Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 09/29/05 08:38:58 AM |
Age 39, TN |
My family wholeheartedly agrees with this writer. He could have said nothing any better. I am so ashamed of my country. I am a homeschooling mother of three daughters and our study of this Providential country's founding is amazing. What would our founding fathers think if they could see us now? We all know the answer to that question. The Bible verse we should all ponder on is 2 Chronicles 7:14.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/26/05 12:15:33 PM |
Age 71, VA |
AMEN to what you say. I think evangelical Christians by and large have lost too much of the sense of reverence of God, Jesus and all things holy. I had not heard about these t shirts, but I hope I never see anyone in our church wearing them. Maybe some of today's evangelicals need to spend more time in the OT and read aabout what happened when God came down on Mt. Sinai to give the Law to Moses, and the response of the people.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/26/05 11:48:59 AM |
Age 53, MI |
Your article really hit home. I have re-written several portions of VBS material because of it's irreverent expressions concerning Jesus. I could not in good conscience have K-6th grade students yell, "You da man!" when I said the name of Jesus. This is material is coming directly from a mainline denomination that sees itself as part of the "holiness" movement. I remember VBS as a nurturing, happy, safe Jesus-filled week where adults treated children with the tender compassion of Christ. The men and women I recall weren't just running a day camp, they were sharing their own love for their Savior. We are, sometimes unknowingly, changing Bible teaching into secular entertainment where Jesus is the main character. That is not the way we will reach the world with the true Gospel. Yes, Christians can have fun and be silly but never about the essentials of our faith. Reverence grows as we mature in the Lord.
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Re: Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/25/05 06:03:27 PM |
Age 39, DC |
I agree with the author. I understand the points that some of the other "posters" were making regarding using various means to reach the lost, but when Jesus is commercialized and His name shows up on things ranging from mugs, bumper stickers to shot glasses it reduces the reverence of His name. Unfortunately in our trend obsessed culture, too much exposure reduces the potency of thing. I could be wrong but I don't think it was in the minds of the t-dhirt designer to reach the lost for Jesus. But I could be wrong...
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/25/05 07:16:02 AM |
Age 30, OH |
I hesitated to use the title, "Jesus is my homeboy." It's good that people are offended by the title, I was too. I was not sure if people would have a visceral response and not read the rest of the article. We need to be sure we are bereans when we read articles too, not just look at a few words and respond emotionally. I had a few people e-mail me without reading the article. Nicholas Jackson
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/23/05 12:23:59 PM |
Age 42, LA |
Madonna wearing a t-shirst with anything that has our Lord and Savior name on it, or any hollywood type does not bring glory to Him. We are trying too hard to fit in the world in order for people to like us. We need to show love and show the world how we died to ourself and have a much better life giving glory to Him. Wearing a cross, having a fish on your car, playing christian music, going to church does not make you a christian, being christian is not who you are. It's what you do.
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Re: Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/22/05 01:43:09 PM |
Age 39, MI |
I agree - with both points, really! I think there is a great lack of holiness and reverance permeating the church these days. But I don't think the t-shirt necessarily adds to it. We can dress up and still be irreverant in our hearts. Or we can fail to truly acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior and wear the shirt as an expression of our "shallow" understanding of Him. But I think that we can have a deep, intimate relationship with him that is well expressed by the "Homeboy" phrase. After all, it's ours "homeboys" who know who we really are, who see past our facades, who hold us accountable, who bear our burdens with us and lift uf up - I want to live that close to Jesus... and I want to show to a lost and dying world that Jesus is not only God of Heaven judging us for all eternity, but my very best friend.
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Re: Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/22/05 10:16:11 AM |
Age 28, NY |
We need to remember who does the saving. Is it up to us to be as convincing as possible? Do we draw men to the Saviour or does the Holy Spirit? Why can't we stop trying to imitate the culture to reach souls instead of imitating Jesus to reach souls? We need to love sinners and care for their souls, but remember that it is God that will draw them. If they won't listen to the conviction of the Spirit tugging at their heart, a Christian "rock concert" will only show them that Christ makes no difference in a Christian's lifestyle.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 04:22:59 PM |
Age 36, MN |
I think your right on Nick. The reason people don't have a fear of God anymore, is because of the way they come to "know" Him. People are being led to Christ with the expectation of a better life. That is a product of salvation, but not a drawing card to the Savior. The modern gospel preaches "Come to Jesus. He'll make you happy" Rather than come to Jesus He'll make you righteous and save you from the wrath to come. Gods law is not used to drive people to the cross, therefore, they have no knowledge of sin, and no fear of God! Thanks for the great article! Shon
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Re: Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 12:13:48 PM |
Age 48, CA |
Kudos Nick: You hite it right on the head again.I enjoy your articles and I pray God uses the information to wake people up.
Your brother in Christ
Tim Wirth
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 10:06:42 AM |
Age 32, AL |
I completely agree that there is a lack of respect for God--as well as many other forms of authority, but it is our job as Christians to go out into the world. The clean-cut suit and tie is not going to reach everyone for Christ. You CAN reach down to another level without compromising your values. And "yes," Jesus is my "best buddy" and has been for over 20 years. He is my very best friend in the world. And to someone that has never heard about Jesus, but knows what a homeboy is, there is the connection to get the attention so that maybe another soul can be saved. Jesus wants us to use every means possible to reach this lost and dying world. And the old ways just aren't getting the job done. The methods that were used to attract us to Christ would probably seem disrespectful and lack fear of God if we lived when the apostle Paul did. I appreciate your stand and do agree that many times, things can get out of hand. But simply calling Jesus "my homeboy" does not constitute sacrilege.
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Narrowed Focus
| Posted On: 07/21/05 10:03:06 AM |
Age 73, PA |
I certainly agree with Nicholson's article. We have become so caught up in the Health/Wealth/Bigger is Better syndrome that we have lost sight of the Lord Jesus Christ and His admonition, "Be holy, for I am holy!" I work with a lot of couples who are struggling to keep their marriage afloat. Their major problem is that they have forgotten the commitment they have made to one another and are endeavoring to play the world's game of serial marriages. We need to get back to the idea that marriage is for a lifetime and honor the commitments we have made. This also includes our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. The philosophy that Nicholson is discussing is killing the Church and making a mockery out of the work Jesus did on the Cross.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 09:08:04 AM |
Age 44, IL |
I agree completely. I'm having trouble finding a church, because the churches in our area are either into tickling the ears with religious babble, or are mimicking the entertainment industry. I agree completely that we've lost our reverence for God, and when you compare what the Holy Spirit is doing in America as compared to Africa and South America, it becomes evident that there is definitely a connection.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 09:05:01 AM |
Age 37, NY |
Jesus is "ill", He's the "bomb", but he's not my homeboy. He's family, because I have been grafted in to the family of God, but he's not my homeboy. He is God. Yes, we have lost reverence in the church, and discipleship is lacking in a lot of churches. what are we doing about this? Complaining is the easy part. What are the solutions?
Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, that's true, but the connotations of a homeboy are that you can slap him on the back, and that's not cool. I'd fall down on my knees and worship him whom all things were made for, and whom all things were made by.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/21/05 07:14:00 AM |
Age 47, NC |
Our treasures are not to be of "this world." We are called upon to be "percular" people. I know those are in God's Holy Word, your Bible. Please take a minute to use your Concordance and look them up. Anyway, the attraction that God has to mankind is that His standard is higher. God has placed within each of us a longing to have more of Him. We don't need to disguise Him in the tapestries of this world. He is abundantly sufficient. I agree with the writer. We need to turn off the TV and other worldly distractions. We need to set a higher standard. We will never truly win the lost to Jesus by trying to emulate the world. We need to emulate Jesus.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/20/05 09:46:39 PM |
Age 48, MN |
I sure agree with this article. There seems to be no reverence at all any more. All the songs we sing on Sundays sound just like secular radio with Jesus as just another boyfriend/girlfriend. We act like we are going to get together with Jesus after church, sit around, drink beer and watch the football game. Men wear hats in church, women wear clothing that used to get hookers arrested. I, for one am sick of it. I'm just about ready to quit going to church because I just can't stand the lack of "fear" and awe and reverence for God that used to exist.
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Re: Jesus is My Homeboy?
| Posted On: 07/20/05 03:04:41 PM |
Age 44, IA |
A very poignant column. It is hard to not be critical of the church of the West. I understand the desire and need to be like Paul who became all things to all people so that he might win some. But he never compromised his purpose of bringing glory to
Jesus and he would never dare to bring low the Glory of God. That is where we often fail. In our effort to be relevant to our culture we sacrifice the His holiness. Bring Him low, and only become a joke to the world and tastless salt to the Lord. Whose only use is to be trodden underfoot. We must think hard so that we don't sound like a dental hygene film from 1954. Yet at the same time be so well recieved by a tolerant world that they mistake us for representative for the National Council of Churches. We need wisdom. Hmm... I heard some place that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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