and doom. Shouldn't the church be more
bold in its offering of Good News? Not good news on the economy but
true Good News from the Hope of the World, Jesus Christ!
I think that the world has largely written off the church. "They don't
care about my needs. They are too concerned with fighting and bickering
amongst themselves about polity and doctrine."
If we can't offer Good News then who can? I believe this is an
opportunity for the church, but we must first relearn the unique
message God has given us then we must engage the world in which we live
in a real way. It will get messy, no doubt. But I don't think there is
anything else we can do and be faithful.
Lord, let the church offer more hope to a hurting people than the lottery.
Ryan
i don't know what more commentary i can put on this, but say "yup." we should be doing better. where do we start?
Ryan’s post is to the point. And your question picks up at the right point as well. Where do we start? What would you say to a frightened, worried audience if you could? This crisis isn’t like any we’ve been through before. It’s not a natural disaster. It’s not a crisis that has an end in sight. So, knowing all we know about skepticism about religion, people lacking knowledge of faith and mistrust of religious institutions/organizations, where would do we start? Thanks for raising the question. I wrestle with it daily.
Ryan’s post is to the point. And your question picks up at the right point as well. Where do we start? What would you say to a frightened, worried audience if you could? This crisis isn’t like any we’ve been through before. It’s not a natural disaster. It’s not a crisis that has an end in sight. So, knowing all we know about skepticism about religion, people lacking knowledge of faith and mistrust of religious institutions/organizations, where would do we start? Thanks for raising the question. I wrestle with it daily.