G2 Summer Begins

God Conversations

Hey Guys,
Thank you to those of you who have been coming to the Friday AM God conversations. We've had a great time the last few weeks.
If you couldn't make it, this week's conversation was about doubt. We talked about the reality that Christians, real Christians, experience moments of doubt--the temptation to believe that God isn't real, or that the gospel isn't true, or that Jesus isn't the only way to heaven--doubts like that. To face temptations of doubt doesn't mean you are not a Christian. If you are fighting those doubts with faith--it means that you ARE a Christian. After all, sin is always doubting God at some level. We have the opportunity as Christians to believe the truth of the Word and live believing the good news of God's character.

If you haven't been able to come, please feel free to join us on Fridays at 10am at the church.

Look out later for a post about chapter three from our book.

Digging into Chapter 2

Chapter 2. "In Which I Learn How to Dig". This was a great chapter! Josh talks about the story of the two builders, one who built on the rock and the other, on the sand. He describes how he lived most of his teenage years building on the "sand" of superficial Christianity--and lacked the willingness to dig down deep to the rock of a life built on Jesus. I like how he describes real Christianity:

"Being a Christian means being a person who labors to establish his beliefs, his dreams, his choices, his very view of the world on the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished--A Christian who cares about truth, who cares about sound doctrine. "

A few great truths for us to chew on:

1. Beliefs that don't lead to obedience are simply not deep enough.

2. Transformation in Josh's life only came as a result of study--listening to messages, reading books, and learning from older, wiser people. We don't drift into godliness. "It was as if the'd taken doctrinal ideas off the high shelf, which they seemed to occupy in my mind, and put them to work in their everyday lives. I found this odd and yet appealing."

3. Young people can have a passion to know God and enjoy the truths about God in doctrine. Very encouraging to hear about Josh's old youth group reading systematic theology.
Like Josh, we should not accept the idea that God only works passion for truth in the post twenty age bracket. I believe this passion can happen at any age.

Any thoughts? What stood out to you?

Dug Down Deep

As promised, I am beginning the G2 summer reading posts on Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris. I've started this week at chapter 1 (you should start there too), and I already know this is going to be a great book. If you haven't purchased it yet--we'll have copies in the bookstore on Sunday or you can get it anywhere online.

In the first chapter, Josh remembers his own journey as a teenager through the "youth group" motions of external Christianity. All of us who have grown up in the church can identify. As he says, church is often more a social group than a context for expressing passion for Jesus. He talks about how all of us are theologians--all us live our lives based on our conception of God--but we need to ask whether our views of God are actually true and Biblical.

The last paragraph is worth quoting entirely.

"The irony of my story--and I suppose it often works this way--is that the very things I needed, even longed for in my relationship with God, were wrapped up in the very things I was so sure could do me no good. I didn't understand that such seemingly worn-out words as theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy were the pathway to the mysterious, awe-filled experience of truly knowing the living Jesus Christ."

For anyone who has read the first chapter, feel free to comment. What stood out to you? Ever feel like doctrine is more boring than relevant? Ever feel like Christianity is more moral do's and dont's than a passionate relationship with Jesus?