Category: unChristian

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unChristian: 5. Antihomosexual

Many people in the gay community don’t seem to have issues with Jesus but rather with those claiming to represent him today. It’s very much an “us-versus-them” mentality, as if a war has been declared. Of course each side thinks the other fired the opening shot.1

Nearly ten years ago Kinnaman and Lyons were writing about the wave of criticism that was building from what we now see as the norm for many. Perhaps these warning shots were ignored then, but they cannot be avoided now. In this chapter we’ll wade into the discussion a bit, just a bit.

Ninety-one percent (91%) of Busters and Mosaics describe Christians as antihomosexual.

One thing I really appreciated about this chapter was the revelation that Christians have accepted divorce as normal, but shun those who come from the LGBTQ community (ironically, I just had to add LGBTQ to my dictionary). So it’s ok to be divorced, but it’s not ok to be gay. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I completely understand this topic, but I am embarrassed to admit I am biased toward this opinion–something I’m working hard to fix. Having said that, I don’t think I fit into any extreme category and I’m definitely not a hater of any kind. Still, I have a lot to learn from Jesus’ words, actions, example, life–his desire for all to enter a loving relationship with God.

Are there some sins that God will not forgive? (see Luke 12:8-10.) In this context the question is considered because many have been misguided into believing there is some special judgment for certain sins.  I was raised with the theology: love the sinner, hate the sin. You can’t hate someone into the Kingdom of God…it simply doesn’t work that way. As we covered in the previous chapter, Jesus’ strongest words and actions were against those who considered themselves the most devout, the religious right. I want nothing to do with this group. We’re all sinners trapped in our biased worldviews. We need to focus on Christ, on what God intends for us.

This chapter uses divorce, those who are divorced (and therefore have confessed a sin that Jesus was pretty clear about) to get my attention. As a society, we’ve been conditioned to think divorce is normal so we don’t give it a second thought. With extreme sadness I’ve recently read books that remind me that just a few decades ago in this country we had entire neighborhoods constructed for people whose skin happened to be darker than most. There were laws in place to enforce such behavior. Most would agree this was insane.

Most of the younger generation support same-sex lifestyles, marriage, adopting children, etc. Most of the older generation rejects the idea and would like to legislate their opinions.

There will no doubt be more discussions about those who have elevated sexual preference and gender identity as prominent issues that need to be addressed. Part of me sees this as a victory for Satan since it drives the church into corners, divides believers by confusing motives. “All have sinned” includes everyone. I’m no better than anyone else because I’ve read the Bible or go to church. There is nothing I can do to earn the grace that is freely given to all who would ask.

 

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Chapter 6 »

 

 

1 Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe (2007-10-01). unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters (p. 91). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

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unChristian: 4. Get Saved!

Are we keeping score?

Outsiders are skeptical about our desire to put another notch in our belts and “get someone saved for Jesus!” Our methods for implementing the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is tempered by the hypocrisy was discussed in the previous chapter.

Only one-quarter of young outsiders firmly perceive that Christianity offers them “hope for the future” (23 percent), and only one out of every seven strongly believes Christianity is “genuine and real” (15 percent). Despite the fact that most young outsiders say that Christianity has good values and principles (79 percent), a majority say that the Christian faith teaches pretty much the same basic ideas as other religions (81 percent). 1

These statistics help shape the basis for the chapter and should compel us to action. How is it that only 23 percent of the next generation find hope in Christ? What are we doing, or rather, not doing to lose 77 percent of the population when most appreciate the “good values and principles” taught in the Bible?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer would probably answer that we have cheapened the Gospel, created the theology of “cheap grace.” Brennan Manning would agree and I think many pastors of the modern Christian church would join the fray.

My goal each day has little to do with getting a notch in my belt, but outsiders don’t have that perception–that’s what I want to learn from this chapter.

Some Realities

  • Sharing faith is best achieved through interpersonal relationships–not through mass revivals. Less than one-half of one percent of the born-again Busters said they came to faith as a result of radio, television or tracts being passed out. That’s more than zero, but just barely.
  • Mass evangelism creates more negative responsive–three to ten times the negative response.
  • The Great Commission doesn’t give us the license to offend people. The apostle Paul taught us that the Gospel will be offensive, but he always pointed to Christ and encouraged us to be kind and considerate. The people Jesus most often offended were the religious, the self-righteous Jewish leadership.
  • Most don’t aren’t logical thinkers and are not interested in having an intellectual discussion based on modern apologetics.  While that’s probably an accurate conclusion from the data presented, I don’t believe this is a license to avoid studying Scripture and building our own intellectual arguments. William Lane Craig leads a host of modern apologists that have gone to great lengths to developing convincing, scientific, arguments that support a wide array of theses presented by the Bible. It’s good to wrestle with these!
  • Most people come to faith before adolescence. What we do in church matters. We must have serious discipleship plans if we are to see a generation of believers rise up and move this country back toward Christ.
  • Reaching fiercely independent adults is a difficult task–Jesus told us it the world would problems (John 16:33). This should be no surprise, but as mentioned early, is also not an excuse for apathy.

Forgettable Faith

Most people in our country, some 82 percent, have heard the message of the Gospel, been to church and have heard about Christianity. But as teenagers enter the adult world, the vast majority of them fall away from the church.

The vast majority of Americans, regardless of age, assert they have already made a significant decision to follow Christ! 2

But what does that really mean? Kinnaman digs deeper to find that only 3 percent actually have a Biblical worldview based on these factors2:

  1. Believes Jesus Christ lived a sinless life
  2. God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and he still rules today
  3. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned
  4. Satan is real
  5. Christians have a responsibility to share their faith
  6. The Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches
  7. Unchanging moral truth exists
  8. Such moral truth is defined by the Bible

 

These statistics should drive us to examine how we raise disciples. If I sound redundant, I’m ok with that! Most people in this country have “heard the gospel.” The question is, what have they heard? Or perhaps more importantly, what have they experienced? What are we doing to perpetuate cheap grace? How can we redirect this?

Our research confirmed that many of these young people actually went through a time when they were searching for faith. They were probing the Christian faith, trying it on for size, but they couldn’t get past some of the mental, emotional, or spiritual barriers— often heightened by their experience of an unChristian faith— so they gave up. 3

Having Clear Outcomes in Mind

Leaders in the Christian faith will no doubt agree that we should all be seeking transformation, to become like Christ in all things. Defining that is a bit difficult to agree on. Here are some points to consider:

Clearly we need to redefine our metrics, how we measure success. If not by numbers, how do we do this? How do we measure depth and quality of spiritual maturity? I think the main emphasis is not the numbers but the reality of moving deeper in our faith and letting the numbers be evidence, not the goal.

Lord help us to be more Christ-like and lean on you for understanding.

 

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Chapter 5 »

 

1 Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe (2007-10-01). unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters (p. 69). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

2 ibid, p.75.

3 ibid, p.78.

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unChristian: 3. Hypocritical

One of the most often cited reasons for steering away from Christianity: we’re just a bunch of hypocrites!

Eighty-five percent of young outsiders have had sufficient exposure to Christians and churches that they conclude present-day Christianity is hypocritical.1

Who cares?

The research seems to suggest that Busters and Mosaics agree that Christians are hypocrites, but they don’t really care because, it seems, everyone is a hypocrite! It’s all about getting ahead in the world, preserving your image, looking like people expect, so apparently, it’s a new normal. What a horrible worldview! Not only does this generation consider inflating resumes as normal, it lumps Christ followers in the same group. We have a lot of work to do indeed!

In Matthew 23, Jesus was very critical of the religious elite, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Teachers of the Law. That’s the last group of people I want to be identified with.

Lifestyle Gaps

The Outside world sees us as no different than anyone else…we have nothing to distinguish us from non-Christians. It’s one thing to be transparent, to confess we are all sinners. It’s an entirely different thing to behave like those who have not been transformed by the Holy Spirit. If our attempt was to fit into society, we’ve accomplished that a bit too well.

What’s the Message?

When asked to identify the most important priorities for the Christian faith, most essentially answered, “being good, doing the right thing, not sinning.”

The evidence that born-again Christians prioritize “avoiding sin” is compelling. First, realize that most Americans believe you can earn a place in heaven if you do enough good things for others or if you are a decent person. One-third of the people who qualify as born-again Christians embrace this idea as well. 2

While it’s not wrong to want these things, this isn’t what Jesus called us to do. We should be taking up our cross daily, diving into the Bible, learning the principles and living them out. As a result, we would naturally do good things. That’s very different than doing good things first…as if we could earn salvation. Brennan Manning’s Ragamuffin Gospel destroys this misconception: it’s all about the costly grace of Jesus Christ.

Kinnaman quotes Philip Yancy’s book, What’s So Amazing About Grace, to say that Jesus preferred to spend time around sinners because they had no pretense. Those who claimed to be so righteous we not interested in hearing what He had to say. They knew it all.

What if Outsiders are Right?

After re-reading this chapter, I simply have to ask the question: What if outsiders are right? We if we are the hypocritical, non-transparent, two-faced, self-righteous, bigots they’ve come to expect? It’s no wonder they have little interest in hearing the Gospel. They are right when most wear the badge of Christian on Sunday, actually just a few hours on Sunday, then quickly put it back in the drawer for another week. They’re right when we avert our eyes from homeless families or those who are in the deadly spiral of poverty and simply say, “we’ll pray for you!” I wish I weren’t guilty of fitting into their definition, but I am guilty to at least some degree.

Lord, help us to move away from the comforts this country has to offer and go into the world proclaiming your grace. Help us to work harder than anyone else, as if we were working for you (Colossians 3:23), to be a positive example. Show us how. When we get together on Sundays, let these be days when we share stories of how you honored these prayers throughout the week, how You helped us overcome the trials and temptations. Teach us to throw away the masks of hypocrisy. I want to be more like You, Lord. That may make me look like a radical, but certainly not a hypocrite.

 

« Chapter 2

Chapter 4 »

 

 

1 Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe (2007-10-01). unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters (p. 42). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

2 ibid, p. 50

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unChristian: 2. Discovering unChristian Faith

Generation Gap Widening

This chapter provides more background into the rest of the book and provides an introduction to the next six chapters.

One of the interesting dichotomies is the strong desire for Mosaics and Busters to be part of a tribe while maintaining fierce individualism–perhaps disturbing is a better term.

Fewer than one out of ten young adults mention faith as their top priority, despite the fact that the vast majority of Busters and Mosaics attended a Christian church during their high school years. Most young people who were involved in a church as a teenager disengage from church life and often from Christianity at some point during early adulthood, creating a deficit of young talent, energy, and leadership in many congregations.1

It’s imperative that we take time to understand the gap and to figure out how to make connections. But we need to be careful not to simply repackage Christianity to be appealing to a particular target audience. I fully believe Jesus is as relevant today as He was when talking to people on earth 2,000 years ago. We need to deal with the tension this causes, not ignore it, while at the same time being consistent. Difficult to say the least.

The leadership at Elevation Church has apparently figured this out. We have friends in Charlotte (and other Elevation locations) that are excited to be part of their vision. My prayer is that the cake is as good on the inside as the icing on the outside appears. I earnestly pray for their leadership and hope with all my heart that they are listening to God in every decision they make. Too many people’s lives are at stake!

Hostile Takeover

The data presented shows a drastic shift toward Christianity’s role in society. In 1996, 85% were favorable to Christianity. By 2006, that number is down to 38%, even to the point that one-third say Christianity represents a negative image, one they don’t want to be associated with. Compare this with:

Their impressions of the Bible are mixed: most think it has good values, but only three out of ten believe that it is accurate in all the principles it teaches.2

This just fuels my desire to see the Bible taught in churches, not for memorization, but for understanding. I pray that God will open the way for the Biblical Literacy Assessment to become a reality that wakes people up to the reality that we all need to comprehend the Bible.

Most Outsiders know the story of Jesus, most have heard, “It’s simple, just accept Jesus, believe in Christ, confess your sins and you will be saved.” (The A-B-Cs of coming to Christ.) I cringe every time I hear a pastor say, “it’s simple” or “all you have to do is…” This quickly becomes a faith that’s centered around something “I do.” Jesus did not teach this sort of cheap grace. Yes, we must come to grips with our sinful nature, confess our sins and accept Christ, but it is not simple. I’m not suggesting we embrace 613 laws that must be followed (or else), just that we get real about our own sinful nature, let transparency become the rule and not the exception. Jesus came to give life to a broken world and we’ve made it a “join the club” atmosphere.

Why So Negative?

Perhaps this is why people react negatively when we boast about the security of our eternal reward compared to their destiny. We are not so important–Jesus is. I strongly agree with Kinnaman’s assertion: “We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for.”

Six Broad Themes

The next 6 chapters will dive into these topics:

  1. Hypocritical.
  2. Too focused on getting converts.
  3. Antihomosexual.
  4. Sheltered.
  5. Too political.
  6. Judgmental.

Complex Background

  • Perceptions are not formed in a vacuum or based on limited exposure
  • Impressions are forged through many inputs: churches, relationships, other religions — conversations with other
  • The “secular” media is not as effective as we might expect
  • Bad experiences in church have a strongly negative influence on many — not a surprise — something like 30%.

Hijacking Jesus

This is where caution must rule. We must not edit the Bible to make it more palpable for outsiders, nor try to look more appealing to satisfy their appetites. Kinnaman refers to this as hijacking Jesus, “softening or reshaping the gospel” to somehow make it more interesting. He believes outsiders want to have conversations and not persuasion sessions.

Do Perceptions Matter?

  1. What people think about Christians influences how they respond to us. People’s attitudes drive their actions.
  2. What people think about Christians should help us be objective.
  3. What people think of Christians can change.
  4. What people think about Christians reflects personal stories.

Years ago I put a simple reminder on my desk, one that I could see when speaking with anyone: “Perception = Reality.” What someone perceives is in fact their personal reality and that matters to me. That doesn’t give me license to become a chameleon, but it does mean that I take Paul’s words seriously:

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

A Wake-up Call

One of the things Kinnaman does in this book is to translate the percentages into numbers, e.g., “Millions of young outsiders are mentally and emotionally disengaging from Christianity.” Millions. People that Christ died for. Not a percentage or statistic, rather a list of names we could create if we were so motivated. That is profoundly sad. What am I doing today to remove one name from that list? Lord, I pray that you will show me some way to more someone off of that list each day and that I would teach others to do the same!

Responding to unChristian Faith

Jesus’ answer is recorded in John 17 as our Savior prays for his disciples:

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

I found a post by David Mathis interesting, “So let’s revise the popular phrase “in, but not of.” Christians are not of this world, but sent into it. Not of, but sent into.” I hope and pray that we become unhappy with churches that are so inwardly focused that they miss the command to be sent into the world by Jesus himself. We have a mission to complete. Lord help us!

 

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Chapter 3 »

 

1 Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe (2007-10-01). unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters (p. 23). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

2 ibid, p. 24

 

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unChristian: 1. The Backstory

Seeing Christianity from the Outside

Our research shows that many of those outside of Christianity, especially younger adults, have little trust in the Christian faith, and esteem for the lifestyle of Christ followers is quickly fading among outsiders. They admit their emotional and intellectual barriers go up when they are around Christians, and they reject Jesus because they feel rejected by Christians.1

It’s not a surprise that many have little trust in the Christian faith, but digging into the details Kinnaman and Lyons explore this concern through many lenses. The Backstory explains how Gabe Lyons confided in David Kinnaman about his calling to explore these issues and to reveal them to other Christ followers who certainly have a sense that this is the case, but really don’t understand the nature of the problem.

Why unChristian?

Outsiders, those who are not part of the Christian faith, see Christ through our actions, our words and deeds, especially the negative press, and find little to compel them to be a part of the Christian community. Quoting Bible verses isn’t helpful in bridging this gap. Building relationships based on love and trust matters–not viewing people as projects. We have a lot to learn from the data presented in this book. So here we have evidence of outsiders’ reactions to Christianity. This is an opportunity to listen and learn. We must be willing to engage, not just throw our hands up and quit. Christ called us to make disciples and He promised it was not going to be easy.

New Directions

Terms and definitions are required to discuss perspectives used throughout this book. It’s always risky to apply a label, so the authors have chosen terms that are meant to avoid derogatory connotations.

  • Outsiders. This group includes atheists, agnostics, those affiliated with a faith other than Christianity (such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Mormonism, and so on), and other unchurched adults who are not born-again Christians.
  • Mosaics. Those born between 1984 and 2002.
  • Busters. Those born between 1965 and 1983.

The primary focus of this book is on those between 16 and 29 years old, the Mosaics and Busters because they comprise a huge portion of our population and they are the generation that will be running the country when we’re old and retired!!

While the focus seems to be on outsiders, it appears that many Mosaics and Busters that are Christ-followers are skeptical of present-day Christianity–they are feeling the heat of negative perceptions. In my mind this is a huge call for discipleship that we (as the elder population) need to take seriously.

And so the journey begins. My prayer is that God will open my eyes to the great opportunities that are revealed in this book, that the size and scope of the problem keep me up at night as I wrestle with understanding what one person can do to affect change that is so desperately needed.

 

« Intro

Chapter 2 »

 

1 Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe (2007-10-01). unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters (p. 11). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

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