From a friend of mine

I'm a really big believer that those of us who call ourselves Christians should act like Christians. I realize this is a ridiculous statement that should go without saying, but the fact of the matter is that too often Christians don't act like Christians.

I am sorry for the times when I don't act like I'm supposed to act. I'm sorry for the times my fellow brothers and sisters don't act like they're supposed to act. We must do better.

That is why we're talking about what it means to be counter-cultural at Hub City. To be counter-cultural means we live lives that are different from our culture, and at the same time, attractive to our culture.

Yesterday we take about the character trait of humility. Mike did a phenomenal job, and he gave us some assignments: Consider others before yourself, Engage in silence, Remember that it's not all about you. 

This coming week I'm going to be talking about what is possibly the most difficult counter-cultural trait of all because it is in direct opposition to the consumerism that undergirds everything in our culture.

In two weeks we're talking about commitment. Whetting our appetite for this topic, a friend of mine, the infamous Chris Pollard, pastor of The Journey here in Spartanburg, posted some great statements that flow into all of our counter-cultural talk. They were so good that I asked him for permission to share. He gave it, so here they are:

• God's people in our country are meeting together less and less often (Avg 3x/mo). Is it any wonder we are weak?
• We have sacrificed relationships & community for events & experiences.
• Often, the first sign that we have stepped away from God is that we have stepped away from God's people.

All of this is about us living different from our culture and attractive to our culture.