What is a negative tendency of this generation as it relates to the faith?
Mark Driscoll: This generation can be a whiny bunch of idealists getting together in small groups to complain about megachurches and the religious right rather than doing something.
Efrem Smith: I’m very concerned about the continual influence of consumerism Christianity and a Christianity that is very self-centered. Even in some of the social justice initiatives that I see, I wonder at times if it’s really about social change and kingdom advancement or if it’s about the sense of accomplishment and adventure one gets from the experience.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for young Christians in the next 10 years?
Mark Driscoll: There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelation, Jesus is a pride fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up. I fear some becoming more cultural than Christian, and without a big Jesus who has authority and hates sin as revealed in the Bible, we will have less and less Christians, and more and more confused, spiritually self-righteous blogger critics of Christianity.
View the entire article at: http://relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7418
4 comments:
Okay, David, I read the entire article. I'll bet that if you took out the names, any references that gave away the modern setting and gave it to someone who was 60 or older with the question, "When do you think this was written?", they might suggest nearly any given time in history. I did not read one single thing that suggested that Christians today are facing problems and situations that are unique in history. Some of the panel members seemed to be impressed with themselves. Finally, all the responses in the article lacked any reference to prayer, the leadership of the Holy Spirit or scriptural content. Well...almost. There was the thing about Jesus having a tattoo down His right leg. Undoubtedly, that's his interpretation of Revelation 19:16. That says volumes, too.
the guy who said that is the pastor of paul and christy's church.
I read this article this article this morning... and now I'm looking at this. Funny.
Have you read "Generation Me"? You should. I'm reading it right now... It gives some interesting perspective.
He is a very straightforward guy who bristles when people suggest MH, Seattle is part of the EC movement. But, I still think he stretches a few things in order to give his punches a little more "pow". Case in point, to say Jesus as a tattoo down his right leg because of the Revelation passage is definitely putting his own spin or interpretation on it. But, it does attract a lot of folks and I like that he is theologically very sound and basic in his beliefs and teachings. Maybe he wasn't ruined by a big education. : )
Post a Comment