For More Teens, Jesus Is Way Cool

That's right- it's cool to "be of this world", and still consider yourself "religious". Forgive my skepticism about "skateboarding for the Lord", and people "shedding bad-boy image, finding God, and starting groups" that are "serving God". Like you can flip a switch from one character to another.I'm really torn on this. The fact that there's an outreach that's drawing up to 20,000 people a day is awesome. But are the fruits real, or are they just "comfortable"?Grace and Peace...

Groh_frog: I, as a teen, share your concern. I live among them, and, being one, can see the issue from the inside out. It's alright to enjoy skateboarding, music rallies, and other events--but, when we return home, the issues of life overload the fun moments and Christianity, where it shows its deepest strength, is no where to be seen.It's not all like this, but the majority of my peers (many who'd love to wring my neck if they read this) don't really have a deepness for God (and I myself am one to raise my hand in that group). For, another statistic not shown is that of the 80-90% of postadolescent "drop-outs" of the faith. It's just no longer "cool" to be found a believer when you wake up and realize you're no long a kid.The Lord needs warriors, laborers, not just jesters and musicians (Amos 6:5,6). David not only praised God, but He was first in prayer, first in repentance, and first to say, "Yahweh is my God"--even when hiding alone in a mountain. May my generation grow up in the Lord with the same heart and mind that fuelled David to act like an archetype of Christ. Amen.Another lamb,Benjamin

The fact that there's an outreach that's drawing up to 20,000 people a day is awesome.

It's not cool to follow Jesus. It's about as cool as being crucified is. To follow in Jesus' footsteps, you must die. Literally even. Being a Christian is essential being a Martyr. People will kill you, as Jesus said, and believe they do God a service.

Jordan

This is exactly how my church is. People come have fun and at best have a "form of godliness" but then when it comes down to it they are not there for God they are there for themselves, which isn't a bad thing because hey, Jesus is there for our happiness right! THat is the most grieving thing to think that people actually think this way.

Oh that God would revive these churches!!

... and you're there because...?

Jordan

... and you're there because...?

Yeah mostly to be a witness and to keep ties with my family. I have talked about this before in the forums and have often wanted to just leave, but I believe God is going to keep me there until I am kicked out or the church saved... and others have failed to accomplish the latter before me so I may be leaving soon!

The main thing that is wrong with the "Jesus is Cool thing" is that it creates a lack of Fear of God and hate of sin which produces carnal christianity which sends people to Hell. (sorry to be so blunt)

Jesus is cool? I believe if we're truly following Jesus we'll be rejected, not accepted.If your a Christian, and all your unsaved buddies think you're cool... then you arent living for Jesus. Something is wrong.

I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man than a fool in the eyes of God.

Krispy, i totally understand that, its 2 corinthians chapter 4 all over again... and if you really stop to consider -the word 'cool' in this context implies trend and its just not going to do justice to any of it if you accept jesus as a phase of your life and nothing more... thats totally ripping people off.

on the other hand, i completely endorse the way teenagers are having their lives filled with God-That, is cool! its also considered 'cool' in our church when you do have a heart movement for God as you could imagine, the culture in church does not want to frown upon new believers. there needs to be an aspect of respect and people need to not feel intimidated while they make the decision for Christ. in the same instance the pressure on a person in their walk of life could be the very thing that drives them to God, where they seek him instead of their circumstances, though would they do that if they couldnt get their headspace from an uncool lifestyle following an overbearing divinity? you might consider that teenagers are very emotionally driven these days, and its something im very sure God is working on to help them from being ruled by emotions. however, unless they have a heart movement and their friends bring them to Christ by presenting him in a cool way, then how are the friends following the great comission??

if God is cool, then people these days want to get to know what's doing, so to speak. people find it easier to relate to a God who is down to earth and cool (ie. condones having fun and accepts you for who you are) if God were uncool people would interpret that as angry, impatient and bored... just looking for us to get a clue and work our way back into his favour... a lot of people get so discouraged by that and this is what motivates them to try their best without God.. someone they can just do without. God is cool. he's understanding, he's reasonable, he's loving, generous and always forgives. he understands... his son went through the same emotions and situations, remember? so he's cool, he's like us, only, way better, and more down with it!!

and it's good that teenagers can get to know him as a cool God -not as an overbearing appeasement seeking divinity, like is taught in some places. its enough to turn a soul searching teenager right off!

Your post is so right on compliment I agree with you wholeheartedly.And Jesus is totally cool,Absolutely,The life of wickedness and bondage to sin was so much harder than a life of repentence and Joy of the Lord.Just give these kids Jesus and a Bible and let them decide.That's what somebody did for me,And I'm happy they did.And glad there's guys out there in the streets reachin out to messed up,fouled up lives.And besides It's Jesus alone who saves.All we need do is "Speak the truth in Love"

and for the record when i say, fun i mean fun in a pure sense...

by hanging out with the right crowds, by spending time at the beach/park throwing the ball around/ having a coffee... going camping and just general day to day things... its already known that we've sinned several times before we've eaten brekky in the morning. but if we spent all our time having to worry about that we wouldnt have a measure of what God's grace is all about.

i wasnt referring to the going to parties and getting drunk-doing drugs at rave parties and sleeping with a bajillion people out of wedlock.

we live in a fallen world amongst people with free will... God wants to reach them despite how far people try to run from him. sometimes the light burns our eyes a bit too much. thats what 139 paints well... where can we go to escape from God? we dont have to go anywhere, we only need to refuse him. would you portray God as 'cool' as you act out of love for people... because loving people despite everything they say and do is very cool of you. or would you rather preach ulti-matems' at them?

When I read this thread, I immediately thought about this piece of satire:

http://www.larknews.com/december_2003/secondary_deaf.php?page=3

Kids don't want the church to try and be cool (worldly).

I know what you mean guys. I revere God. and i'm a 19 year old(going on 20) born again who has been serving God going on 6 or 7 years now. I love God, he's seen me out of so much torment. he's brought me out of the bounds of sexual abuse, mistrust of all authority in an extreme sense... i've recently been really hurt again by another authority over my life and am suffering for it now. i revere God more than just asking him to help me when im stuck. he's my dad. he loves me so much. he's always there. and his spirit, the comforter helps me get to know him more each and every day. when i sing the praise and worship i dont just lift my hands for show. thats an attitude of self-gratification. i was bawling in the last service. and i wanted to recoil. but despite that i lifed my hands to surrender to him and sang the song from the depths of my heart. God is meeting me in my circumstances and he is bringing me up... not me bringing him down to my level. that's an impossible approach that will land you on your face in no time. but he's been holding me in the palm of his hand for 6 years. without a personal relationship with God, i have to tell you-i'd have never have 'lasted' this long. and the reason being is because i was initially brought into an atmosphere where i was free to love God, it was condoned, accepted and people let you cry out to him when you were compelled to, because God hears us through our heartache. Kripy do you have quiet times? where you just seek after him... you must. and you must realise that he hears you and wants to see you grow as a person and he must long to see you strive for the potential you still havent reached. Thats the God i know. and i met him in an atmosphere where he was cool. where he understands people like me. and he actually gives a rip. if he isnt cool, without being an idol apart from all he is then i'll be damned anyway. because i've been living out of the leadership and the care that he has over my life, the provision he has for me every day and the people he has put in my life to impart Godly wisdom into my life. without this 'cool idol' i would never be all i am today. i would still be a hard emotionless case locked inside a gigantic fortress, that i made by pushing people away instinctively. if you want to know more about that ask me.

now i revere him with all my heart. and i love him just as dearly.

i also call him cool because despite what anyone else thinks i'm down with all he's about. the word cool is open to an individual's interpretation. don't condemn a person for their choice of words!

the way i see it isin this quote by a man named Dr. Johnson: God himself sir, does not propose to judge man until the end of his days."

so why should you and i?