Engaging the Culture

After missing a week in Sebewaing because of the Thanksgiving holiday, this past Thursday I was back at it. My morning prayer walk around Sebewaing was a little chilly with the 16 degree temperature and the north wind blowing. However, this time continues to be very special to me as I simply listen for God's voice. (I also found out later through casual contact with a couple of people that they noticed me out there.)

At lunch time I went out to the school because there were a couple of students that I wanted to interact with. I was a little overwhelmed because a number of students kept coming up to me, and so the conversations that I was hoping to have were detoured to another path. So I simply jumped on that path and went with it.

The conversation now included the huge movie that came out last weekend. I believe it is entitled "Twilight." It is based on a series of books that have become very popular especially, it seems, with teenage girls. These young ladies told me a little about this love story which involves vampires and werewolves and such. They also told me that some of their parents didn't like them reading it. I asked them what it was about the books and the movie that drew them to it. They told me it was the love story that was taking place and the romance of it. Now a number of things went through my head. The first was about how in so many instances today things that were once considered evil now are cast in a friendly light and the dangers that exist because of that. Somehow I felt like that was not the right information to keep this conversation going. So instead I took another tact.

I told them I understood why they might be drawn to that kind of story. After all, the world is so void of love and romance today. After that thought I began to talk about what real love looks like and the importance of seeing that idea from a Biblical perspective. I encouraged them to stay plugged into their youth groups and churches and the scriptures and to interpret everything through the scriptures.

Since that time I have done some more research on the Twilight series, and I sat down with a Christian who read the book and who gave me some insights to it. I am looking forward to my next conversation with these young ladies. (I told them we would talk again in a couple of weeks.) More and more I am learning that if we want to create disciples, we need to engage the culture of today and then look for opportunities to share the truth of the gospel.

Praises:
One of the guys whom I have been working with has started a discipling relationship with a another guy! Pray for John.
Kevin and I have been meeting, and through some of the materials we have been talking about, he realizes that he needs to change some of the places he has been placing emphasis.
The couples' discipleship thing that Deb and I have been involved in seems to be taking some exciting new directions.

Prayer Concerns:
Wisdom for me as I begin to attempt to "partner" some people up in disciple-making relationships.
For direction as we consider some ways to engage the community and the LEAD churches in creating a greater emphasis on the disciple-making process.
The momentum will not be lost as we go through the holiday season.

Your Servant in Christ,

Pastor Brian