Challenging Quote from Mike Cosper's Book on Esther

“I’m thinking especially of evangelicalism—my own tradition—where in the name of contextualization, we’ve embraced so many aspects of a celebrity-driven, consumeristic, and technocratic culture. Is an argument from history persuasive coming from a church that looks nothing like the church of history? Whose members know none of its creeds and lack training in core practices? Who's holidays have been co-opted by consumerism? If an existential crisis were to strike us and one of our leaders called for a fast, would we even know what to do?” (Mike Cosper, Faith Among the Faithless: Learning from Esther How to Live in a World Gone Mad, p. 170)

3 Keys for Developing a More Resilient Faith

Study after study shows that young adults are abandoning the faith of their upbringing and Americans are becoming religiously unaffiliated and unchurched in increasingly and alarming rates. The secularization of our culture is accelerating by all accounts.

This weekend we wrap up our 8-week exploration of Esther, a book where God is not mentioned and the heroes are prodigals who must first return to God.

I hate to leave Esther. It’s one of my favorite series I’ve preached…ever!

So, the theme has been about finding our way back to God as “prodigals.” We’re all prodigals. We never completely outgrow it.

This week focuses on the “then what”—on how, after returning, we can grow a more resilient faith.

I hope to see you this weekend.

Photo by Karim MANJRA on Unsplash