Dateline

DateLine (5/25/05 - Ponce, Puerto Rico)

The Christian religion has been and always will be an extroverted force. God has created us to act out in front of others what is occurring in our relationship with Him. Moreover God’s tone indicates to us that His expectation is that we’ll have widespread influence, even global influence. Yes, CRBC has a global potential. God does this with confidence knowing that the outcome will be positive as others observe Him in us. Jesus said, "and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (New International Version.)

Not too long ago we conducted a Winter Prayer experiment based on the book, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. I hope that you are still praying the prayer. One of the metrics that we determined during this experiment that could be used to indicate that God had heard and was answering this prayer is that the results would be so “big” that it could only be attributed to God. How does all of this relate to the phrase “dateline.”

Today’s Reference Point is dedicated to reminding us how far reaching the influence of CRBC and in particular Young Adults from South Carolina are. The “dateline” will become a regular feature of Reference Point. Every time you read Reference Point I want the dateline at the very beginning to be a reminder to you that God is alive and well and is glorying Himself through His people at CRBC. I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation of discovering where God will be using His people. Whether the dateline hails from Simpsonville, South Carolina or Ponce, Puerto Rico God will be at work in His people in a way unimaginable to the natural man. We will observe it, praise it, and be encouraged by it. It has always been my vision that there will be many contributing editors to Reference Point. I cannot what to hear what you have to say and from where it comes.

The Posse

A ragtag posse of young men felt inexplicably drawn to a contemporary who had a uniquely strong sense of purpose. For three years they lived a nomadic existence which provided them an inside view of a charismatic leader who attracted a crowd everywhere he went. Their leader was simultaneously mysterious and familiar in a way normally reserved for family. His mission was both idealistic and practical. His style was philosophical while fulfilling the functional. His unorthodox oratory addressed life’s most complex questions with satisfying storytelling that oozed irrefutable logic. His routine and appearance conveyed commonality while His appeal rose to the level of nobility. Some might be of the opinion that His personal accomplishments fell short of His romantic rhetoric. His most significant accomplishment may be His legacy which was actually secured by His “posse”. Most reputable historians would allow that this group is the single biggest influencer of western civilization. The philosophical underpinnings of our most cherished institutions can be traced back to their leader.

The impact that the Disciples of Christ have had on this world is the single reason why the leadership style of Jesus is worthy of our study. I don’t know of another study topic that we have had since I have been involved in the Young Adult Ministry that has been more significant or has more potential for impacting all of our lives now and for the future than these past few weeks. Jesus is an excellent leadership example for us to emulate. The Christian church is always one generation away from extinction. Just as Jesus trusted the entire mission of the early church to His twelve disciples He has placed His trust in us to fulfill the mission of the church in the place where we live, sleep, work and play.

Financial Peace for the Next Generation

Imagine your first adult act -- before you buy a house, get married or have kids -- is filing for bankruptcy protection. In 2001, that happened to more than 100,000 people under age 25, according to Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor who conducts an annual study of bankruptcy filers. Born after 1978, generation y members in America are more than 57 million strong. The y generation is the largest consumer group in the history of the U.S. Other names for gen y include Echo Boomers and the Millennium Generation. Because gen y is piling up debt at a faster pace and an earlier age have left some to also add the name generation broke.

It is no accident nor to be unexpected that your generation is being targeted by anyone who can open a storefront or put up a website. They want your money. They’ll take your money even if you haven’t earned it yet (e.g. credit.) This is and will continue to be a critical issue that will require you to be disciplined and diligent from now until your life has ended. Financial mismanagement can lead to enormous personal stress, marital stress, and damaged reputations.

The Future Is Now

I had the privilege a few weeks ago to share about my faith in Jesus to a man that I work with who is not a believer. In looking for a way to succinctly express the “appeal” of Christianity I stated that for me Christianity answers the big questions of life; where I came from, what is my purpose, and where am I going. I want to spend a few moments elaborating on the second question in a way that relates to you, that being the question of purpose. Not too long ago God prompted us to use the runaway best seller, The Purpose Driven Life, as the focus for our study time together in Sunday School. During the course of this study we learned through the author, Rick Warren, that God has uniquely created us with special endowed gifts and abilities for a specific purpose. About this same time God began to impress upon me to drive home this concept to you in a way that would challenge you. This is about the same time that I placed a poster on the wall of our Sunday School room that simply stated “The Future Is Now.” Let me tie all of this together.

For those of you who grew up in the church you probably heard many times that the children are the future of the church. Some of you may not have had the opportunity to grow up in a church family but now you find yourself a part of the church family and you’re looking for your place to fit in. I’ve got good news for both situations. The Future Is Now! God has entrusted the mission of the church to human beings. There is a place for each of us to contribute to accomplishing the mission of the church. And as young adults I can enthusiastically say to you that you are in a position right now to contribute of your energy and talent to the ministry of Cross Roads Baptist Church. You do not have to wait any longer. Your active participation is as valuable as the most seasoned veteran. As a matter of fact, your youthful energies are much needed. I am just naïve enough to believe that everyone wants to find their place and contribute. In fact God created you to find your purpose in life by contributing to the local church body that you are affiliated with in the fulfillment of its mission.

Here are my parting words for you. You’re a unique individual. God created you for a purpose. The church is a primary vehicle through which you can express your purpose. It may be up to you to take the first step toward finding your place. It is too important to you and the church for you to wait for someone to invite you to serve. That first step could be talking to a nominating committee member or a trusted church leader. I can’t wait to see you actively engaged in fulfilling your personal purpose as well as contributing to the success of CRBC.

What a trip. You may be frustrated right now in your work because you’re not given opportunity. The good news is that in the church your horizons are wide open. There is no shortage of places where you can find purpose and meaning. Just remember.

The Future is Now