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Yesterday I had a conversation about Young Adults with a pastor within our district. We discussed the idea that some leaders feel that in order to reach young adults, we need to “abandon Pentecost” and use an “intellectual approach”. I must admit that I do believe we do a poor job of discipling teens in the area of doctrine and even intellectual wrestling. Because of that, some would feel that Young Adults are repelled to emotional expression – thus the intellectual mandate.
I wonder how balanced this thinking is. Faith is not merely a mental belief system or an academic pursuit of God. While these elements are part of being a Christian, the bottom line is that Christianity is about relationship. We are reconciled by Christ, into a relationship with the living God. I must admit, I don’t have too many relationships that don’t involve emotions. In fact, with certain relationships, my emotions cause me to act in certain ways. I kiss my wife because my emotions tell me to. I cuddle with my kids because my emotions tell me to. Yesterday, I laughed uncontrollably with this pastor…because my emotions told me to. Obviously all of these actions are only appropriate in certain relationships. You would never want to kiss, cuddle, or laugh uncontrollably in a job interview -regardless of what your emotions said! I just can’t believe that Young Adults need to abandon “Pentecost” because of the emotional component. In fact, the highest value of most Young Adults is relationship. And the relationships that seem to matter most are those that provide the best emotional times.
So, do we throw away the intellectual approach and return to a highly emotional “Pentecostal” experience. I actually believe we need to embrace both the intellectual and the emotional. As this leader and I talked, our conversation was fairly intellectual and somewhat academic. But as we discussed deep issues of faith, my heart was leaping! And that is what our intellectual pursuits should cause us to do…bring us to a mental perspective that causes us to be overwhelmed with a God who stirs our emotions…AND just sometimes, causes our expressions of those emotions to look a little less dignified. Abandon Pentecost? No…let’s grab all we can!
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17 years of my life was spent acquiring knowledge of God but it wasn’t until I allowed Him into my emotions that I realy began to live for Him. Dare I say, it was my emotion that brought my intelect to life … We were created with a mind to gather and retain info. But we were also given emotions to express that info (sounds a little like Pentecost to me). If we allow our emotions to die, I believe a little bit of God dies within us as sons and daughters created in His image. Maybe it is not our lack of intelect that is the issue but our lack of ability to feel/ to conect/ to love/ to live not only is it foriegn to some of us but uncomfortable as well. We are a generation of email/facebook/msners/ with a false sense of what it means to connect… we are 2nd generation of divorced families who ourselves may even have had multiple relationships or friends with benefits – our ability to “commit” through difficult circumstances is limited But our ability to seperate/supress our emotions is phenomenal / we are intelectual over acheievers that spend more time learning than any generation before us – yet were does that get us if we have no passion to live our learning out.
No wonder emotions scare us off – we dont know how to deal with them.
example. 1 year ago I went on my first “real” missions trip … before I knew that we were called to go into all the world but didn’t see the importance of it (at least for me)I couldn’t understand how people could give up their life in Canada for missions in another country when there is much to be done here. – Once I experianced it and it got a hold of my emotions – Now – I get it! and will do whatever I can for others to get a taste of it. Intelect + Emotion brought about action.
If our young adults need anything – we need the emotional aspect of God in our intelect…Shame on us if we cut off part of who we are, or deny/supress the reality of our emotions, when what we have is exactly what people may need.
Intelect + Emotions = a life that is alive. Intelect + Pentecost = a Biblical model of Christianity..and may i add and Christianity worth living!!!
Musings of the day.
Comment by Trevor Headrick February 27, 2009 @ 9:38 pmTrevor Hearick