concerning transformation...

Big night last night, kids came forward to receive Jesus, probably some healing going on, lots of cool things going on.

But it's not enough to just believe in God and to follow God. It's a very different thing to believe God and to be transformedby Him.

The idea of transformation involves a process; a thought that just saying 'Jesus, I'm a sinner, and now I follow you" is good, but not everything--there's something more. There's a way to live, a way to start living that is different and distinctive from how the world operates.

It's a life of figuring out that you were never meant to be independent from each other, but it's a life of figuring out how to live in holy dependence.

I feel like I want to say something about bearing fruit, but that's Christian-ese and that's almost never helpful.

So, I won't...

...but...

shouldn't one be able to see some evidence of the transformation process? Shouldn't people be able to look at me and see a wake of goodness rather than a trail of broken and divided people and situations?

I don't know how transformation happens, but it does. I don't know how a caterpillar makes is cocoon (or chrysalis) and then comes out a butterfly. I just know it does.

I don't know how Saul was transformed into Paul. I just know he was by the things he did and said and the way he lived.

One nature into another...the greek word in Romans 12:2 for transformation is 'metamoro.' It's where we get the word metamorphosis.

Don't conform to the ways of this world. Be transformed. I would even go as far to say that we ought not be conforming ourselves to God (a noble act indeed)as much as we need to allow God to manage our transformation.

One on one.

In community with other believers.

In our dealings with those still asking questions about faith.

In our dealings with those who can't stand the idea of God.

Let's allow God to manage our transformation...

...want to?