My friends, Michael and Lauren McAfee, are inviting people to engage with God’s Word through their new book, Not What You Think. Like my daughters, the McAfees are part of the Millennial cohort, growing up during the dramatic rise of technology. Michael and Lauren are emerging Millennial voices, challenging their peers to set aside preconceived notions or misconceptions about the Bible, and pick up the Word and read it in a new light.
As dad to two caring and vibrant women, it’s been an honor to watch my girls grow, flourish, marry, and establish their own households. It’s been a journey; I remember when my daughters were in high school and college, we had many discussions on different Bible passages they had questions about. They were discovering for themselves that the Bible isn’t a dusty, irrelevant book, but the God-breathed, living Word that speaks to humanity today.
Together, we found that a dose of skepticism is, in fact, healthy. If new believers are presented with a thick Gospel, wrestle with biblical questions, and explore the Bible in its entirety, they will likely develop a deeply rooted faith that is spiritually vibrant. God’s Word is unlike any book in history. The Bible is a grand story, a metanarrative, and each literary genre inside has a unique purpose in presenting the Gospel.
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
The Bible lives and breathes–providing direction, encouragement, and wisdom for those who seek it out. Jesus himself knew and used the power of God’s Word. When tempted by the devil in the Gospels, Jesus used the Word to speak Truth into the situation. The devil isn’t afraid of many things, but he is afraid of us hiding the Word in our hearts. If Jesus remembered the Word during his greatest temptation, how much more, as fallen humans, do we need to engage with the Scripture?
Kim and I have recently attained grandparent status, which means we are thinking about my baby granddaughter and her generation in a deeply personal way. That’s why we devour books that help guide us in understanding the Millennial generation’s engagement with God’s Word, as they are going to be parenting and nurturing the spiritual vibrancy of future generations. I would encourage everyone to read Not What You Think, and pass it on to a friend. Let’s be models that encourage every generation to deeply embrace the truth of God’s Word.
You may have had some interaction with the Bible. You may be familiar with it, may have grown up with it, may have rejected it in skepticism, or ignored it in indifference. Whatever your relationship to it is, we want to invite you to take another look. The Bible is a classic, because it is never finished saying what it has to say. Perhaps before rejecting its meaning, you could try to understand its message. We believe our generation is remarkably gifted to identify timeless beauty when they see it. (Michael & Lauren McAfee, Not What You Think)
The Bible truly came alive to me when I begin to circle all the places Holy Spirit was mentioned. I had been taught in church as a child that HE was an “it”
And was greatly ignored. What an utter and total lie I found it to be As I did my own study of God’s word. It was a changing point in my life. I love Holy Spirit. I love Father God and I love Jesus Christ With all my heart. I thank the Lord for the Bible, His very words inspired man to write them.
I feel the same way! In fact, I first felt the holy spirit come alive in me when I was in middle school at a Christian camp held at a Christian college in Bryan, Tennessee, 13 hours from home, and when the Holy Spirit came over me (and it’s a feeling like no other, so warm and happy like you’re a living angel, floating instead of walking) I was so uplifted, I lost track of everything else around me, like where I was headed, what I was doing, etc., because the only thing I could think about or focus on was the feeling that had overcome my entire entity, my Whole body, mind, soul and heart, that I ended up being lost and I couldn’t remember where my room was when I knew its exact location before I was completely uplifted and humbled by the awesome and amazing Holy Spirit! Thank-you so much, my wonderful and beautiful sister in Christ for sharing your love for our Father and the Holy Spirit because I felt a connection from reading it and it made me have the courage and gave me such glory and strength to share my love and experience of the Holy Spirit.
C’est la liberté d’expression c’est la paix fraternité c’est notre liberté humaine c’est l’amour c’est l’envie de partager l’amour et y’a des lésons que de nous-mêmes respect
Always good to hear or read anything from Rob and Kim
Muito bom. E que muitas crianças e jovens sejam cada vez mais alcançados neste mundo.