“Why God hasn’t closed the final curtain”
Luke 15:1-7; John 3:16-17; Luke 19:10; John 10:10; 2 Pet. 3:9
(“CSI: Christ’s Stories Investigated”--A series and study through
the life of Christ and through the Gospel of Luke)
Pastor Todd DuBord
www.MtLassenCommunityChurch.org
~~~~~~~~~~~
“There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to himself, to
appease his justice [and wrath], to demonstrate his sovereignty. But
one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because he is fond of
you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to
come down the pike in quite a while… If God had a refrigerator, your
picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He
sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the
universe, and he chose your heart. And the Christmas gift he sent you
in Bethlehem? Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you!” --Max Lucado
~~~~~~~~~~~
Some important questions to ask yourself (and
others) from Jesus’ parables of the Lost Sheep, the
Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (Luke 15)
1. Do I Really Understand and Believe How Much God
L
the L
and is
E
about R
(Saving)
them (including YOU and others)? (Luke 15:1-7; cf.
Exod. 34:6; Deut. 7:9; Pss. 42:8; 48:9; 69:13; 86:25; 109:26;
136:26; Hos. 1:7; 2:23; Zeph. 3:17; Mal. 2:11; John 3:16-17;
Acts 3:16; 4:12; Rom. 5:8, 10; 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 9:7; Tit. 3:4; 1
Jn. 3:1; 4:7, 9, 10, 16, 20; Jude 1:2, 21)
2. Have I E
God and Heaven (and others
on earth) by Allowing Him to R
(Save)
Me? (Luke 15:1-7; cf. Matt. 16:16; 25:46; John 3:16-17; 36;
5:24; 6:40; 11:25-26; 17:2-3; Acts 3:16; 4:12; Rom. 5:21; 6:23;
10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 1:2; 3:7; 1 Jn. 2:25; 5:20)
Seven Reasons Young People (Millennials) Leave
the Church & Christianity
Isolationism. One-fourth of 18- to 29-year-olds say church
demonizes everything outside church, including the music, movies,
culture, and technology that define their generation.
Shallowness. One-third call church boring, about one-fourth say faith
is irrelevant and Bible teaching is unclear. One-fifth say God is absent
from their church experience.
Anti-science. Up to one-third say the church is out of step on
scientific developments and debate.
Sex. The church is perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth
or more, a "just say no" philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno
world. Young Christian singles are as sexually active as their nonchurched friends, and many say they feel judged.
Exclusivity. Three in 10 young people feel the church is too exclusive
in this pluralistic and multi-cultural age. And the same number feel
forced to choose between their faith and their friends.
Doubters. The church is not a safe place to express doubts say over
one-third of young people, and one-fourth have serious doubts they'd
like to discuss.
—Adapted from a list by David Kinnaman in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are
Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith
Breakdown of family: "But I've got to say this as a pastor, as a
researcher, as an educator, as just a Christian who cares, the single
greatest contributor to the attrition rate [of the Christian faith] has
been the breakdown of the family [….troubled upbringing,
abandonment and neglect, and parents who simply didn’t live out
their faith]."
--In Abandoned Faith: Why Millennials Are Walking Away and How You Can Lead
Them Home, co-authors Alex McFarland and Jason Jimenez
“Why God hasn’t closed the final curtain”
Luke 15:1-7; John 3:16-17; Luke 19:10; John 10:10; 2 Pet. 3:9
(“CSI: Christ’s Stories Investigated”--A series and study through
the life of Christ and through the Gospel of Luke)
Pastor Todd DuBord
www.MtLassenCommunityChurch.org
~~~~~~~~~~~
“There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to himself, to
appease his justice [and wrath], to demonstrate his sovereignty. But
one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because he is fond of
you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to
come down the pike in quite a while… If God had a refrigerator, your
picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He
sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the
universe, and he chose your heart. And the Christmas gift he sent you
in Bethlehem? Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you!” --Max Lucado
~~~~~~~~~~~
Some important questions to ask yourself (and
others) from Jesus’ parables of the Lost Sheep, the
Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (Luke 15)
1. Do I Really Understand and Believe How Much God
L
the L
and is
E
about R
(Saving)
them (including YOU and others)? (Luke 15:1-7; cf.
Exod. 34:6; Deut. 7:9; Pss. 42:8; 48:9; 69:13; 86:25; 109:26;
136:26; Hos. 1:7; 2:23; Zeph. 3:17; Mal. 2:11; John 3:16-17;
Acts 3:16; 4:12; Rom. 5:8, 10; 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 9:7; Tit. 3:4; 1
Jn. 3:1; 4:7, 9, 10, 16, 20; Jude 1:2, 21)
2. Have I E
God and Heaven (and others
on earth) by Allowing Him to R
(Save)
Me? (Luke 15:1-7; cf. Matt. 16:16; 25:46; John 3:16-17; 36;
5:24; 6:40; 11:25-26; 17:2-3; Acts 3:16; 4:12; Rom. 5:21; 6:23;
10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 1:2; 3:7; 1 Jn. 2:25; 5:20)
Seven Reasons Young People (Millennials) Leave
the Church & Christianity
Isolationism. One-fourth of 18- to 29-year-olds say church
demonizes everything outside church, including the music, movies,
culture, and technology that define their generation.
Shallowness. One-third call church boring, about one-fourth say faith
is irrelevant and Bible teaching is unclear. One-fifth say God is absent
from their church experience.
Anti-science. Up to one-third say the church is out of step on
scientific developments and debate.
Sex. The church is perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth
or more, a "just say no" philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno
world. Young Christian singles are as sexually active as their nonchurched friends, and many say they feel judged.
Exclusivity. Three in 10 young people feel the church is too exclusive
in this pluralistic and multi-cultural age. And the same number feel
forced to choose between their faith and their friends.
Doubters. The church is not a safe place to express doubts say over
one-third of young people, and one-fourth have serious doubts they'd
like to discuss.
—Adapted from a list by David Kinnaman in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are
Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith
Breakdown of family: "But I've got to say this as a pastor, as a
researcher, as an educator, as just a Christian who cares, the single
greatest contributor to the attrition rate [of the Christian faith] has
been the breakdown of the family […troubled upbringing,
abandonment and neglect, and parents who simply didn’t live out
their faith0."
--In Abandoned Faith: Why Millennials Are Walking Away and How You Can Lead
Them Home, co-authors Alex McFarland and Jason Jimenez