Nathan can heatedly argue doctrine while playing frisbee!!!!
I have something to say to my particular generation who has 1) grown up in ARBCA 2) Are believers and care about the truth of the gospel and 3) are aware of some things we disagree with in ARBCA.
Guys, I think the reformed church has a problem. It's very predictable really. We think that we have the truth, and we have become conceited about it. It's in my heart, and I think it's probably in yours. This pride kills love very fast. It makes all of our pretty, intellectual doctrine meaningless. I don't know if I would say that this characterizes the reformed church, but it is a besetting problem.
I think some of the young people see this problem and it upsets us very much. We see other things that we disagree with in the older generation of ARBCA as well, and because we care about what is right we get indignant. At this point I think we have a great opportunity, and a great opportunity to mess things up as well.
The point that I want to get across most strongly, is that if we get attached to our ideas about what we think is true to the point that we get proud...and lose our love...then we have done exactly the same thing we are angry about seeing happen in our churches. Our own doctrine of love will become a doctrine of hypocrisy, which is what we were complaining about in others to start with. We will become exactly what we are reacting against--same song, second verse--and we will be as useless as a group as we sometimes feel the church today is overall.
A word about the older generation. Most of them have come a very long way toward truth in their lifetimes. It would be foolhearty and wrong for us to claim that they don't care about the church, the bride of Christ, or that they don't have good intentions toward the preservation of truth. They are wise and we are young.
So if we, instead of leaving, stay in ARBCA because we think what the association affirms is true (if we do), and if we decide that we can act lovingly, and respect our elders, and realize that they are our friends, and not our enemies, then I think we can come as far in our generation as our parents have in theirs! I think the older generation would be very happy to open a friendly dialogue on current issues, and someday we will be the ones operating the association, not them. We don't have to agree with them on everything, I'm pretty sure that's not what they want, but lets not needlessly create enemies by being hotheaded and arrogant.
It would be a big mistake to take the easy route, and gripe and complain without trying to talk to those we disagree with, or make plans to change things in our lifetimes. I think it would be a big mistake to leave in a huff, throw the baby out with the bathwater, and leave behind all of the good things our parents have worked so hard to achieve.
You guys I'm writing this to know who you are. I love y'all very much, and I'm proud to carry the torch with you...
~Hope~
Guys, I think the reformed church has a problem. It's very predictable really. We think that we have the truth, and we have become conceited about it. It's in my heart, and I think it's probably in yours. This pride kills love very fast. It makes all of our pretty, intellectual doctrine meaningless. I don't know if I would say that this characterizes the reformed church, but it is a besetting problem.
I think some of the young people see this problem and it upsets us very much. We see other things that we disagree with in the older generation of ARBCA as well, and because we care about what is right we get indignant. At this point I think we have a great opportunity, and a great opportunity to mess things up as well.
The point that I want to get across most strongly, is that if we get attached to our ideas about what we think is true to the point that we get proud...and lose our love...then we have done exactly the same thing we are angry about seeing happen in our churches. Our own doctrine of love will become a doctrine of hypocrisy, which is what we were complaining about in others to start with. We will become exactly what we are reacting against--same song, second verse--and we will be as useless as a group as we sometimes feel the church today is overall.
A word about the older generation. Most of them have come a very long way toward truth in their lifetimes. It would be foolhearty and wrong for us to claim that they don't care about the church, the bride of Christ, or that they don't have good intentions toward the preservation of truth. They are wise and we are young.
So if we, instead of leaving, stay in ARBCA because we think what the association affirms is true (if we do), and if we decide that we can act lovingly, and respect our elders, and realize that they are our friends, and not our enemies, then I think we can come as far in our generation as our parents have in theirs! I think the older generation would be very happy to open a friendly dialogue on current issues, and someday we will be the ones operating the association, not them. We don't have to agree with them on everything, I'm pretty sure that's not what they want, but lets not needlessly create enemies by being hotheaded and arrogant.
It would be a big mistake to take the easy route, and gripe and complain without trying to talk to those we disagree with, or make plans to change things in our lifetimes. I think it would be a big mistake to leave in a huff, throw the baby out with the bathwater, and leave behind all of the good things our parents have worked so hard to achieve.
You guys I'm writing this to know who you are. I love y'all very much, and I'm proud to carry the torch with you...
~Hope~
posted by Hope | 9:39 PM
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