Things are weird these days.
God's Not Dead (the movie) is second at the box office and so Satan attacks Christ's church the only way he knows how: divide and conquer.
I'm sure you've all heard about World Vision.
If not, google them and come back, I'll wait.
They took a stance on a subject that's determined to tear apart the American Christian church from the inside this past Monday. Then last night right before everyone is set to leave work on EST (5pm) they drop a bomb and reverse their decision. Holy Red Sea parting; that's what happened. In the 72ish hours of the decision there were a large amount of blogs, tweet, Facebook statuses slinging harsh words, people acting all HOLY, and those discriminating against anyone who took a stand on either side. Yikes. It was and is downright ugly out there. It makes me weep for the American Christian church because if we cannot get together and change the world FOR Christ, then the church in all it's people is pointless. We're wasting time, energy, efforts, and becoming dust in the wind no no reason except our holy righteousness.
I applaud yes APPLAUD World Vision in their humanity efforts. They have some amazing programs and do their work of serving the poor, the least of these, the widows. In fact, my youth group just did a trial run of their new program in September before it was released. We saw and experienced Childhood Lost before it was "public." It changed hearts, minds, and actions in my youth and even brought some reality to their small little world of Indianapolis towns.
I have been a World Vision sponsor. But I am no longer. My religious beliefs were not allowed to be shared to our sponsored child, who was in a country where it's OK to be a Christian. She was not going to be prosecuted for hearing, reading, or seeing the name of Jesus in my letters. But, alas, that information couldn't be shared. Then I found out the differences in child sponsorship. World Vision works in the communities and changes lives with the "sponsorship" monies. The money does not directly go towards the child. Which, is okay because the entire community is affected by building fresh wells, farming, animals, etc. It's not wrong, or bad; just not what I pictured for CHILD sponsorship. And yes, my child went on to be sponsored again. (there's a process where the child gets put on a "priority" kind of list and gets sponsored faster than others).
And the God's Not Dead movie; it's excellent. One that I'll watch countless times and love it even more the next time. It's one I can support and not feel like I'm cast into a specific "Christian sect" for liking it. The acting is well above a typical "Christian" film. The soundtrack is astonishing, with the lead actor singing parts of the soundtrack with his band. Newsboys were a little cheesy in it, but they're singers/performers not actors. And, it portrays real life. Not everyone "wins" in the end, just like real life and that part makes people cry. There were a lot of tears happening in this film (just not mine because I saw zero parts that were sad, which in turn made my youth think I am not human because of this fact). I want to know the outcome of it though...it's almost like a cliff-hanger because all their lives were interwoven in the story. Do they find out this person and that person become Christian and that one is left to his own devices? And of course, the moral of the story; IF you become Christian, you automatically attend a Newboys concert. Of course! hah.
Which leads me into WinterJam, which in fact, my youth went to see the day after watching this movie. How God-ordained?! Newsboys was the final act in the line up and even though our seats were HORRIBLE, we still had a good time and the message was still there to hear. And now I am special because I have a GODS NOT DEAD bracelet to proclaim and wear in all its limey greenness.
God's Not Dead (the movie) is second at the box office and so Satan attacks Christ's church the only way he knows how: divide and conquer.
I'm sure you've all heard about World Vision.
If not, google them and come back, I'll wait.
 |
| Holding water the entire night. |
They took a stance on a subject that's determined to tear apart the American Christian church from the inside this past Monday. Then last night right before everyone is set to leave work on EST (5pm) they drop a bomb and reverse their decision. Holy Red Sea parting; that's what happened. In the 72ish hours of the decision there were a large amount of blogs, tweet, Facebook statuses slinging harsh words, people acting all HOLY, and those discriminating against anyone who took a stand on either side. Yikes. It was and is downright ugly out there. It makes me weep for the American Christian church because if we cannot get together and change the world FOR Christ, then the church in all it's people is pointless. We're wasting time, energy, efforts, and becoming dust in the wind no no reason except our holy righteousness.
 |
| Writing prayers/Bible Verses for those in Sex trafficking. |
I applaud yes APPLAUD World Vision in their humanity efforts. They have some amazing programs and do their work of serving the poor, the least of these, the widows. In fact, my youth group just did a trial run of their new program in September before it was released. We saw and experienced Childhood Lost before it was "public." It changed hearts, minds, and actions in my youth and even brought some reality to their small little world of Indianapolis towns.
 |
| Securing futures in a "would you rather" type game |
I have been a World Vision sponsor. But I am no longer. My religious beliefs were not allowed to be shared to our sponsored child, who was in a country where it's OK to be a Christian. She was not going to be prosecuted for hearing, reading, or seeing the name of Jesus in my letters. But, alas, that information couldn't be shared. Then I found out the differences in child sponsorship. World Vision works in the communities and changes lives with the "sponsorship" monies. The money does not directly go towards the child. Which, is okay because the entire community is affected by building fresh wells, farming, animals, etc. It's not wrong, or bad; just not what I pictured for CHILD sponsorship. And yes, my child went on to be sponsored again. (there's a process where the child gets put on a "priority" kind of list and gets sponsored faster than others).
 |
| As a result of your choice, your foot is cut off. Stand on one foot the rest of the night. |
And the God's Not Dead movie; it's excellent. One that I'll watch countless times and love it even more the next time. It's one I can support and not feel like I'm cast into a specific "Christian sect" for liking it. The acting is well above a typical "Christian" film. The soundtrack is astonishing, with the lead actor singing parts of the soundtrack with his band. Newsboys were a little cheesy in it, but they're singers/performers not actors. And, it portrays real life. Not everyone "wins" in the end, just like real life and that part makes people cry. There were a lot of tears happening in this film (just not mine because I saw zero parts that were sad, which in turn made my youth think I am not human because of this fact). I want to know the outcome of it though...it's almost like a cliff-hanger because all their lives were interwoven in the story. Do they find out this person and that person become Christian and that one is left to his own devices? And of course, the moral of the story; IF you become Christian, you automatically attend a Newboys concert. Of course! hah.
Which leads me into WinterJam, which in fact, my youth went to see the day after watching this movie. How God-ordained?! Newsboys was the final act in the line up and even though our seats were HORRIBLE, we still had a good time and the message was still there to hear. And now I am special because I have a GODS NOT DEAD bracelet to proclaim and wear in all its limey greenness.
Comments