YOUNG ADULTS : DROPO UT? TECH CHURCH PASTOR S CONVER SION PARENT S YM CULTUR E BRAIN

PLACE THESE IN ORDER ___FAITH ___CONVICTION ___GRACE ___REGENERATION ___ASSURANCE ___CONVERSION ___BAPTISM ___REPENTANCE ___CALLING ___SALVATION ___DEVOTION ___TRUST ___BELIEF ___JUSTIFICATION ___PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL ___CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ___RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT ___FORGIVENESS OF SINS ___SANCTIFICATION ___CONSIDERATION/CONTEMPLATION

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? Revolutionaries Evangelicals Nonevangelical born-again Christians Notional Christians “I never knew you.” –Jesus “Confirm your calling and election” –Peter “Examine/Test yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” –Paul Whitefield, Edwards, Wesley

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? Are we missing something? Something in what we have passed on to the next generation? The language we use in communicating the biblical expectations for conversion, discipleship, and the Christian life is vital...

ORDO SALUTIS

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? Are we missing something? Something in what we have passed on to the next generation? The language we use in communicating the biblical expectations for conversion, discipleship, and the Christian life is vital...

RENEWAL not REVIVAL “I am convinced the renewal of the church will not come through efforts to foster revival but through a renewed appreciation and formulation of the nature of conversion.” –Gordon Smith in Beginning Well: Christian Conversion and Authentic Transformation, 2001, p24).

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? Are we missing something? Something in what we have passed on to the next generation? The language we use in communicating the biblical expectations for conversion, discipleship, and the Christian life is vital...

7-Point Conversion “Scripture calls for and assumes a conversion to Jesus Christ that includes seven distinct but inseparable elements.” “Only when all seven elements are in place will a young believer be capable of spiritual growth and maturity.” –Gordon Smith in Beginning Well: Christian Conversion and Authentic Transformation. 2001, p125. Belief in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Trust in Jesus Christ, Transfer of allegiance, Baptism, Reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit, Incorporation into congregational life.

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? Are we missing something? Something in what we have passed on to the next generation? The language we use in communicating the biblical expectations for conversion, discipleship, and the Christian life is vital...

5 GUIDING BELIEFS OF MORALISTIC THERAPEUTIC DEISM (MTD) 1.God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. 2.The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. 3.A god exists who created and orders the world and watches over life on earth. 4.God is not involved in my life except when I need God to resolve a problem. 5.Good people go to heaven when they die. --K. C. Dean, Almost Christian, 2010, p14

ALMOST CHRISTIANS? MTD tells us we HAVE BEEN MISSING SOMETHING while doing Church. We have either failed to pass on as of greatest importance the faith we possess or we have been passing on exactly what we have—the inconsequential faith we ourselves possess. And this can be traced to inconsequential conversions.

MAIN STATEMENT Our Conversion Story, when we rightly understand it, and rightly communicate it, becomes the strategy God wants to use to extend His kingdom. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses … when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”

ISAIAH 6:8-10 And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and TURN and be healed.” Repeated in Mt 13:15, Mk 4:12, Lk 12:40 and Ac 28:27.

THE SEVEN CONVERSION STORIES IN ACTS THE CROWD (2) ETHIOPIAN ENUCH (8) SAUL/PAUL (9) CORNELIUS (10) LYDIA (16) THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER (16) CRISPUS (18) Obedience The Holy Spirit’s Involvement Preaching/Exposition Conviction Inquiry/Seeking Repentance Baptism Receive the Remission of Sins The Gift of the Holy Spirit Hospitality

WHAT DO WE NEED? A Plan? The Catechumen Conversion of Augustine A Community? Monastic Conversion of Saint BenedictAgreement? The Reformers’ Example A Great Experience of God? Edward’s Affections & Wesley’s Groups The Split: Savior vs. Lord Palmer, Oberlin, Finney, Bonhoeffer, & The Nazarenes

MTD IS ANOTHER GOSPEL God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. A god exists who created and orders the world and watches over life on earth. God is not involved in my life except when I need God to resolve a problem. Good people go to heaven when they die. --K. C. Dean, Almost Christian, 2010, p14

MAIN STATEMENT Our Conversion Story, when we rightly understand it, and rightly communicate it, becomes the strategy God wants to use to extend His kingdom. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses … when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”

ANTIDOTE TO MTD Structuring Ministries toward Consequential Faith Development TRANSLATING YOU incarnating the Word in the world before their eyes = Living Faith!TESTIFYING YOU interpreting life to others while spiritual apprentices are sacred eavesdroppingDETACHING YOU intentionally disentangling yourself from distractions to encounter God

HOW TO HIGHLIGHT GOD’S STORY IN YOUR LIFE Focus on those aspects that speak of God’s personal and powerful nature Focus on those aspects that speak of God’s personal and powerful nature Focus on the interpersonal and spiritual significance of your faith community Focus on the interpersonal and spiritual significance of your faith community Focus on righteousness/Bible teaching Focus on righteousness/Bible teaching Focus on the hope that the world is ultimately in good hands Focus on the hope that the world is ultimately in good hands Follow the presence of the Holy Spirit Follow the presence of the Holy Spirit Focus on the “What-ifs” of God Focus on the “What-ifs” of God Resist self-focused spiritualities Resist self-focused spiritualities

YOUNG ADULTS: DROPO UT? TECHNOL OGY IDOLS CHURCH WARS: TRAD VS. EMERG WEAK PASTORIN G INCOMPLE TE CONVERSI ONS “FAKE” CHRISTIA N PARENTS POOR YM EXPERIEN CE FAST- PACED CULTURE LATE BRAIN DEVELOP’ T

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