Scott Eric Campbell | Thoughts on Life and Theology » Scott

Transformed Affections

Scott — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:28:28 +0000

I greatly enjoy the phrase “transformed affections” to explain one of the many effects of being a follower of Christ. As believers, we should have a changed heart, which consequently means we should have transformed affections. This is one aspect of a person’s life who is anchored in Christ. Our hearts should long for the glory of God to permeate everything in our lives. Our affections should no longer be for this world or anything in it. Those affections are temporal and fleeting. As followers of Christ, our affections should be so deeply entrenched in the heart of God that our lives overflow with His grace and love. Those are transformed affections.

Timeless or Timely?

Scott — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:54:40 +0000

I’ve been thinking about a certain topic for awhile now. There are two logical sides of the issue that I am debating back and forth in my mind. I can’t seem to figure out which side would be most effective. Here is the issue: should churches be timeless or timely in what they do? I’ll give you an example of what I mean. One of the hot topics in church life today is the style of praise songs churches should use. Should we have many different services that cater to the different musical tastes of the congregation? Should we have one style that stands the test of time? Now think about it carefully. Don’t make any decisions too hastily because there are pros and cons to each side. There is one more possible option that I’m beginning to analyze: do these two sides have to be mutually exclusive? Most of the time we tend to think they have to be mutually exclusive. I’m not so sure they do. I’m still in the process of contemplating this issue and I would love to hear some of your thoughts…..

A Community of Grace

Scott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:11:30 +0000

I recently read a great blog post from the guys at The Resurgence. The post stated the differentiating characteristics between communities of believers centered around grace and those centered around performance. It was a great article for the church today, because I think many of our churches are struggling with being authentic. I believe part of being authentic is being anchored in the grace of God, not in our own performances. Tim Chester really hits the nail on the head with his article here.

Heritage and Legacy

Scott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:34:27 +0000

I have to ask the question, “Do you know where you come from?” And I don’t mean this in the sense of your physical being. I am talking about your life in general. Do you know the heritage of your family? Do you know the heritage of your church? Do you know the heritage of your faith? I think these are very important questions to ask, because we all need to know the sacrifices that were made by those before us who ultimately helped us get where we are. And not only should we know where we come from, we must also be aware of those coming after us. What will the church in America look like for our great grandchildren? We must think about this, because it is what we are doing today that will pave the way for those who will come tomorrow. We must know our heritage, but we must also recognize the legacy we are leaving behind.

Authenticity

Scott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:52:02 +0000

Why is it that the church is losing people left and right? Why is it that the church is struggling to meet the needs of the people? Why is it that the church has become so ineffective, to put it in bluntly? I believe one of the main reasons is that the church comes off as being fake. People can see right through us if we are being fake. The world NEEDS the church to be authentic. We need to be authentic in our worship, in our relationships, in our purpose, in our identity. We need to realize the needs that are around us, and do the best we can to meet those needs. That will be authentic to the world. We need to care and love for each other and for our neighbors who are outside the walls of the church. That will be authentic. We need to gather in our communities to worship our God with our entire being. That will be authentic. Those outside the church are looking in saying they want nothing to do with us, because we aren’t real. God is the ultimate reality. It is the church’s purpose to show that.