Deceptive Distraction

A dear and powerfully insightful friend wrote a couple of posts on his blog this week and I've been a part of the ongoing conversation over there. Instead of commenting on his latest post, I'm writing here for more room. It all started as a result of a fascinating, but incriminating report by the Barna Group siting all How Teenagers' Faith Practices are Changing. I'm sure you can guess they're NOT changing for the better.

I commented: "Probably because I'm reading Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy, but my answer to why is that we've been deceived into accepting the Gospel of "Sin Management" instead of heaven on earth and kingdom of God LIFE. So instead of living and therefore preaching the good news of power/passion/joy/purpose infused life, all we have is a list of don't dos. And that is no good news at all."

Then I read this today on Pete Wilson's blog: "We have a culture-war spirituality that produces Christians who might never share their faith but are ready at a moment’s notice to debate politics, abortion and civil union for gay couples. It is a spirituality that calls down fire on its enemies and shapes its followers into intolerant soldiers waging a morality crusade. Its
kingdom is the eventual triumph of moral conservatism, and its spirituality is conflict and argument."  - Michael Spencer

So at a time of an unprecedented flow of information and communication, we've been deceived into focusing on distracting half-truths in stead of life giving full truths. What would happen if:

• We showed people a life so empowered by faith that they became desperate
  to know how it's done.
• We told kids/teenagers so much about the wonders and joys of marriage that they wouldn't settle for anything less?
  
• And that the discussion included SEX ('cause it is, after all, part of the wonder and joy)!
• And that the primary reason for the joy and wonder of marriage is the challenge of it being between a man and woman. "Of COURSE it's difficult, how else are you going to grow into a powerful and purpose-fulfilling man or woman without it?"
• And btw, THAT'S the call of the gospel. To grow into a powerful and purpose-fulfilling man or woman. The forgiveness of sin is NOT the goal. Forgiveness of sin is the "must have" that God takes care of so you can ask him about the power and purpose.
• And to add to that, what if we painted the proper, glory-filled picture of life that they got completely enamored with the whole idea that they actually started WORKING for it?

Of course the bigger question I'm uncovering is how do we first live like this? And I'm asking because that's where the deceptive distraction has the tightest hold. Not only do we communicate the half-truths, we live them.

And that's tragic.