|
TeacherAide Common Unity SESSION 9
ILLUSTRATING THE POINTTeen Brought Luggage to Her Baptism When Texas pastor Jim Denison was in college, he served as a summer missionary in East Malaysia. While there he attended a small church. At one of the church's worship services, a teenage girl came forward to announce her decision to follow Christ and be baptized. During the service, Denison noticed some worn-out luggage leaning against the wall of the church building. He asked the pastor about it. The pastor pointed to the girl who had just been baptized and told Denison, "Her father said that if she was baptized as a Christian she could never go home again. So she brought her luggage." Raymond McHenry, Stories for the Soul (Hendrickson, 2001), p. 48
“Bruce Almighty”: Real Miracles Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a mediocre news reporter in midlife crisis. When his life falls apart, Bruce complains to his girlfriend that God does a poor job of running the world, and that he could do far better. To his surprise, God (Morgan Freeman) gives him the chance. When Bruce is granted omnipotence, he squanders it on petty things like parting his tomato soup and on selfish things like turning his car into a Ferrari. His news career flourishes because of the headlines he captures with his miraculous powers. Finally, God pulls Bruce aside to adjust his perspective on how omnipotence is best used. As they stand side by side mopping a gigantic floor, God tells Bruce that although he is not against supernatural intervention, he most often works more subtly. Unlike Bruce, God is more interested in changed lives than in newspaper headlines. He says, "Parting your soup is not a miracle, Bruce. It's a magic trick. A single mom who is working two jobs and still finds time to take her kid to soccer practice, that's a miracle. A teenager who says no to drugs and yes to an education, that's a miracle." Well, maybe these aren't quite miracles, but they are situations in which God wants to help. Elapsed time: 01:17:10-01:18:46 (DVD Scene 15) Content: Rated PG-13 for language and sexual situations Bruce Almighty, (Universal, 2003), directed and produced by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Kornen and Mark O'Keef
THE MORE YOU KNOW If the average North American congregation were to bill its community for the social services it provides, the tab would be about $184,000 per year. Source: Ram A. Cnaan, The Invisible Caring Hand: American Congregations and the Provision of Welfare (New York University Press, 2002)
A 2005 poll, conducted by Newsweek and Beliefnet, asked, "Why do you practice religion?" To forge a
personal relationship with God—39 percent Jerry Adler, "Special Report: Spirituality," Newsweek (9-5-05), p. 48
A 2005 poll, conducted by Newsweek and Beliefnet, asked: "How important is spirituality in your daily life?" Very
important—57 percent Regarding those who said spirituality was "very important": Ages
18-39—44 percent Jerry Adler, "Special Report: Spirituality," Newsweek (9-5-05), p. 48
I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY “Some churches think, ‘If they really like us, they’ll like Jesus.’ I’m not sure there’s any correlation whatsoever.” John MacArthur, Jr. “When we miss God’s grace in our relationships, we may find a bitter root growing inside us.” Michael E. Phillips “Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.” Anne Frank “My first priority is to preach about the gospel, not about people’s experiences.” Anonymous “We gain a hearing with a secular audience when we don’t confuse essentials with non-essentials.” Ed Dobson “The emotion of a sermon is determined by the text, and it should be communicated, even if it has to be ‘acted’.” Thomas Long “The world does not need sermons; it needs a message. You can go to seminary and learn how to preach sermons, but you will have to go to God to get messages.” Oswald J. Smith |