In The Hands of an Angry God?

I was thinking again about how I, as an Alpha person should interact with atheists sceptics or even seekers. Should I preach hellfire and brimstone? Frankly, I don't think that works very well anymore. I'm not sure that Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, preached before a crowd of today's non-believers would meet with the same response as when Jonathan Edwards first delivered it.

So here is an approach I think might be reasonable, at least to those with ears to hear. My real objective is to get people at least questioning, to the point that they may want to come to an Alpha to hear more.

I believe there is a God who created the atoms and molecules that go together to make up everything we see around us. I believe this God has offered us the opportunity for a relationship with him, by entering this world in the person of His son, Jesus Christ and dying on the cross. I believe we are free either to accept or to reject this relationship.

I believe this life is not the end. I believe there is some aspect of each of us, call it soul or spirit, that lives on after physical death.

If we accept the relationship we are offered with God in this life, we will spend eternity with Him.

If we reject it in this world, God will not force it on us in the next. If we choose to walk apart from God in this life, He will not compel us to be with Him in the next. I don't much know what that will be like, but some refer to it as hell. Jesus himself calls it a place of, "weeping and gnashing of teeth." It doesn't sound very pleasant.

So, "choose life." And come to an Alpha with me to check it out.
And, in my best Alpha small group leader manner, "What does anybody think?"

Blessings,
John


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