Message: “Compromised Identity” from Paul Taylor

History of St. Francis of Assisi, 12th century ----- In a world facing an epidemic of poverty and all the political, social, and cultural problems that accompany it, how are we to respond? Jesus told one man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. To another, he criticized the suggestion to give money to the poor. How do we balance the Bible's expectation of Christ as the one that will end poverty with our instruction to participate in that process now? As we ask these questions, we'll look at Saint Francis of Assisi as an example of someone who re-oriented the monastic movement toward deeper involvement with the issues of poverty in his day. We'll end with questions about our own attitudes toward poverty locally and globally.

Scripture References: Matthew 26:6-13, Matthew 19:16-26

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From Series: "The Skipping Stone of the Spirit"

Following Christ is difficult in any culture. Every culture presents new challenges to following the unchanging Christ in a changing world. In this series, we will investigate what it means to follow Christ in the light of six themes that are particularly challenging in our culture. Like a stone skipping across a pond, we will start with Scripture, continue with church history, and finish in our own time, always asking what it looks like to follow Christ in the changing times of culture. Each message will begin with the foundation of Scripture, looking at what God has revealed to help us navigate these issues. We will continue our journey by looking at another time in history when this theme has been particularly significant to find out how followers of Christ in that age addressed the issue. We will complete our journey in our own culture, asking how we can follow Christ through the many questions that face us today.

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