I looked through a window and I saw into heaven
(Sweet) mother and child in a stain-glass reflection
Out over the gate we saw angels in the garden
We're gazing at a distance at our own resurrection

I'll block the door
Or I'll step outside
We'll change the world
If you want to


I was listening to Daniel Amos' Greatest Hits on my way home from the movies and their song "If You Want To" came on. Great song by a great band but not really the point.

Song verse above says we'll change the world if you want to. I feel this is something that gets talked about a lot in church and youth groups but is rarely executed in the right way. We feel like the only way to change the world is to get people saved. The goal might be to get people saved but a bunch of saved christians in church won't do anything. We'll all be in church, not out changing the world.

There's a movie out called Saved. I've gotten some crap about owning and liking this movie because people feel it makes fun of christians. I had a friend in high school. Mandy Moore's character in the movie and my friend are very similar in their personality. I've read countless articles with the people behind that movie that said they spent several months at youth groups and youth church rallys. I can tell. I think they nailed the extreme super hyped ready to roll christian youth culture.

The movie follows a character who sleeps with her boyfriend, who has just revealed he's gay, to get him back. She gets pregnant and finds real friends in the outcast of the christian school she attends. It's a great film about not judging others.

I feel we grow up in church and are expected to accept everything we're feed. We're never told to question people, never told to think for ourselves. I know one of the biggest things for me in youth group was going to bible study and being allowed to ask any question I wanted and argue any point I wanted. It helped shape my character and alot of what I believe now.

I don't believe the church can be effective and change the world by bring people to church to get saved or by going out and preaching the word on all the street corners. I believe there is some effectiveness to this but I feel there is a need for something deeper and more personal. people need to know that Jesus died because God loves them. The first thing I don't want to tell someone is that they're a dirty sinner and going to hell. The thing that has kept me going in my faith and walk is a knowledge that I'm loved by God no matter what and because his son died for me and I believe in him, God sees me as righteous.

I think as christians we need to start working on building relationships. Not so we can bring people to church and get them saved but because we care about them and want to invest in other people. If you show the love of God and people see that in you and know you've taken the time to care about them and invest in their life then you will get people saved and you will change the world.

It's time we take on a Jesus attitude and start caring about people.