Lent 2011: Nooma and unChristian

Lent is a period of spiritual self-examination and penance in preparation for Easter.  Each of the five Sundays in Lent, our adult Christian Education class will watch and discuss a Nooma video, and the sermon will focus on a chapter from the book unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. 

These resources can be tools for us during Lent as we reevaluate what it means to be Christian in a new generation.  People of all ages are invited: Christian Education for adults and children is at 9:30 AM and worship is at 11 AM.

Nooma Video Series

Nooma (from the Greek word “pneuma,” meaning Spirit) is a video series produced between 2002 and 2009 that features Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church.  Each short video focuses on a different spiritual topic.  We will be watching and discussing videos that correspond to the unChristian sermon series, including:

  • Mar. 13: Sunday
  • Mar. 20: Bullhorn
  • Mar. 27: Name
  • Apr. 3: You
  • Apr. 10: Corner

unChristian Sermon Series

This book explores what a new generation of young adults thinks about Christianity.  Published in 2007, it is based upon extensive research from the Barna Group.  Kinnaman and Lyons say, “The research shows that Christians are best known for what they are against.  They are perceived as being judgmental, antihomosexual, and too political.  And young people are quick to point out they believe that Christianity is no longer as Jesus intended. It is unChristian.”

We will focus on the following themes in worship as we seek to transform our lives and the negative perceptions other have of us:

  • Mar. 9 (Ash Wednesday): Hypocritical
  • Mar. 13: Judgmental
  • Mar. 20: Too focused on getting converts
  • Mar. 27: Antihomosexual
  • Apr. 3: Too political
  •  Apr. 10: Sheltered