Well it's finally here...

Well this weekend the Franklin Graham Festival comes to Winnipeg. I think I have mixed emotions about the weekend. I think great things can/are happening through the organization..my only fear is that churches see the festival as the ones doing all the work, that the wok is done after the they leave..people have said the sinner's prayer and are going to heaven...i find this the huge downfall of conferences such as these. As well often that is the message given to people, say these words and life is good no more commitments. I was talking with a deacon at my church yesterday and she asked what the church can do to make people have a 'deeper' faith..and i was responded well there first experience with the gospel they were told basically just say this pray...so its hard now to go back and tell them well actually its a life long thing. Gorden T. Smith in "Beginning Well", does an excellent job in exploring christian conversion and authentic transformation. This book has helped me refine what it means to live the christian life. I know the Grahams and others have always said that they only have one message, but what happens when this message creates a culture where people don't have a great knowledge of the Bible, i think we need to reevaluate what the message we are sending while I think the Grahams do great work, but I just find that there words create a Christians who view the sinners prayers as the end...not the beginning.