Identity Crisis and Growing in Patience

Quote of the Day: “He knew that in order for his mission to succeed, much would depend on the dedication, loyalty, courage, and faith of the men whom He had chosen and trained.” The Lost Art of Disciple Making, Leroy Eims

 

This is true for leaders in the church today. The future of your church will rest in the hands of those your chose and train to carry the work into the future. Pastors and deacons need to take their role as disciple makers seriously as they intentionally spend time with the younger men in the church.

 

News and Culture: Identity crisis

Broadly speaking it is questioning who your are how you fit into the world.

Depends a lot on how you view the world - good place, bad place?

How do you view people - people basically good, basically bad?

How do you view God? Distant and uninvolved? Personal and caring?

Includes life purpose, core beliefs, thoughts about yourself

Truth matters. Who do you trust? What do people say about you? What does God say about you? Which is more important to you?

How do you gain approval from God? work harder? What about Grace? Can you work hard enough.

 

Living Theology: Patience - Wait on the Lord

Right now generation. Fed by fast paced video games, mini commercials, instant access to information.

Availability of social media 24 hours a day in the palm of your hand.

Is this healthy? Ar you a better person because you don’t ever have to wait?

God seems to value patience and endurance. Long suffering and self control!

James 1 faith is tested and endurance grows.

Can you be a mature person without patience and self control?

Children are marked by impatience, they are the center of the world. Cute in a 2 year old. Not so much in a 30 year old.

Try hard things. Make efforts to live out Scripture. Practice the “one another’s” of the NT. It will take effort. Persist in it.

It will be worth it in the end.