Has the Culture Influenced a Spiritually Ignorant Generation?

In an article entitled "Evangelical Christian Leaders Fear Teen Believers Abandoning their Faith", Laurie Goodstein writes, 

"Despite their packed mega churches, their political clout, and increasing visibility on the national stage, evangelical Christian leaders are warning one another that their teenagers are abandoning the faith in droves.  

"If current trends continue only 4 percent of teenagers will be Bible-believing Christians as adults. While some critics say that the statistics are grossly exaggerated, there is widespread consensus among evangelical leaders that they risk losing their teenagers."

Victoria Osteen Preaches, "We're Not Doing it For God. We're doing it For Ourselves"

According to Victoria Osteen, wife of megachurch speaker and author Joel Osteen, “I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God—I mean, that’s one way to look at it—we’re doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy,” she declares in the undated 36-second clip with her husband standing by her side and nodding. “That’s the thing that gives Him the greatest joy…” 

Her sermon has gone viral as the Christian community protests its humanistic and scripturally antithetical message. 

A Christian Perspective on #BlackFriday Shopping

“...I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what was radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable.” (David Platt, Radical)

Black Friday. The day Americans find the best deals at the lowest prices. It's the time of year everyone camps out in front of Best Buy and eagerly stampedes Wal-Mart's doors at midnight. I know for me personally I enjoy making my Christmas shopping list and taking part in the holiday savings. Year after year I've done this without a thought about how I should treat Black Friday as a Christian...until last week. Nagging at the door of my heart there is this notion that something is missing in our treatment of consumerism in America.

Here are some radical questions for you to ponder: Does mainstream Christianity treat Black Friday from a cultural perspective or a Biblical perspective? Is the American dream for more dictating our "needs vs. wants"? How should the Christian treat Black Friday shopping?

Is There Anything WRONG with Black Friday?
I've brought up these questions for discussion and I've discovered something; most people become very defensive! I never said that I believe Black Friday shopping is wrong nor have I said that spending money, buying gifts and having fun staying up all night in front of your favorite store is a sin. In fact, if you are shopping in the Tampa area on Friday you may run into me!

But keep this in mind, when Jesus called others to follow Him it was radical, it was different and it required giving up everything. "'If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' But when the young man heard this, he went sadly away because he had many possessions." (Matthew 19:21-22)

“It is a constant battle to resist the temptation to have more luxuries, to acquire more stuff, and to live more comfortably.” (David Platt, Radical)


We don't need the latest iPhone, the biggest flatscreen TV, the newest car on the market or the biggest house on the block. What we need is a radically changed life that draws others to know our Jesus. The radicalness of the God we serve requires us to live a life through the perspective lens of eternity. With this in mind I want you to ponder these "what if" questions.

In Comparison to Black Friday, What if...

1. We had the same urgency for a lost soul as we do a "good deal"?
2. We had the same investment of time, energy and money in changing this world for eternity?
3. We had the same attitude to give to church as we spend at the stores on Friday? 
4. We had the same excitement for discipling others as we do shopping with our friends?
5. We had the perspective that our bank account was actually God's personal account?

We are called to be set apart for the Kingdom and to have Christ's mindset as our guide: "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." (Romans 12:1-2)

You see, we shouldn't be questioning what is wrong with Black Friday but rather testing our priorities and perspectives on why we do what we do and whether it is making a lasting difference. If Christ were to come back the Saturday after Thanksgiving, how would this change our perspective on Friday? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Please comment below or you are welcome to contact me directly. You can either email me or leave me a voicemail or text my google number: 646-504-626

Embracing Evil in our Entertainment: Harmless or Harmful?

"The major strategy of Satan is to distort the character of God and the truth of who we are." (Neil T. Anderson)

Over the last six years I have sat across from countless girls who were bound up in the chains of spiritual bondage, miserable victims of the evil this world had to offer them. I have seen the ugliness of evil rear its determined head during counseling sessions and demonic forces furiously rise up against my efforts to help girls find freedom.

This post isn't meant to glorify Satan in any way.  My intentions are to show you how we play on the enemy's playground and expect it to be harmless. We saturate our minds with his agenda and assume our minds will be immune to the reality of his influence. The Lord's prayer contains a very crucial element to our survival here on earth, "deliver us from evil". A question I have been pondering this week is this: Can God fully answer this prayer if we are willingly opening the doors to evil in our movies, books, magazines and music? Why or why not?