rebelling against low expectations
“All religions are basically the same because they all have the same root idea of God.” A work friend of mine made this claim, arguing that there were no important differences between Christianity and other religions. Is that really the case though? My thoughts immediately went to the different views of Jesus within Christianity and Islam. At first, it seems like Christians and Muslims have many...
At some point in our lives, we’re going to become friends with someone, then later realize that he or she isn’t a believer. So…what do we do? Do we look past their belief (or unbelief) and pretend we don’t care? Do we just go on with our relationship as though it doesn’t matter? That’s certainly not the loving thing to do. If that person is not a born-again believer in Jesus, he is heading...
John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love is not a debate. Sometimes we, even as Christians, can get so caught up in being right, that we forget what really matters. This is especially evident on social media. It saddens me greatly when I think of the way so many of us treat each other on the internet, so many sides...
Christmas time is here again. Holiday shopping is in full swing, kitchens are filled with delicious smells as people make their favorite holiday treats, and Christmas carols are playing everywhere. This is a beautiful time of year to spend with friends and family. For many of us, it is filled to the brim with parties and events. But as you hustle and bustle this Christmas, don’t forget why you...
“Everybody wants to go to heaven. It beats the other place, there ain’t no doubt. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wanna go now.”¹ So declares the old country song, and we may find ourselves unconsciously nodding along to those lyrics. Most of us really don’t want to go to heaven–at least, not right now. We know we should, and we know it’s better than the other place, so we do...
“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” – Jim Elliot The desire of Jim Elliot’s heart was that people would come into contact with the living, loving God when they met him. He wanted people to see Jesus in and through his life. He longed that...
It seems as if there is a disconnect in Christianity today. Very frequently, Bible reading is something prescribed as what I do for me–something directed inward. Evangelism is what I do for others–something directed outward. What if there was a beautiful, God-given fusion between the two? What if we have gotten it wrong and, instead of being opposed, they are actually connected...
I was sixteen and had never played a game of laser tag in my life. They had an instructional video playing before the match, but there was one problem… My youth group was going up against a bunch of experienced kids, and they yelled through the whole video. I couldn’t hear, couldn’t understand. When they handed me my gun, I didn’t know how to use it. I asked my brother for...
Editor’s Note: Throughout the years, TheReb has published thousands of articles, each challenging and encouraging Rebelutionaries to do hard things and seek God. But among these posts, some have especially resonated with you, our readers. So over the next few weeks and months, we’re bringing back these classics, reposting our most popular and well-read articles every Thursday. May they encourage...
I was an atheist. This is my story. Angry, Uncertain, and Insecure Junior year of high school. I’m an ardent atheist–but not a satisfied one. Having walked away from the church years earlier, I had embroiled myself in an eating disorder, and struggled deeply with self-image, destructive thoughts, and obsession with food. I had gone through an unhealthy attachment that shattered my values...
rebelling against low expectations
