rebelling against low expectations
When I was eleven, my parents gave me my own study Bible. I’d had other Bibles before, of course. I remember a children’s Bible with a picture of Jesus on the cover and I once had a mini pink Bible that I ruined when I accidentally dropped it in a mud puddle. But to me, this Bible symbolized adulthood. For years, the Bible has been an integral part of my life. I can honestly say it’s changed the...
I’m tired of apathetic Christianity. I see it in the world around me. I see it in the church. But mostly, I see it in me. A reluctance to give Christ everything. A subtle complacency. Compromise filtering in. I see people claiming the name of Jesus on Sunday and living like the rest of the world Monday through Saturday. And then I look at my own heart on countless Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays . ...
So many summer events have been canceled. Sports, concerts, vacations, conferences . . . While many of us were gearing up for a jam-packed summer, suddenly many of our plans disappeared. It can be disappointing . . . but you know what? Here at the Reb, we are excited about this summer. We believe this could be a summer of tremendous opportunities. For growth. For doing hard things. For learning...
Starting a Book Club When “Gathering” Is Difficult There are many reasons to start a book club. Maybe you love to read, and you want to participate in a book-focused social activity. Maybe you enjoy a unique genre of books, and you want to discuss them with somebody who understands. Or maybe you want to push yourself to read more, or read a wider variety of books, or read something that will grow...
Hey, Rebelutionaries! Have you heard the news? The Rebelution has a new book for teens coming out next May! Our lead editor Sara Barratt’s book, Love Riot: A Teenage Call to Live With Relentless Abandon for Christ releases from Baker Books in May 2020. We’re so excited for Sara and can’t wait to share it with you all! But in the meantime, we need your help! Are you a teenager who loves books? Or...
Some time ago, I wrote for TheReb about whether fiction is less important for Christians. As Christians we seem to have a problem with thinking fiction—fantasy, realistic fiction, ancient epic—is somehow subpar; that really spiritual Christians don’t bother with it. In fact the opposite is true. Fiction is food for our souls. It broadens the scope of our imagination, lets us see good and evil in...
You walk into the local library, and take a deep breath of that musty and adventurous scent of books you love so much. You begin thumbing through a selection of Christian Fiction, and a title catches your eye. You slip it out and glance over the back cover. Mystery, intrigue, adventure. It looks exciting, so you tuck it under your arm and weave back through the shelves with your prize. Then, you...
I spent a lot of time reading in high school. Not everything was worth reading. It wasn’t reading books with problematic content. But I read many forgettable books that didn’t impact my spiritual or intellectual life. It isn’t bad to read books just because they’re enjoyable—in moderation there’s a value in stories that offer simple entertainment. But the best books not only delight us, but also...
rebelling against low expectations
