Searching for Meaning and Purpose...

When we talk about the church, we tend to think of it as a spectator sport.  You go somewhere, listen to the worship band, hear a sermon, & leave.  Maybe you sing along, you might even be tempted to take notes because your pastor is amazing, possibly you drop some cash in the plate, but that tends to be the extent for most of us.  Why?  What caused the church to become something we went to instead of how we lived?  That's the question that bugs me and I'll be looking at a few ideas in the coming weeks... First, the consumer mindset.  How often have you heard the term, "church shopping?"  Referring to people checking out churches, looking for one that makes them happy, has the right slate of programs, makes them feel at home; not actually doing shopping for the church (although if you ask I can give you a shopping list for my student ministry and you can go get everything on it you want for us!). It is so prevalent throughout our society and cul...

I'm embarking on a season of self reflection. This will be a time of intense scrutiny as to my real intentions, my real purposes, and the real meaning of my life. Today I'm looking at why I live. Has anyone ever asked you the question, "Why do you live?" or more commonly phrased, "What do you live for?" Both questions hit the core question of our human life making us think about why we are here, what our purpose is and why we have the chance to even think about it. I have so much information to pull from: my philosophical training gives me answers and more questions, my theological training provides all the answers I should ever need, and my experience shows both to have valid answers and the questions to remain... But, as Socrates said, "An unexamined life is not worth living," so I am taking some time to look at my life. The purpose behind what I do and why, is what I really am looking for. Yeah, I have the easy answer that I wish I could ...