jordan muck

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d answer the questions myself in a couple of posts and open the floor to let people respond. Here’s part three to finish this “series” up.

Burning Question Number Three: Faith: What is the biggest problem facing the Church today?

The biggest problem in the church today is that everyone knows the biggest problem in the church.  I have been reading Leadership, Relevant, and other big Christian magazines and hearing people discuss this topic for some time now.  I a lot of talk and a little talk about individuals actually doing something regarding the problems the church faces.  Everyone talks like they know the answer but in reality it looks like we are just grasping at straws.

I fear that we, as a church, have become people of little action in life.  Don’t get me wrong, there are people and churches around the world that are doing a great job actually doing something to help the church and putting into practice solutions to problems they see happening.  I that action is exactly what God wants us to do.  However, I fear to much time is spent barking and not enough biting.  We need to stop saying, “This is the problem with the church…” and start saying, “This is a problem we see with the church and this is what we are doing to fix the problem.”  How awesome would that be?

Burning Question Number Four: Politics: Is either party right?

I hope not.  I think every side has their flaws.  As a young man, I still have yet to “subscribe” to a political party.  I don’t think I could could ever say, “What you believe as a republican/democrat/independent is exactly what I believe.”  I fear there is a lot of corruption in politics and we as the public hear little regarding the actual truth.

I also think that we get many promises that are often unfulfilled which is depressing.  With this being a voting season I hear candidates talking about all the changes they are going to make to our county, how the war will end, and how taxes are going to go down.  I’m not sure those things will ever happen until Christ returns.  I just want gas to go back to under 2 bucks a gallon.

Burning Question Number Five: Culture: How do we influence it without being consumed by it?

My father always taught me the key to life in in the word “balance”.  Almost every time I got to consumed by something as a child, my dad would sit me down and talk about the importance of balancing everything out in my life.  I can still hear him to this day walking across my room while I was playing Nintendo whispering “balance” to me as he studied for his message for Sunday at the kitchen counter.

Dad would always tell me that I need to make sure I am not one sided or heavy in anything I do. The same goes for culture.  Jesus told us to be in the world and not of it, the importance of balance.  Jesus would go into town and spend time in culture listening to the people and being around them at their events.  However, He retreated all the time to spend time alone with God.  I think we need to do this in our own lives as well.  We need to listen and ask questions of our culture to understand where its coming from but at the same time we need to spend time with God to make sure we are not becoming consumed by it.  It’s all about “balance”.

Burning Question Number Six: How do escape the excess of culture?

The “excess of culture” I’m sure is the amount of consumption by our society as individuals.  In other words, consumerism.  Some people would say we are to live with as little as we can and other would say there is nothing wrong with having nice things, God wants us to have nice things.  I think we see biblical examples of both sides.  Some people in the bible had a lot because God gave it to them and others had little because God gave it to them.  I think think issue ties in with social justice.  What are we doing with the “things” we have in this world?  How are we using what God has given us?

I would hope that our escape is found in the mercy and compassion for others.  I would hope we escape the excess of culture by thinking, “How can I help my neighbor?  What more can I give?”.  Instead of being people who desire the bigger, better, faster approach to life, I think we need to step back and differenciate our needs from our wants.

Burning Question Number Seven: War: How should we respond?

I think we must understand that we are always in a state of war.  Since Adam decided to sin, man has been going through wars for lifetimes.  It’s part of the fallen race.  However, I think we as a body need to respond with love and compassion.  Instead of taking the time to hate, make war, and promote violence, I think we need to seek each others best. Jesus found himself in war and turmoil all the time.  People rose up beside him at all angles trying to “fight” with him.  What was his response?

What are your burning questions?  How would you respond to these question if you were asked?

-Jordan