Today’s Scripture: Psalm 42 Morning Message: “What is a Christian?”

What is a Christian?

What is a Christian? Are Christians judgmental, hypocritical, old-fashioned, out of touch with reality, insensitive to others and boring?

unChristian What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity . . . and Why It Matters.

The younger generation: ages 16 to 29

Respectful? Loving? Hopeful? Trustworthy?

Experience Christians as judgmental Hypocritical old-fashioned out of touch with reality insensitive to others boring

Lord, I want to be a Christian?

disciples were first called ‘Christians.’” CEV Acts 11: 26 “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’” CEV

Everywhere they went they told people about Jesus.

Acts 11:19 – 21 Everywhere they went they told people about Jesus. 19Some of the LORD'S followers had been scattered because of the terrible trouble that started when Stephen was killed. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they told the message only to the Jews.  CEV

Acts 11:19 – 21 Everywhere they went they told people about Jesus. 20Some of the followers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and started telling Gentiles the good news about the Lord Jesus.  21The LORD'S power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him.  CEV

“Make us brave enough to speak your message “Make us brave enough to speak your message.  Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus.” CEV

Acts 11: 22 – 26 – A New Name 22News of what was happening reached the church in Jerusalem. Then they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  23When Barnabas got there and saw what God had been kind enough to do for them, he was very glad. So he begged them to remain faithful to the Lord with all their hearts.  24Barnabas was a good man of great faith, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many more people turned to the Lord.    CEV

Acts 11: 22 – 26 – A New Name 25Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul.   26He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the LORD'S followers were first called Christians.  CEV

Acts 11: 22 – 26 A New Name There in Antioch the LORD'S followers were first called Christians.  CEV

The disciples of Jesus in Antioch were not judgmental. They were ready to welcome people who were very different from themselves. They were not hypocritical. They encouraged each other to stay true and faithful to Jesus.

They were not old fashioned. The Jesus movement adapted to an urban center where many cultures were coming together. They were not out of touch with reality. They were smart about sending and training new leaders for the movement.

They were not insensitive. They loved to extend God’s grace, forgiveness and kindness to others. They were not boring. They prayed for God’s power and saw God do amazing things in them and through them.

Christ – iani

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Acts 11:27 – 30 Loving one another. 27During this time some prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch.   28One of them was Agabus. Then with the help of the Spirit, he told that there would be a terrible famine everywhere in the world. And it happened when Claudius was Emperor.     29The followers in Antioch decided to send whatever help they could to the followers in Judea.   30So they had Barnabas and Saul take their gifts to the church leaders in Jerusalem.  CEV

Christian