Monday, January 5, 2009

Fresh Exressions of Church or a rebranded sell out?

Morning God,
I was dismayed this morning to read that one in ten young people questioned in a survey disagreed that "life was really worth living". Apparently there are thousands of young people who "desperately" needed support. It is said that these young people"who feel they have reached rock bottom don't know where to turn for help." 29% are less happy now than they were as a child and one in five said they felt like crying "often" or "always". Almost half (47%) said they were regularly stressed.

What have we done God - what are we doing?
How on earth have we managed to create a society where there is so little enthusiasm for life in those who have the most to live for? We seem,God, to have failed in that most simple of tasks of enabling everyone born to believe in themselves, and in the potential of their own future.

As long as life is measured in terms of purchasable commodities this is inevitable.
We sell our Children's hope and dreams, God, without even being aware of the fact that we are doing so. Every time we buy a McDonald's, a pair of Nike trainers, GAP Jeans etc, the real coinage we are using to trade for these things is our Children's future. Brands, cliques, images.. effectively define the human according to 'must-have' commodities. The bigger the brand, the more of a Must Have it becomes. Success is measured by sales. Life's worth is unashamedly linked to the dollar rather than to anything intrinsically 'human'. Its not just that 'goodness', creativity, honesty, gentility, integrity etc etc are not valued any more, it is simply that they have no street cred worth having. What's the point in honesty if it doesn't buy 'respect'?

And the Church wants to buy into this - God are we mad, or just blind?
Alpha, Cafe Church, Branded, Emergent, etc etc etc.. are a significant number of so-called Fresh Expressions of Church just attempts to 're brand' Church and make the gospel part of this 'sell it to me' culture, rather than attempts to offer of LIFE in all its fullness.. the life that you offer in Christ.
What a mess...
God..
we certainly need your help to get out of this one!

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