Here's Anne Jackson on a recent conversation with a non Christian friend.

during our conversation, my friend’s words sucked me out of the bubble with the force of a dyson and i really think my head exploded. we think we have so much figured out about life and the world around us, yet what we have actually done to shape and form the perception of those outside this jesus bubble TERRIFIES me. this conversation shook me to my core. it made me sick. it made me ashamed. it made me want to get a lobotomy and rediscover and relearn a faith i have “known” since i was in utero. i feel like i’m in the freaking matrix.

Go here to read the whole post.

What is she talking about? Have you experienced this?

Ask a 20-something Christian what he or she really wants to know from God and you're likely to hear one of two questions: Who am I supposed to marry? and What does God want me to do with my life? In Just Courage , Gary Haugen doesn't speak to the former question per se, but he offers a resounding response to the latter.

Haugen writes, "Over and over in Scripture, God promises to pour out His presence and power on those who choose to follow Him in His work of justice in the world. Certainly the work of justice brings marvelous rescue and joy to the victims of injustice, but God wants His people to know that the work of justice benefits the people who do it as well."

We all want God's blessing on our efforts, to please Him with the work of our calling. As Isaiah says, it is God's call to
"seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow."
(1:17)

How is the work you're doing - whether your "day job" or not - benefiting the least of these? How can we as leaders use our gifts to help bring justice to a fallen world?

Read an excerpt from Just Courage in the upcoming Catalyst GroupZine , In Common .

"What Americans Really Believe reveals that megachurch members tend to be younger, practice evangelism more frequently, and are bigger on volunteerism than those in smaller churches. Oops. There go the stereotypes. And they aren't abandoning the harder, counter-cultural doctrines of the Christian faith either."

It's Mega Church Week at Ed Stetzer's place. He's blogging about mega church myths, interviewing mega church pastors and his research on America's largest churches is releasing (via Outreach Magazine).

Read more myths dispelled from his post above.