Jesus' message is not actually about escaping this troubled world for heaven's blissful shores, as is popularly assumed, but instead is about God's will being done on this troubled earth as it is in heaven.
He begins Everything Must Change with a discussion of what he sees as critical global crises, and some of the causes of these crises--the key one being a spirituality crisis.
Chapter two begins with two questions that have shaped McLaren's life:
1. What are the biggest problems in the world?
2. What does Jesus have to say about these global problems?
Combined into one question: What could change if we applied the message of Jesus--the good news of the kingdom of God--to the world's greatest problems?
This really speaks to me. I've been increasingly frustrated that we spend so much time and energy and money on the big issues according to the Christian/political right--abortion, gay marriage, trying to fix some countries (while letting genocide continue in others). These are important issues; but what about poverty, hunger, AIDS pandemic, war, violence, the health care crisis...?
Brian's questions seem like they should be obvious, but when we look around, not many of us are letting them influence us. I want to be a part of changing that.
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