Ian and I continue our conversation about how the church can reach out to the broader culture as salt and light. We also began discussing what it means to have a Kingdom vision. Each one of us has a personal mission field as well as a calling from God and gifts to go along with it. How we understand our Kingdom vision will help us put our calling and gifts into practice to reach those who make up our  personal mission field.

​If you would like to think more thoroughly about your personal mission field, please click here for the resource that will help you in that pursuit. And, if you would like to talk more about this, please don't hesitate to contact me at d.tedder@southsidemethodist.org. We can set up a meeting to help you move forward.

Church and Culture. That's the topic on this episode of Walking Points. Should Christians run from culture, actively oppose it, compromise with it, or transform it? What's God calling the Church to do in the midst of the culture in which she finds herself? Ian and I wrestle with those questions in this week's episode. Join us for the discussion. As always, if you have any comments, please share them below.

​By the way, here's the book and author I was trying to think of when I experienced "brain-freeze" in the middle of this week's episode. Culture Making by Andy Crouch

​T.M. Moore's website and ministry is The Fellowship of Ailbe. It's a fantastic site with lots of great resources.

This week on Walking Points, Ian and I discuss what it means for Christians to be the light of the world. I also turned the tables on Ian and got him to share a little about Amplify and the "good works" that help point folks to Christ.

What does it mean for a Christian to be an influence in the world today? How can we effectively serve Christ and others by living as the salt and light he declared we already are? Those are two of the questions Ian and I try to tackle this week.

This week Ian and I finish up our discussion on the worldview & paradigm shift called the Beatitudes.

This week Ian and I are talking about The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:1-12. To get ready for this week's podcast, why not read these verses and think about what they may mean and how closely you resemble the Christian Jesus is describing in these verses. That can be a painful exercise, but it can also bear much fruit as you prayerfully ask the Lord to help you conform more and more to his likeness.

​But remember what we shared last week: Such Christlike character presupposes new birth in Christ. You cannot simply "will" it to happen or accomplish it merely through disciplined effort. It starts with a whole new heart that must first replace your old heart. This happens through the work of God's Spirit bringing about regeneration and you responding by repenting of your sins and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ with your whole life.

Here's our text for this week's podcast.

​Matthew 5:1-12

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Today Ian and I begin talking about what it means to love God and neighbor. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy today's episode.

This week Ian and I are talking about a new study coming up, "Kingdom Life in a Fallen World," based on the Sermon on the Mount.

Also, for next week's podcast, you'll want to click here and print the Annual Spiritual Checkup at The C.S. Lewis Institute.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this week's podcast.