Is The Missionary And His Work Viable In Today's Society?

When there is a downturn in the economy, many Christians begin to question whether or not the career missionary and his/her work is still viable in today's society.  Matthew Parris has written an article in the London Times, As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God, that might just answer your question.  Thought provoking!

Food For Thought...

I read many different blogs covering many different subjects.  Some are interesting; some are not.  Some challenge me intellectually; some do not.  Some are humorous; some are not. 

Recently I read a post on one blog that really intrigued me.  The title of the blog is Secular Right.  This particular post is dealing with a theological position taken by one theologian and the thought that our world is dominated by secular values of tolerance and equality.  The author of this blog asks a question then offers a reason:

[Begin quote]

Do modern Christians still believe with the same fervor as in the past all those unyielding doctrines of eternal damnation for the unbaptised and unconverted? They sure don’t act as if they do. If they really were convinced that their friends, co-workers, neighbors, and in-laws were going to hell because they possessed the wrong or no religious belief, I would think that the knowledge would be unbearable. Christians surely see that most of their wrong-believing personal acquaintances are just as moral and deserving as themselves. How, then, do they live with the knowledge that their friends and loved ones face an eternity of torment? I would expect a frenzy of proselytizing, by word or by sword.

In previous centuries, when religion had the upper hand, religious differences meant more. But ours is a world dominated by the secular values of tolerance and equality. Either believers live with an extraordinary degree of cognitive dissonance between the inclusive values of their society and the dictates of their religion, or they unconsciously mitigate those bloody-minded dictates as atavistic vestiges from a more primitive time.

[End quote]

Do we really believe what we say we do?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (MSG)
¹⁷ Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!

This passage of Scripture has always been one of my favorites.  When we are united with Christ, we get a fresh start in life.  How great is that?  Old things passed away; all things become new! 

Sometimes we look at the beginning of the new year as a fresh start.  We can start over trying to balance the check book.  We can start a new diet - again!  We make all kinds of "resolutions" in an effort to begin again - fresh.

It is a new year, and it can be a new beginning for us all.  I believe the key to starting fresh is taking this journey called life one step at a time.  Someone asked the question, "How can you eat an elephant?"  Of course the answer is, "One bite at a time!"  So, let's take our fresh start, "One day at a time".  Don't get caught up in the totality of life's journey; simply take it one day at a time. 

If you take life one day at a time, when you stumble, you don't have far to go to start over.  If you get off your diet, you don't have much to make up.  If you say or do something that messes up a relationship, you don't have to say too many words to make it right again.  If you begin to struggle in your faith, you don't have to look too far to find God again.

When you start fresh, you can let go of some things that might be holding you down.  Maybe you need some help to begin again.  Click here for some wonderful guidance, and get a fresh start!

Happy New Year! 

I pray 2009 offers the fresh start you need for a wonderful year.