I started to write this post last night, Reformation Sunday, October 31st.
Reformation is on my mind. Revolution, to be more accurate. What some have dubbed “The Quiet Revolution.”
Keep that in mind as you read what follows.
Let me begin by saying a word about spreading ideas. It’s because of the “spread of ideas” that history changes. An idea can be a game-changer . . . a paradigm-shifter . . . with the potential to change the course of history.
But if few people spread it to others, nothing happens. Nothing changes.
We live in a day where spreading ideas is both difficult and easy. It’s difficult because there’s a massive overload of information with which to compete. A key idea can easily get lost in the constant clutter of noise that’s thrown at us each day.
But it’s easy because of the Internet. Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Email, Websites, Social Networks, etc. are all effective ways to spread an idea.
It just takes pressing a “share this” button (see below) or a “you must/gotta/have to read this!” or whatever verbiage you typically use to encourage others to take a look at something amid the barrage of data that vies for their attention.
However, if only a handful of people actually use such tools to spread important content, nothing changes. And the status quo wins.
As you know, on this blog, we don’t talk about the typical stuff that mainstream-status-quo-Christianity is engrossed in.
We focus on the centrality and supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Eternal Purpose in Him, His passion and vision for His church, and the deeper Christian life.
This blog, while read by many different age groups, is mostly read by people in their 20s and 30s. And I’m thankful for that.
The reason?
Because they are the future of God’s work. And changing church history is in their hands.
Unfortunately, there are thousands of Christians in their 20s and 30s who have no idea what God’s Eternal Purpose is and have never been challenged to go further and deeper into the things of God.
Many of them love the Lord and are busy doing “stuff” for Him, but they only know status-quo, celebrity-driven Christianity.
They know little about living by an indwelling Lord, etc.
Some of these people will burn out in the next 5 to 10 years.
Others will grow more un-radical in their walk with the Lord and settle down to a more comfortable “padded” Western life.
Others will have their eyes opened to see the shallowness that’s inherent in so much of today’s popular Christianity, and they’ll experience a crises of spiritual desperation for that which is higher, deeper, and richer.
(I get tons of mail from such desperate souls who are in their 50s and 60s – many of whom are erstwhile leaders, teachers, and pastors. They feel they wasted their youth doing the “pop-thing.” At the time, they thought that what they were doing was “it.” They didn’t know any better. No one ever introduced them to anything higher.)
Again: Because of their youth, today’s 20s and 30s are the future of the Kingdom of God. They will determine if the landscape of church history gets deeper, higher, and more Christ-centered, or if it perpetuates the same level of shallow-pop-mainstream-status-quo churchianity for the next generation.
So to my twenty-something and thirty-something friends, I want to not only thank you for being a loyal reader of this blog, but I want to encourage you to “share” what you’ve found helpful with your peers.
Let’s join arms and further foment the present Revolution together.
Also: if you haven’t yet subscribed to the blog, you can do so via a blog reader or by email. It’s free to subscribe, and it will ensure that you won’t miss a post. Whenever fresh material is written, you’ll be alerted immediately.
I’m excited about tomorrow’s blog post.
Hint: It’s on the Radical Reformation.
Love this very much Frank. I will continue to share the work that God has downloaded in you for his bride.
Dave O’Brien: I feel you on this. What I have been contemplating lately is first let the so called church culture be drained from me as I seek to meet under the headship of Christ with a body of believers that are committed to living by the indwelling life of Christ and not just a set of doctrines. Then trusting my children will see and learn that Christ is life and He is our life. Hopefully this will translate and make a huge change over time. It must first start with a few for it to make room for more. However, in God’s providence as He is drawing more and more out of religion into a true face to face relationship with Himself there may be some type of historical change through natural disaster, war or the like, that could speed up the return to community, etc… but even then without those that are standing for the Eternal Purpose of God and are committed to the headship of Christ many other human forms can develop. We must learn from those who have stood outside for the Lord’s sake that have gone before us and blaze new trails in the Lord so that those who come behind us will be able to go further in the Lord than us.
Thank you Frank!
Truly, the Gospel is about what we cannot see, not what we can. The “pop church” is obsessed with showing and proving itself to the world a “change” that results from faith, so that others have something they can see to put their faith in. What a mess.
Sadly, the vast majority of the “Christian” youth have never heard the Gospel. The Glory of God in the face of Jesus is hidden behind all those things the “church” has been erecting ad nauseum.
Can we truly recover from this cultural disaster?
Hi Frank I’m a 27 year old and love your blog, I will spread the word. Cheers!
For sure I hear what you’re saying, Frank, about an excerpt being misunderstood. I will stick with the full post link, and continue challenging folks to read them in full as well as follow up with open dialogue. I’m grateful how available you make yourself for questions. Many thanks!
Frank, I’m a-22 years old. I thank God for His work through you. For the past couple of months my heart has been burned by the books you recommended, your challenging posts, podcast (listened to almost all of them) and your writings of course (haven’t read all of them, but eventually will). I totally agree, not many young people have heard of the essential things you talked about. But they should! I pray that there will be young people who are called for the eternal purpose and people like you who are burdened for my generation. I would like to meet you someday
To Christ be the glory alone
This is a very helpful post. Some of the links at the bottom were game changers for me. A couple that come to mind are “Rethinking the 5-fold ministry” that one was huge for me. Also, the two audios “The Eternal Purpose” and “Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ”. I hope many especially those in their 20′s take time to absorb these realities and learn it from those who have gone before them so they can align themselves with God’s Eternal Purpose and learn to live by an indwelling Lord.
awesome post! great list of resoures too!
I’m overwhelmed right now. I’m 28 and a friend of mine sent me this link. I’ve never read anything you’ve written but just heard about the Pagan Christian book. was warned about actually so I was surprised when I started reading your stuff. Francis Chan and Mark Driscoll are the folks I listen to the most. I’ve been reading your blog posts all morning and heard some audios. all I can say is amazing. this is taking things to a whole new level. I just subscribed to the podcast and blog and I’ll definitely be telling my friends about it. thanks
Thanks for the post. I will share this post with others in hopes that it bring them one step closer to understanding. I hope it helps to spark more conversation so that they will feel free to dialogue with you and others already experiencing Christ in an organic way.
Yes, the exchange must happen! I am amazed sometimes how opposition comes from the least likely corners. I quote and requote, pass on your blog posts, audios, etc. The reactions are varied, but the disputes are usually due to fear and a resistance to read the books for themselves. That can be frustrating. Some that are starting to get a handle on understanding what the “organic expression of the church” means, are often reluctant to share it with other Christians for fear of discouraging them in their faith.
Learning afresh that we all–not only newly saved people–can truly be filled with “joy unspeakable” is just bubbling out of me. Not only can we be, but we WOULD be if we were fully aware of His life within; allowing His fruit to grow out of us, His branches, which in turn are growing out of Him, the vine. So I can’t be quiet, but must find a place of balance, grace and tact from which to share, a place where Jesus is in the spotlight and glorified.
Thanks Esther. The trick is to challenge/encourage them to come on here to (1) read the posts in their entire context and (2) share their reactions so I am able to respond, answer questions, learn also, and others who are regulars here may respond and learn also. That is key.
If an excerpt is merely quoted as a sound-byte somewhere, it’s often misunderstood. So a link to a full post (such as this one) and an invitation to dialogue is much more effective. Things change in dialogue.