Quest: First Free St. Louis » issues

Some Questions For You…

khughes — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:56:23 +0000

Do we hold so tightly to the ‘cultural trappings’ of Christianity that it turns into ‘Churchianity‘ (just a set of rules and simply a preferred lifestyle) and as a result we create a hindrance for people engaging the gospel… the offer of grace, of forgiveness and of pardon as God sent His Son to be a ransom for our broken lives?

Does our faith look more like a defense of ‘traditional Republican political dogma’ rather than a proclamation of the life, death and resurrection of Christ as payment for the sin of the world and each person on planet earth?

Are we willing to forfeit our freedom in Christ and give up some legitimate rights for the cause of never losing a platform to share the good news of life in Christ that can begin right here and right now and makes life profoundly different now and for eternity?

Are there people in our lives who we could engage… those who are different, those who are indifferent, those who are antagonistic, those who are skeptical, those who are unsure, those who are wounded, those who are lonely, those who are like sheep without a shepherd…introduce them to the one who created them and loves them?

More Than Religion

khughes — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:48:22 +0000

If eternity is a reality, and if Christ really did offer Himself as a pardon for our guilt, and if we are eternally lost without that pardon, then rejecting all the puny and unnecessary rules that religious people tend to pile onto life so that we can get down to the core issues of engaging with the message of grace and forgiveness is of paramount importance! You see, if life here and now and life beyond the grave are really caught up in the life of God through Jesus Christ then we better stop playing church and we better become relevant to those around us who think the message of Christ is irrelevant.

Unfortunately it is safer and easier to live inside the bubble and avoid those who may not look like they fit. We often want skeptics and inquirers to ‘convert’ to our culture before they engage the person of Christ. We subtly say to the world, please look acceptable (whatever that is) so we can accept you. Jesus said come to me whoever you are and whatever you look like and our relationship will move your heart to the place of desiring to look and act like Him. The really unfortunate thing is this, the image that many Christians give is radically different than that of the image of the reality Christ. He is much more gracious, exciting, and scary than we are. We are often more judgmental, boring and predictable. So, let’s take the unnecessary stuff out of the way so the free gift of Christ can be given freely to those who can not afford it, or more importantly, to those who can not afford not to receive the free gift of life in Christ.

We’ve Got Issues?

khughes — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:41:31 +0000

We all have issues…yes, we really do. Sometimes they come at us from all around us, and then others come from within us. It is the issues within us that seem to be the most difficult. I think that is due to the fact that sometimes the issues within us are not surprising to us, but far too often we feel confused on where in our broken souls they come from, or why they spill out onto life and onto others the way they do.

It seems so important that we deal with the issues of life, both those that come at us and those that emanate from us….but we often seem clueless on how to do it. I wonder if we have lost sight of how at our core we desperately need our ‘wiring’ to be restored and redeemed so that our relationships are not undermined by the unsolved ‘issues’. And how about the profound possibility of engaging God as the central issue of life for from Him comes an ‘orderliness’ that heals and aligns our minds and hearts? Maybe is it so simple (without being simplistic). What do you think?