The Next Five Minutes

Barry wrote a great post a few weeks ago, and it's too good not to share with those of you who may not be a regular visitor to his blog.  Because I don't think I can put it any better than he did, I'm simply reposting Barry's words and images verbatim:

What’s your reaction to the following graphic and video clip?

The text reads: “Each week, millions and millions of upper middle class American citizens put on expensive dress clothes, and load themselves into SUVs and drive past homeless shelters, orphanages, prisons, missions, and halfway houses on their way to a very expensive and nice church, where somebody tells them how to be more like Jesus.”

A lot could be said about that, and I want to give you a chance to do just that. What’s your response to the statement? Is it true or is it false? Is it fair or is it unfair? Why or why not? Now, watch this 5-minute video.



David Platt began his message at a recent conference by showing that clip (HT Timmy Brister); Platt went on to say:

Over 4.5 billion who are without Christ are right now heading to an eternity in hell. That is a vast spiritual need. Add to that a vast physical need. 26,000 children will die today because of preventable disease. God has chosen to determine the measure and integrity of faith by our response to the poor. If this book is true, then we do not have time to play games with our lives [emphasis mine]. We do not have time to play games in the church. I want to call us this morning to forsake hopes, plans, dreams, possessions, and ideas of a nice, comfortable, safe middle-class American life. I want to call you to forsake it all in radical abandonment for Jesus Christ.

Both the graphic and Platt’s message are an indictment, if not a scathing rebuke, to most American Christians.