January 10, 2021: Useless (Rev. Don Van Antwerpen)

With scripture readings by Travis Love and Kate Mears, today's sermon is based as much on the tragic and terrifying events of this past week as it is on the passages from 2 Timothy 3:1-9 and Matthew 7:3-5. In our sermon, we hopefully start the conversation about the role of repentance in responding to this week's attacks, and what it means to explore our own responsibility in the terror that has grown among us. 

As is mentioned at the end of the sermon, this is meant to be the beginning of the conversation, and not the entirety of it. Below, you'll find some discussion questions, as well as an invitation to join our discord server to continue the conversation about what it means to be a Christian, and how we can make that term matter going forward. I hope you'll join us there!

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Discussion Questions

1. What is a Christian? If we are to define it, what definition should we use; what criteria? From where should we take these criteria?

2. Obviously, once you set criteria, there will be times where all of us fail to live up to them. What then? Where is forgiveness, grace, and mercy in a model such as this?

3. What can we do, actively, today, in order to speak out against this? How can we differentiate the true teachings of Christ (and his followers) from those who pretend the name in this way, without appearing (or worse, actually being) entirely disingenuous? 

4. How can we talk to those who have fallen to this false "Christianity," and how can we lovingly (and safely) invite them to come home again?

5. What do we do if (or when) we lose family and friends over this? What if we already have? What do we do then?

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Join us on our Discord server to continue the conversation!

https://discord.gg/87mR6eY

Hope to see you there!