Pastor Steve shares these links to stimulate some Thursday Thoughts…

This week we are going to “Wax” Philosophical – – Three posts from Trevin Wax at The Gospel Coalition…

The Gospel According to Taylor Swift – Trevin writes: “Unless you live in a cave, you may find it difficult to avoid hearing Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods” this year. The music video for “Out of the Woods” debuted on New Year’s Eve and has already racked up more than 15 million views on YouTube. Here’s the crucial turning point, the good news according to Taylor Swift. “She found herself.” Notice that the broken relationship isn’t a sad ending after all, because the failure is what enabled her to find herself. Emerging from the woods, Taylor sings about how the relationship died, but through this death she has come alive to her true self.” This, as Trevin will argue, is a very dangerous place to find hope. You can read the rest HERE.

Discipleship’s Missing Strand – Trevin writes: “Followers of Jesus are to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, demonstrate the mind of Christ, and discern, with biblical wisdom and guided by the Spirit, what it means to live faithfully in the 21st century. It follows, then, that our responsibility to those we disciple includes an element of getting them to reason a certain way. When Paul called others to imitate his Christian walk, he was saying more than simply “Take the same steps I do.” Paul wanted the people to follow the same reasoning process that led him to such actions. In this context, “Follow me as I follow Christ” means more than “do what I do.” It also means “think like I think, so you can reason with me to the same outcome of wise and faithful living.”” You can read the rest HERE.

Stealing Hope – There is a philosophical principle that is known as “Ressentiment”. Trevin writes of its history, its contemporary embrace, and the danger to Christianity that it poses: it is a hope stealer. You can read the article HERE.