Committing to One in a Postmodern World

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Committing to One in a Postmodern World

Have you ever heard this line before? “Look, I appreciate what you are telling me and I’m glad that is what you believe, but that’s cool that is your truth, but it isn’t mine.” or “all paths lead to a God” This is a postmodern thought process where one declares that truth is determined by the individual, but if this is confronted with love and grace, it is a worldview that can be easily dismissed.

As Vintage Church wraps up our series, 1More, I thought it would be helpful for the body to be able to understand a common worldview that we face in our time. College professors, public school systems, celebrities, and even some mainline protestant denominations toe the line of postmodernism. I grew up in Sunday school in the Methodist church in the early 90s being asked, “what does this Bible verse mean to you?” As we look to invest in the next generation we must accept the reality that only half of millennials believe in God,1 which creates a moral dilemma and asks who has ultimate authority. Most of the time the answer is “ourselves." Before we dig, in I think it may be helpful to first base our discussion on a verse in Scripture which is more relevant today than it has ever been: Romans 1:18-32. Reading these verses, it becomes completely apparent we are living in a modern-day Rome where the culture is telling us we are our own gods and we answer to no one postmodernism perpetuates that line of thinking. So, what exactly is postmodernism?

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Be Still

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Be Still

Confession: I’m not very good at being still. I’ve always been someone who wakes up early. I’m not someone who can regularly nap on the couch or flip through a magazine or binge watch TV shows. The truth is, it feels like my mind is ALWAYS working in overdrive. As a mom, my last thoughts before going to sleep at night usually revolve around whether my two-year-old is okay, whether she’s sleeping soundly, whether I’ve done all the things that need to be done to meet her physical needs for the day. When I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind is swirling with thoughts of spreadsheets and work deadlines, chores around the house, and all the things I didn’t get done the previous day and other tasks that I should be thinking about.

Somewhere during the course of my life, I convinced myself that constantly thinking through my to-do list, constantly multi-tasking, and constantly working harder would yield the fruits of success and stability in my life. And, to be honest, the results have proven my theory of striving to be somewhat true—at least from the outside. I have a good education, a satisfying job, and a growing family. These are all great things and I consider them gifts. However, despite appearances, each of these gifts comes with its own set of responsibilities and expectations, which can be overwhelming, especially to a recovering perfectionist, and if I’m not careful, I start working out of my own strength and become worn down and worn out in the process.

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Stacks and Boxes and Life

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Stacks and Boxes and Life

We moved this summer. We moved before our house was completely ready, but we were graciously allowed to store all of our things in a room in the house that we now call home. We have a large front room where everything was stored. Stacked to the ceiling of this one room was almost everything that we own. Every time we brought another load in I saw the room and the stacks. All I could think was, “There it is, my life in boxes.” Then I caught myself and reminded myself and I knew the truth: that room is not my life. That room is stacks of stuff: furniture, clothes, books, shoes, pictures, dishes, etc. My husband and my kids are not stacked in a room. My faith and my heart aren’t stacked in a room. My life is not in boxes, my life is not my stuff.

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Taking a Digital Sabbath

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Taking a Digital Sabbath

I'll admit, it's hard for me to rest. I like to have something in front of me to do, to see, to be immersed in. I have to fight for stillness and calm. Maybe you can relate.

It's funny to contrast that sentiment with the times when I have intentionally made space for rest and the peace and encouragement from God I've experienced in those times. Every time I wonder, "Why don't I do this more often?"

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Plugged In, Checked Out

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Plugged In, Checked Out

Quick, before you keep reading, look around you wherever you are: how many people are enraptured with their phones or have headphones plugged in or haven't looked up from that iPad in a while? (Psst, if you're reading this on your phone or tablet, you might be that person)

Chances are, we've all been that person. The integration of always-on, smart technology has been a subtle shift over the last decade, but one that is now noticable to even the casual observer.

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How Will You Read the Bible in 2017?

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How Will You Read the Bible in 2017?

We are two days away from Christmas, when we celebrate the incarnation, the moment when the Second Person of the Trinity came to earth and put on flesh. God's revelation of himself through the person of Jesus is an incredible miracle, something that we should certainly celebrate. Scripture says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Because of Jesus, we know more about God than anyone else prior to Jesus's life. 

While Jesus is the clearest revelation of God, God has also revealed himself through his Word. The Bible, comprised of the Old Testament and the New Testament, is God's message to the world. How incredible is it to know that God has spoken to us? What better way to hear from God than to read his Word, the Bible? The question then is where to start? Every year countless Bible Reading Plans are provided by individuals and organizations to help us get in the Word and hear from God. While these are not all the options, below are a few that I think could be helpful for you. 

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Hope You Can Touch

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Hope You Can Touch

Advent is a time of great expectation and excitement. We celebrate the first coming of the Son of God into the world with worship and presents and trees and lights. Peace on Earth and joy are written and sung everywhere. Our brightly colored nativity scenes feature plump smiling baby Jesuses with animals gathered around the manicured stable, and the Christmas pageant has real camels, y’all. Yet, the reality of the birth of Christ is a little less Pixar and a little more Christopher Nolan (Godman Begins). There were no pleasant smells that night, only what the animals had to offer. There were no nurses or air conditioning, no one running to fetch ice chips. And the only people rushing through the door to meet the new baby were a few sketchy sheepherders who likely smelled about as pleasant as their flock. It was a quiet, still, solemn, dirty, and largely unannounced affair.

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Have Hope: Jesus Has Come & Will Come Again

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Have Hope: Jesus Has Come & Will Come Again

On Sunday, I had the incredible privilege to kick off our “A Vintage Christmas” series, preaching on “Hope” from Isaiah 9:1-7. If you missed the sermon you can watch it below. Also, check out our other series resources here. One of the things I love about preaching is that more often than not, I find myself preaching at myself before preaching to others. As I preached on hope, this weekend was no different.

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Some Thanksgiving Reflections

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Some Thanksgiving Reflections

We know Thanksgiving as that one time of the year where family and close friends gather, large amounts of turkey, sides and desserts are consumed, football is watched, and glorious naps are taken. These are the memories that we cherish, and these memories are irreplaceable. Although everyone may not share such warm memories every year, there certainly is some amount of joyful thoughts and reflections when Thanksgiving comes to mind. There is also a strong, historical emphasis on Thanksgiving, which should bring us gratitude and appreciation.

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Loving to Maturity

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Last week we established that spiritual maturity is much more than just head knowledge. Pastor Dustin wrote that in order for one to be spiritually mature, they must first and foremost love God. Loving God gives us the perfect foundation for growing in our spiritual journey. After we claim that spiritual maturity is impossible without loving God, we must then begin to take next steps, so that our belief can be followed by actions.

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