Living Stones
Growing People, Multiplying Leaders

E39 The Divided States of America

Week 1 - Modern Life

4 years ago

We are witnessing a time of great polarization in America - a growing cultural divide. This divide is not primarily racial or political, but rather a collision of competing worldviews for pre-eminence, and the prize: the heart and soul of our nation. But as God's people, we are called to be counter-cultural, as well as the salt and the light of the world. We are to be "in the world but not of it." In our series Modern life, we will help you navigate through this confusing time so that as Christ's bride, we will remain faith-filled, fearless and fruitful in the midst of cultural chaos, confusion, and compromise.

Like the confrontation on Mt. Carmel, we are experiencing a similar battle for the soul of our nation. We have a showdown between competing and opposing worldviews. The battle lines are drawn. Whose "god" is greater? Elijah basically challenges the people with this question: to whom will you give your full allegiance? The same question goes out to us today. If we are not careful, we allow the blessings of “modern life” to seduce us, and the result is that we conform to the world instead of being the transforming presence Christ has called us to be.

Scriptures: 1 King 18:16-21

Launching in 1981 as just 30 people in a living room in Northwest Indiana, Living Stones has grown into a vibrant multi-generational church family. Stones are a product of God the Creator — formed in nature and no two are alike. As we come to faith in Jesus Christ, scripture tells us that we are like living stones in the hand of God and He is using us to build up a spiritual house. Our foundation was built on the work of nurturing and restoring healthy, biblical marriages. In continuing that mission, everything we do here at Living Stones is centered around loving, healing, and equipping individuals and families to grow into a greater likeness of Christ Jesus! By the Holy Spirit, we exist today to Renew Hearts, Restore Homes, Reform Culture and Reach the Nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 ”As you come to him who is the Living Stone — he was rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious — you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.” We are a family — misfits, hypocrites, creatives, addicts, reformers, over-churched, unchurched, wanderers — each of us a stone, uniquely crafted by the hand of God, made alive through Jesus, and now living by the power of the Holy Spirit. Together, we are Living Stones.