Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer

Conformity is absolutely essential to the functioning of an army. But in contrast, the apostle Paul tells us that non-conformity is absolutely essential to the way God wants us to live together. But it is a very unique kind of non-conformity. The non-conformity of a spiritual life is not simply rebellion against any form of authority or conformity. It isn’t like the non-conformity of a teenager who is rebelling against parental authority. It isn’t like the non-conformity of those who label any inconvenient truth as fake news because it challenges their preconceptions. It isn’t like the non-conformity of those who insist on being political incorrect because of their racist, sexist, bigoted or simply ignorant views. It isn’t like the non-conformity of those who drive cars into crowds because of some twisted conviction or other. It is, instead, a non-conformity which emerges out of the transformation which comes when we devote ourselves as living sacrifices to God and the renewal of our minds. In this message, I want to discuss how we respond to acts of hate and terror in ways that do not conform, but display the transformed life rooted in God's passionate and compassionate love for all God's children.