Understanding how personal identity is formed is a key component in the healthy development of human personality.  Up until 100-150 years ago society at large understood “self” to be shaped externally, i.e., identity was derived.  Historically a person’s sense of identity was grounded in commonly held objective categories such as gender, class, age, race, ethnicity, and religion.  A simplified list to be sure, but you get the point.  The world has adopted a whole new way of viewing personal identity.  The new normal is best summarized in a quote from the 20^th century French philosopher and activist Michel Foucault, “We have to CREATE OURSELVES as a work of art.”  Our world has fully imbibed the idea that identity is what you create for yourself.  From a Biblical perspective this ideological change can simply be viewed as the world re-framing its understanding of itself, of humanity.  It’s the world being the world!  No surprise there.  And no insult intended.  At least the world is being true to itself. 

BUT a recent Barna survey found that 91% of adults and 76% of practicing Christians agreed with this statement, “The best way to find yourself is by looking WITHIN  YOURSELF.”¹  Now that’s a SHOCKER because the Christian worldview has always been derived from sources other than ourselves.  The world creates its own identity according to its own pleasure.  We derive our identity from our Heavenly Father, Creator of all things. 

What could possibly go wrong with a Christian shaping their identity according to human understanding and wisdom?  What is so dangerous about “following one’s own heart” on any given matter?  How could it possibly be wrong to “follow one’s dreams?”  These and other questions will be addressed in my new sermon series that starts this Sunday.  I will be addressing several key concepts like identity, gender, sexuality, pluralism, and spirituality especially as they relate to the Gospel in general and you, the Christian believer in particular. 

My audience is YOU.  Christian members of City Centre Baptist Church.  I want to help you address some of the most pressing ideas being championed in our world.  My passion as your pastor is to “build believers by the Book” which is another way of saying that my goal as a Bible teaching pastor is to assist you in carefully building a Biblical worldview.  I think about “worldview” as the FRAME through which you see the world.  Picture frames capture the images and values that shape our lives.  The pictures they contain reveal who we are and what we love the most.  I just did a quick sweep of my office and counted at least 25 frames.  From family pictures to special memories to a giant portrait of an eagle (painted by a beloved member of our church, Jim Thompson).  Our picture frames define our lives. 

I also like the way that Dr. Gordon Carkner (UBC) defines worldview.  He calls it a MAP for understanding the world and then asks the clarifying question, “Which worldview makes the best sense of the evidence for the problem before us?”

I have two aims in this new sermon series.  The first, as always, is to be faithful to the teaching of the Bible.  The second is to show you that the only path to the abundant life promised by Jesus is by framing your mind and shaping your life according to His teachings. 

I’m so excited to start our new series, “The Gospel and Culture: Prepared to Answer.”  See you Sunday at 9AM or 11AM.  Don’t forget to register.  Space is limited.