The American church as a whole needs to move from selfish consumerism to unselfish contribution. Those are poles apart. To start with a woman who's most interested in how many diamonds she's got in her tennis bracelet, and move her to sit under a banyan tree holding an AIDS baby- that's a giant leap. People in this culture are trained to think about me, me, me; I've got to do what's best for me. Even when we go to church we have this consumer mentality.
<idle musing>
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it? Only the grace of the living God can get people out of their curvatus in se mode. Only as they realize, and I mean beyond an intellectual assent, that they are not the center of the universe can they allow God to change them from the inside out.
</idle musing>
2 comments:
This afternoon I happened to hear what, for me, was the greatest sermon I've heard, and it was on this topic. He espically talks about 'beauty' and grace getting us outside of ourselves. You can download it here.
I kind of always pictured Rick Warren as a dude who perpetuated the Consumeristic Church mentality....Are we sure he isn't just jumping on the anti-Consumerism bandwagon now that it is starting to get popular????
But perhaps I am being too harsh here. Do I need more love???
Help me, James!
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