Goss Church Blog

This past week, I came across a couple blog posts from an artist named Matt Papa.  He has begun a series of blog posts on the subject of Christian Radio and their blatant portrayal that Jesus is “safe for the whole family”.  This has been something that has bothered me for years with the Christian Radio Industry as this is not a Biblical idea or value.  While this does present an opportunity to bash or hate Christian Radio, Matt’s heart is not one of hate toward the Industry.  Instead, it is one of love for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he deeply desires the whole truth of the Gospel to come through the air waves.  It is a challenge for all of us to remember to not sugar coat the Gospel, and not to hide the difficult parts of following Jesus.

I hope you will consider reading his first two posts, and he has said that there will be more to come.

Jesus Isn’t Safe Part 1

Jesus Isn’t Safe Part 2

Blessings,

Josh

This is a short video clip that has been shared at First Glance.  It challenges us with what we think about prayer.

This entire week, from Saturday Jan 14th at 9:00 p.m. until Saturday Jan 21st at 6:00 p.m., someone is praying for revival in Kenmore.

Isn’t that an encouraging thought?

God has led First Glance to organize a week of prayer for the Kenmore community. Literally around the clock there is someone crying out to God, pleading on Kenmore’s behalf, for God to move in mighty ways in this community.  This is absolutely not to say “How great for us”, but it is to say “We NEED you, God.  Come, seek, and save the lost.”

Decades ago, Goss Memorial Church faced a decision to either stay put, or leave and go to another community.  The church leaders decided that God was leading us to stay here, in Kenmore.  We are still here, and God has many reasons for us being right where we are.  What an opportunity that we have as an urban church to reach out and share the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Kenmore.

Here are things that you can be in prayer for as we cry out to God this week:

-Spiritual revival for the believers and the lost of Kenmore

-For God’s truth to penetrate our hearts

-Economic revival for the jobless, homeless, and hopeless

-That spiritual warfare would be a reality to us

-For God to be glorified in Kenmore

Blessings,

Josh

The Bible sets a very high standard for love.  Recently, our Friday night Bible study group went through Romans 12 over the course of several sessions.  Several highlights stand out as I reflect:

The standard of love involves loving downward.  One of the phrases that stands out to me upon reflection is “do not be afraid to associate with those of low position”.  We should have a place in our hearts for people less fortunate, less whatever than we think we are ourselves.  This can be applied to many Christians, especially in the American church.

The standard of love challenges our desire to exact revenge.  We had several really good talks about wanting to get revenge or trying to handle people who present a lot of difficulties and challenge.  But in Romans 12 you come face to face with the Biblical mandate that it’s God to whom vengeance belongs. We may have to wait our entire lives and never see what we think is “just” for someone.  Eternity gives a lot of perspective this life will never afford us when it comes to what we feel is right and wrong.  Note: this is NOT to say we shouldn’t campaign for justice here and now, it’s just that we may not often get it how we think it should be done.

The standard of love involves everyone.  There is no hierarchy of who doles out love.  The picture in Romans 12 is that the body works together to bring a witness of love.  This involves everyone.  There is no part of the body that is uninvolved – each can contribute with various gifts.

It truly takes a transforming of the mind to represent Jesus in this day and age.  Otherwise, we conform to the rest of the world and lose our distinctiveness.

Have a great Friday everyone!

In Christ,

Pastor Kevin

For the latest edition of our newly revised Goss News  – click here

Recently, I have been coming across books and blog posts about the topic of young adults leaving the American Church.  There are a wide range of statistics, all reporting different numbers as far as how many young adults are actually leaving, but the conciseness is fairly clear.  When teenagers graduate High School and Youth Group, they graduate the church.  Many factors contribute to this: leaving home, going to college, doubting the faith, seeking independence, lack of a solid college ministry, feeling like the church isn’t answering their questions of faith, and the business of life and starting a family. 

Here are a couple blog posts concerning this issue:

Why Young Adults are Leaving the Church – Kara Powell

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures: Let’s Try the Gospel - Air One’s Brant Hansen

It would be easy for us to point our finger at the youth and young adults who are becoming disengaged with the church and say to ourselves, “It’s their fault” or “They must not be following God”.  However, we must listen to what our teenagers and young adults are telling us.  Many testimonies show that young adults are seeking authentic relationships, real worship, teaching, accountability, and Christian community but are not finding it at an institutional church.  We as humans are not perfect, and the church is not perfect (nor will we ever be).  I am afraid that we have somehow (at times) missed the whole point of the Gospel.  In a recent survey, one out of three teenagers (from within the church) did not include the name “Jesus” at all in their response to “How would you define what it really means to be a Christian?”  If young adults that have grown up in the church think that Christianity is about behavior modification, following a list of rules, and judging others, we have failed to be the Church Christ is calling us to be. 

Although this may seem like a critique of the institutional church, I see it as an opportunity for a manifesto.

If someone asked you what it means to follow Christ, what would you say?  (Ill give you a hint…if you start listing off a list of tasks or duties, perhaps that is why teenagers and young adults are confused, frustrated, and leaving the church)

Christianity isn’t about what we do, it is about what Christ has done.  Now that is a manifesto worth proclaiming to teenagers, young adults, and everyone.

Blessings,

Josh

Here are a couple books that I have not yet read, but are about this issue as well:

You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith

Almost Christian: What the faith of our teenagers is telling the American church