What Do You Want To Be?

Growing up, I probably wanted to be a teacher in the beginning, but by second grade, I knew teaching wasn't for me.  After that, towards late elementary and early junior high, I wanted to be a fashion designer.  I liked the "in" fashions at the time, and was different than everyone else in my small town...I never, ever wore jeans, except to show my calves in 4-H and that was only because I had to.  Following the fashion designer years, I wanted to be a home economics teacher.  That was my favorite class, and even though I couldn't stand to sew and cringed at the thought of teaching it, I was willing to do it to pursue my dream.

A few year later, I began dating my husband.  I still planned to teach home ec, but the program began disappearing in Oklahoma colleges.  Only one had it, and it wasn't close to where I was going to live. I married, just went to college for the closet degree that went along with that field, and finished going a year and a half from graduation.  I've thought about going back some day, but mostly just liked to tease our daughter that I would just wait and go with her.  The funny thing is that she's more "done" right now with college than I am! Ha ha!

Deciding what to "be" when you grow up is difficult. There are so many choices! So many options! So many things to do that it's hard to even imagine.  I'm actually doing what I never realized I wanted to do when I was young - be a stay-at-home mom.  Staying "home" was definitely nothing that appealed to me. I was a "go-er".  How funny that now I'm thrilled when I do get to be home more than a day or so at a time!

Last night we heard a lesson about being a child of God vs. being a Christian.  It was actually very interesting and something I had never thought of before.  He talked about how that when we obey the Gospel, we become a child of God, but that to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ.  I knew all of that, but think about this that he said:  We can be a child of God BUT STILL choose not to follow Christ.  We see it all of the time, actually.  One may believe, repent, confess, and be baptized, yet still not TURN away from the things of the world to follow Jesus.  WOW!  That is so true.  It is not just a one day thing.  It's an every-day-I'm-striving-to-follow-Him thing!  And if and when we fail, we don't turn away, but keep on going....striving to follow Him more closely.  When we do fail and turn away, continuing to grow further and further away from Him, that is when we are in trouble.  His grace is sufficient, but His death was worth more than just a one time commitment that it quickly forgotten.  Because He loves us so, He wants us to love Him.  And loving Him is striving to do His will.  It's striving to transform to His image.

Being a child of God and a Christian - a true Christ-follower - THAT is what we should all want to be! Nothing else in the world matters more than that decision.  No degree is more important than having our names written in the Book of Life.  No life choice is greater than deciding to dedicate your life to Him.  Living with Him in eternity is more important than any earthly destination.

What do you want to be?  I pray you want to be a child of God AND a Christian.  Faith is belief PLUS obedience.

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1-2

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Why Young People Are Leaving the Church

Over the past few months there have been a lot of blog posts and articles written about why young people - or even young adults - are leaving the church.  Those reports say that where the parents are involved more than just a youth minister, the young people will stay involved. Some have said it's because of youth ministers in mega churches focus more on fun than spiritual matters, some say it's things that others have said to them, making them turn away and not come back.  Still others say that the church either needs to conform to the people to make them feel better or go the other way and get back to basics.  Some would say it has to do with the worship songs - either they don't like the older hymns or the other side who don't like the camp/youth-type songs.

The lists go on and on and on.  And some of those facts are very valid and surely may have a part in the large scale of people leaving, but I believe there is one thing that is causing people to leave the church that isn't ever on anyone's list.  COMMITMENT.  Yes, commitment.

Millions and millions of people who would claim to be "Christian" in the world today don't understand the word commitment and what it really means to be a disciple of Christ. Oh, they want Jesus.  They want salvation.  But, they just believe it to be a one time commitment (often times within the realm of a prayer they've heard is the "sinner's prayer" that has no scriptural basis of truth at all).  They say a prayer and they're done.  They are "saved".  Then it's, "Okay, let's go on with my life, and I can continue to do as I please!"  That's it.  That's the whole part of their commitment.  Even those who believe that there is more to salvation that just that prayer can do the same thing. They can decide to follow Jesus, confess Him before others, repent of sins, and have their sins washed in baptism, and come out of that "watery grave" (symbolizing Jesus' death and resurrection) to live a new life, yet never once strive to live that new life.  It was a one-time, one-day, one-moment commitment, and again, it goes back to the "all about me" mentality.  It's a self-centered commitment.  One that wants what Jesus can give, SALVATION, but one that lacks the commitment to pick up their cross and follow Him daily.

And, it's not all the fault of the young person. Most likely they were raised in a home that had the same problem with commitment issues.  Sports were placed before God and the church.  Entertainment and things in the world were focused on more than spiritual matters.  They might have "attended" worship services, but it wasn't more than a check off on the "do-to" list.  Money was spent on pleasure for the family, but not for helping those in need.  In family discussions, the church and spiritual matters weren't talked about.  Only things about their busy lives and busy schedules.  God's grace, His power and might weren't realized on a daily basis.  Sunday, for a few hours a day, was the "Jesus" time, then He was put back on the shelf until the next week.  Oh, and that was only if there wasn't something more important going on.  And don't forget the comments that happened after worship.  The attitudes of the parents and children in regards to the sermon, songs, and Bible classes is very important, as well.  Roasted preacher doesn't taste very good and certainly doesn't shed a great light on what we are doing when we worship - praising Our Heavenly Father!  And the same goes for the songs.

So what's the cure for this disease?  This non-commital problem our society has?

The ONLY cure for it is to be in complete submission to God and Jesus.  A submission that denies self and puts others before themselves.  The complete surrender of self to Him and His Kingdom.  Get the focus off of self and get it where it belongs - to Our Father in Heaven, His Son, Our Savior, and the church - the One He died for!  His bride!

Attending worship isn't the only important thing about walking the Christian life, but the attitude a person has about worshipping with his or her brothers in sisters in Christ speaks volumes about their spiritual walk.  It also shows a huge example to your children and is a big part of how young people will grow up to think about the family of God.  If parents didn't care for it why would the children grow up to care about it?  If parents just "sent" their children to Bible class, but didn't go themselves, what kind of example did it show?  If parents put other things before God and Jesus, why wouldn't their children do the same?  And if parents did talk to their children and ask them questions to make sure they understood spiritual matters, why would children think it matters?  And if parents relied on others to be the spiritual foundation for their children, why would they believe children really had a firm foundation?  But, eventually those young people are adults and can't use the excuse that they weren't taught.  Eventually they must search the scriptures and find truth on their own. Spiritually minded adults can help them in that search, but it is ultimately their choice.

Commitment.  It's a real problem.  And the busier and busier we get, the more non-commital towards God we get.  It's a choice.  It's a choice to be committed - or not.  God doesn't deal in excuses.  He only deals in truth.  And the truth is that He wants a totally committed follower.....one who puts Him above self. Always.