Phil Cooke

I think we have to live with distinctive "humble holiness." Demonstrate remarkable integrity with a loving smile rather than looking down our noses. Then, serve people's needs expecting no pay off in return – sometimes doing things without so much as the motive of collecting any contact information. And we have to avoid the extremes of selfish traditionalism and shallow coolness. These are just some quick things that jump to my mind. 

As an emerging artist in the content creation arena, I feel strongly that Christians should be creating excellent content that contributes to the current cultural conversation; but that's probably because it's my calling.  

I think Christians need to excel in their respective fields.  Content creators should excel.  Scientists should excel.  Educators should excel. Businessmen and women should excel.  Janitors should excel.  Farmers should excel.  We should take the talents that God has given us and sow them as seed in the fertile soil of obedience.  What God has given us to do, we must do and do as well as we can as unto the Lord.  We must be obedient.  If we are obedient to our individual callings, a collective change is possible.  The unique and unusual historical occurances such as university systems and orphanage origins happened because individuals were obedient. If we come up with ideas for "all of Christendom" to employ, we may risk forcing or coercing many who have alternate callings off their course.  The only general change I would suggest is to love more, have more grace and mercy, learn to hear His voice, and be obedient.

I believe we have to go back to being people-focused instead of focused so much on our success or the progress of our ministries. So many ministries, or individuals trying to reach out, are thriving by doing so many things. The traffic, attendance, or even finances could be going along smoothly. But deep down the true relationship is not there. There's a shallow feeling with relationships these days, and the internet doesn't help. When discussions like these take place it sure does. Thanks Phil!

Well said gilliebean!

I agree with gilliebean, gabe and aweaver 3.  I have been thinking about this very issue.  My questioning has been following this particular line of thought: If I have been created by God as a unique, one-of-a-kind creation, with certain aptitudes, interest and skills, a place or position to serve in now while God transforms me into the image of Jesus, then what happens when I cross over from death into eternity?  

I believe that the one who God created (me) will not change, I will be the same person, with a resurrected body, but the same person.  That means that all of the unique qualities that God built into my spiritual DNA would only be enhanced.  So, those unique qualities, gifts, will be used by him in his kingdom.  He will take all that he created me to be and transformed into his image, then place me in whatever role he wants me in.  To me that means he is using, transforming all that I am today, especially those areas that cause me to have a sense of "abundant life" when I exercise them.  It is those areas of interest, passion and aptitude that I have, which he will use in eternity.  With that in mind, I need to find those areas that cause rivers of living water to run out of me, and walk in that river of life.  

I honor God when I understand and live my life, expressing his love, through the ways that he has uniquely gifted me.  I have spent many years trying to live a Christian Stereotype existence, rather than being the unique and authentic person that he has created me to be.  My gift to the body of Christ and society is to be that unique, authentic person.  Not a poor imitation of someone else.  I will rule and reign with Jesus as the unique person he created me to be before the foundation of the world.  

I think we can be proud of the Christians who have pioneered very positive good in our society.
We’ve sown the seeds and Western culture has reaped the reward.

The best thing we can do now is be counter cultural and humble before God in our personal lives. Because the culture needs a Christlike witness. People are looking out for a Christlike people who are totally different from society. Christians, as we’re being attacked in this secular society, need to respond with grace and humility as well as honesty and firmness. Its a hard balance to achieve.

Here’s a nice site that encourages us to rejoice over our Christian past:

http://christiangoodinsociety.blogspot.com/

I don't think we're supposed to be liked very much in the larger sense. Scripture tells us we're going to be reviled and rejected and persecuted for our beliefs.

This isn't to say we shouldn't try to do anything about the reputation the church has earned itself (the "God hates gay people" crowd is an example). That I'd love to correct.

Still, don't take to the task of a PR makeover for the church. The world will always have a perception of Christians that is largely inaccurate and full of fear and even hate. That's the nature of the church alongside the world. As it should be.

Just some things to remember. I'm all for doing what we can, but not in the name of earning the world's approval. 

While I certainly agree that keeping God's Word is primary, I've come to believe that Christians should do more than simply follow trends in culture. For example, though I enjoy GodTube.com, the very nature of the site is a "me-too" design, which makes it seem like Christians are playing catch up because we're out of touch.

I love the idea of starting Christian services that have a must-have quality about them, are free (donation funded), and go beyond what's already out there—and places that others do not want to go. For example, starting a charity that pays for medical coverage, medications, and all services for those with AIDS. After all, if we say that we are to love the sinner, then we have to prove that. The witnessing there is two-fold: to those suffering and to the taxpayers.

Also, I'd love to see premium-style Internet/desktop/phone services offered up for free—that is, a Christian open-source project that builds free servers, applications, and even network platforms. What better way to impact the net culture than to make the things that make the net go. Perhaps it could even be called, "Light So Shine." 

When I was in Washington DC for Lou Engel's The Call last year, a very good point was made. If Christians are going to fight to get abortion illegal, are we prepared to take in all these unwanted children?

Lou then pointed out that the REAL way to stop abortion is abstinance programs.

He then addressed the young men in the audiance, and laid the blame of aborted children on thier shoulders for not keeping it in thier pants. I was really impressed — I had never really thought of it like that. (Of course, I'm not saying that it's only the guy's fault, but rarely do we think of the would-be-father, only the mother.)

Anyway, I think Christians tend to fight for the surface issues without realizing they aren't treating the wound. In the case of abortion, it is absitnence. In the case of poverty, Jermyn made a good point. Those in India need missionaries to lead them to Christ so they stop seeing rats as sacred.

We need to look at the root of the problem in whatever situation we feel called to make a stand for. 

I too would like to see the "God hates gay people" eliminated from our culture. He doesn't hate gay people any more than he hates prostitutes. The root problem of being gay seems to step from children not being able to relate/connect to the smae-sex parent. (Often, they were abused by the same sex-parent, and not necessarily sexual, emotional abuse is enough to cause them to seek healing with a same-sex partner. If a girl is abused by her father, she often times seeks abusive men in a subcousnious attempt to heal herself from the pain of her childhood. The same applies to a boy abused by his father.)

The only thing I can think of that would solve this, is getting some sort of Emotional Healing progam in elemntary schools and highschools, under a different name of course or the kids who attended would be harrassed. Maybe it could be disgused as Emotional Well being, and cover other topics, but still have a comprehensive heal-from-abuse aspect.

The other thing is for the men in the church to stand up. So often it is the women who are willing to volunteer thier time and efforts into children programs and functions. But very few men seem to realize their importance and the impact that they NEED to have on male youth. We need men in our churches to take them to the movie, to a ball game, or out to play basketball and be the godly father-figure and role model they need.