When school begins, Baptists have “Promotion Sunday”.  Maybe it has been like this since the beginning of time. (Ha – Ha)  I do not know, but I do know that the children look forward to this “Promotion Sunday” just as much as they look forward to a new year at school.  It is another sign of “growing up”.

But…When you get to be twenty-something, thirty-something, forty-something (you get the idea), we no longer “promote”.   We are adults, and we have our Bible Fellowships.  What we do have each August is a Leadership Conference.  The name is somewhat misleading in that all of the members of each Bible Fellowship are considered leaders, so all are invited to the Leadership Conference.

Candy is the amazing Learn Pastor at our church.  Each year she organizes the Leadership Conference, and she invites inspiring speakers to encourage us and help us grow in our Christian walk.  This year Gabe Lyons was our leader.  This might have been the best conference yet.  It has been almost two weeks since the conference, and I am still trying to wrap my mind around what I heard. What will I do differently? (That is why I haven’t blogged about this before now.)

Gabe Lyons is the founder of Q Ideas—a learning community that mobilizes Christians to advance the common good in society and author of The Next Christians: Seven Ways You Can Live the Gospel and Restore the World (Multnomah, 2012). (from Q Ideas website)

Christianity in America is losing ground.  Many non-Christians consider Christians to be “judgmental, hypocritical, too political, and antihomosexual – among other things.”  What is it like to be a Christian in our world today?  As a Christian, I want to be like Christ.  Gabe Lyons suggests seven characteristics that set apart the next Christians.

The next Christians are –

Provoked, not offended

Creators, not critics

Called, not employed

Grounded, not distracted

In community, not alone

Civil, not divisive

Countercultural, not “relevant”

(The Next Christians page 67)

Gabe called the next Christians with these characteristics Restorers.

“Restorers exhibit the mind-set humility, and commitment that seem destined to rejuvenate the momentum of the faith.  They have a peculiar way of thinking, being, and doing that is radically different from pevious generations.  Telling others about Jesus is important, but conversion isn’t their only motive.  Their mission is to infuse the world with beauty, grace, justice, and love.” (The Next Christions-page 47)

After the conference I came away feeling somewhat ashamed.  What will I do now?  I honestly do not know, but I do know I want to be a Restorer.

Blessings to you and yours,

This blog is way to brief to even begin to share all that we heard.

I am so thankful we have The Next Christians to read and reread.  Thank you Candy.