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‘Failing to love all
of our neighbours in practical ways would be to live unfaithfully to
the One whom we claim to follow.’ –
Street Level (page 56)
That’s the theory. Loving our neighbours in
practical ways. Connecting faith to daily life. Taking Christ to the
street.
But is it happening?
It is for 21 year old Laura
Bronson, with her call to ‘Keep it
Real,’ (page 18). She and her friends skate the streets of Toronto to
meet “random people . . . not people with big names, not people who
are rich or anything like that but we’re just trying to go out with
the message of Christ and trying to live out how Christ was real and
challenge youth to give him everything.”
It is for Mike Yankoski too; he spent five months ‘living under the
overpass’ (page 20) – panhandling, sleeping rough and meeting
people who are often ignored by society, and by the church.
And for Tim Huff. An excerpt from his book (page 24) illustrates
beautifully the life-changing significance of making the right contact with
the right young person at the right time.
Yankoski and Huff are part of a new Options feature – an In The World section which
will focus on how faith is lived out in the real world, and on the
ministries, missions and businesses through which individuals practice what
they preach.
Keeping it real is very important for sociologist Reg Bibby too. A leading expert
on issues relating to young people, spirituality and the church in Canada,
his new book, The Emerging Millennials, tells us what teens are thinking about issues such as
friendship, sexuality, family and faith. There are some surprises, some
reassurances and some challenges for the church. One thing is for sure
– the world is very much with today’s teens, for good and ill.
One positive note in the study is that the church provides an enjoyable
home base from which young believers can venture forth.
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Putting faith into practice is also important for Sarah Shandl. When she
discovered the Junos were going to be held in Vancouver this year, she
decided to provide some support for Christian artists – and make a
statement to the broader community – by initiating a Gospel Showcase
(pages 14 – 15).
And that’s just the beginning. In this issue,
you’ll find lots more, on music, movies, nerds and the challenging
transition from high school to the post-secondary world –
demonstrating the many creative ways in which faith can be brought to bear
on culture.
Flyn Ritchie
Options Spring 2009
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