Tag: leader

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And He Chose You

Today’s Our Daily Bread referenced Deuteronomy 10:12-22 which includes the phrase, “and He chose you, their descendants, above all the nations.” In reading the Bible, the concept of the “chosen people” is a consistent theme. Many times we read about the people chosen by God, but today the thought that jumped out is this:

they weren’t chosen because they were special,
they were blessed because they were chosen.

Let that sink in for a minute.

We are blessed because we have been saved by Grace, set apart, listed among the few. This special favor is not something to wear with pride as the Pharisees did–thus a significant part of Jesus’ earthly ministry. This whole concept of being “special” is fragmenting this country as it seems like a new people-group pops up daily and demands to have special treatment.

The reality is we are set apart to do the work of Christ during the short time we have on earth. God chose Israel to be the example for the world and they messed it up over and over again. For our benefit, God chose to record this in great detail in the Old Testament.

12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

For Your Own Good

What a concept. It’s all about pointing to the Lord. Holy Spirit help me to point to you in all things. Keep me humble while you give me strength to lead, follow, serve, teach, learn and live for Christ in all that I do.

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Love the Lord Your God

In Deuteronomy 6 we read the great words of Moses that are central to the Jewish faith, as well as those of us who follow Christ:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.Deuteronomy 6:4

Jesus cites this verse for the Pharisees when asked to name the greatest commandments in Matthew 22:34-40 and Mark 12:29-31. Throughout the Bible we are reminded to love the Lord our God. We are provided examples of those who do and those who do not. We are shown there are times when our great ancestors fall short. Still we come back to this great passage, the first part of the Jewish Shema. I pray that I can adopt this custom, not out of ritual routine, but out of the greatest reminder and reverence.

I was actually drawn to the verses that follow this passage this morning. In particular, the phrases in Deuteronomy 6:10-11:

  • “you did not build”
  • “you did not provide”
  • “you did not dig”
  • “you did not plant”

Repetition, I’m told, is there for emphasis. Like ALL CAPS, but more important and more significant. This flies in the face of the self-made-man, the righteous American. All too often we want credit for building, providing, digging and planting, whether or not we actually did the work. Make no mistake, when we put forth a small amount of effort to do the same we are quick to claim the credit: “I built, I provided, I dug, I planted.”

Pause.

Remember our time in the vessels of clay is temporary. Remember and do not forget to Love the Lord. Verse 12 wraps up this thought nicely,

be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.Deuteronomy 6:12

It is indeed my desire to remember, to not forget, and more importantly, to do something about that memory. I’m not content to be one who warms a seat on Sunday when there are so many who truly don’t love the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6 is preceded by the famous Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-21). It’s worth taking a moment to remember these simple commandments:

  1. You shall have no other gods before me
  2. You shall not make idols
  3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God
  4. Observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy
  5. Honor your father and your mother
  6. You shall not commit murder
  7. You shall not commit adultery
  8. You shall not steal
  9. You shall not give false testimony
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…or anything that belongs to your neighbor

I wonder how many of us remember this, much less commit to following the spirit and intent behind them.

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Simple, yes? It is simple, but our society rejects the above as if it’s absurd. We have a lot of work to do. Lord, give us strength and courage and ENERGY to do your work.

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Leader of the Band

For some strange reason this morning I find myself thinking about my dad. Getting choked up just thinking about the strong, consistent, joyful man of God my father was during his time on earth. Perhaps reading the Brett Andrews post about the passing of his dad and the kind words he said. I dunno.

I’m transported back to 1983, the Air Force Worldwide Talent Show in downtown Panama City. My parents made the 5-hour drive to see their son sing a 4-minute song. Though I qualified for show with one song, I changed it to Dan Fogelberg’s, Leader of the Band, when I found out my parents were coming. The chorus still brings a tear to my eye:

The leader of the band is tired
and his eyes are growing old.
But his blood runs through my instrument
and his heart is in my soul.
My life has been a poor attempt
to imitate the man,
I’m just the living legacy
to the leader of the band.

Yes, those words come from memory, fond memories of a time long ago. There were some 3,000 people in the civic center that night. I stood alone on a huge stage with my Ovation 12-string and a few microphones. I wasn’t the least bit nervous, you see, for I was just singing a song to my dad and I wanted the world to hear how much I loved this man, my father.

Emotions are crazy things. As I get older I’m reminded of good times and bad, joy and sadness. Lately it seems I have no emotion at all, stoic, even cold. Life keeps throwing curve balls and it’s difficult to know what’s around the corner. I’m completely confident God has this under control, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy or the least bit enjoyable.

More than anything I want to be the leader of the band that my girls respect, love and honor like I did my father. Not afraid to call a lie a lie, humble enough to admit mistakes, strong enough to discipline when necessary.

My life is a poor attempt to imitate this man, but I will press on knowing that one far greater than I has my back. Lord, I see you in my father’s life on earth. May our girls see You in my life, the one who is more worthy of honor. May they know that this Easter. Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! That is why we have hope.

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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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Under the Overpass

I finally took time to sit down and read Mike Yankoski’s book, Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America. We’ve had the book in the house for several years. I think it was a gift from someone when I was on staff at Shoreline Community Church, but I’m not sure. Dealing with homeless issues is something we saw on a daily basis there. As the “big” church in Monterey, people knew they could seek help at Shoreline.

Like The Heart and the Fist, this is not a book that I will outline, add discussion questions or some kind of leaders guide, it’s just a short review of thoughts I have based on the reading.

To begin with, it’s really short and easy to read, so if you’re looking for a book for those who don’t read much, I highly recommend this one. With only eight chapters (sections), Mike Yankoski recounts his adventures with his friend Sam Purvis as they hit the pause button on college and subject themselves to living on the streets of Denver, Washington DC, Portland, San Francisco, Phoenix and San Diego.

Beginning

If you look at the featured image on this post, you’ll see that I intentionally included Matthew 16:24 in the background. We are called to be disciples of Christ, called to action, called to do something with our limited time on earth. This book is about Mike and Sam being faithful to hearing God’s call in their life for this particular journey into the homeless subculture of the streets in a handful of major cities in America.

I greatly appreciate their patience in planning and executing this particular mission. They didn’t just get motivated and take off; rather, they formed a board of advisors, asked for prayers and, get this, they listened to their elders. That is an amazing thought. God honored their plans and heartfelt desire to learn about homelessness by experiencing.

It was an experiment, one they could cancel at any time, but these guys were committed and stuck to their plans with little modification (they left Phoenix about a week earlier than planned because of the heat).

Lessons Learned

There are many lessons learned throughout the course of their journey. One of the most poignant stories was from a church in Portland. I wish I had a photo of this:

A large gray church rose up behind a wrought iron fence in front of us. The building was old and weathered. Above the mahogany double doors hung a sign in red letters: “No Trespassing. Church Business Only.” A new chain and two huge padlocks secured the gate at the sidewalk.p. 114

How many times do we project those words instead of the words Jesus taught us to love the least of these. I know we need to lock our doors, but is there some way we can be open for those in need?

Here’s a quick review of the cities and a thought on each as I flip back through the pages. It’s interesting that because of my time in the military, I’ve lived in and around the cities in this book (with the exception of Portland).

  • Colorado Springs (60 miles south of Denver),
  • Manassas, Virginia (a city in the Washington DC area),
  • Monterey, California (100 miles south of San Francisco…several trips there during our 3 years including a mission trip to the Tenderloin)
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Much business in Los Angeles and a few trips to San Diego

Perhaps this was part of the appeal of the book and part of the reality that I’ve walk past homeless guys in most of these cities (and countless others in my travels). Hmmm. Something to think about.

Denver

Staying in a mission for a month was their way of getting acclimated to the idea of being homeless. It seems like they learned a lot in this process and makes me want to spend a month in mission somewhere without this computer, internet or cell phone. Seriously.

Washington DC

The separation of classes is really prevalent in DC…those who have (power and money) and those who have nothing. The sad reality that a huge part of this population comes from military veterans is difficult to appreciate. Why are our veterans abandoned?

The story of Tiffany in this chapter was really inspiring. A young Christian college student, Tiffany saw Mike and Sam and bought them dinner without knowing their story. Cool. I reminds me of something our daughter Cynthia might do (if she has, she wouldn’t tell us anyway…that’s how she is!). Seeing the guys were hungry, she simply offered to take them to dinner and listen to their story. Nice.

Portland

Basic needs for restrooms, showers, clean clothes and even something as simple as water are things the homeless population struggle to find. The “body basics” are daily concerns. The guys went for weeks without a shower because that was just not available. I’m reminded of the mission in Montgomery where they intentionally built showers and laundry facilities to help the homeless.

San Francisco

God’s providence was evident in several ways in San Francisco. Reading this chapter reminded me of the week I spent with the youth of Shoreline Community Church as we ministered to those in the Tenderloin district…the poorest of the poor. I could smell the smells and see the faces of those I met as Yankoski recalled their experience. When they met a 17-year old preacher in the park who was following his calling I couldn’t help but smile. We discount our teenagers too quickly these days. Here was a guy who was sincere. Well done.

Phoenix

I loved the Mr. White Polo Shirt story. Some megachurch with excellent security staff kicked Mike and Sam off the property because of an event the church was hosting. Later Mr White Polo Shirt found them in church, hugged them and asked for forgiveness. How often do we get a chance to ask for forgiveness for our missteps?

San Diego

The story of Doug saving a guy from drowning was a surprise. The surrealistic experience toward the end of their time on the streets must have really made an impact on Mike and Sam. It’s a brief, but Doug’s story is symbolic of so many on the streets who are addicted to something they can’t shake, though they try.

Concluding Thoughts

This is the incredibly sad reality of many on the streets: mentally ill, alcoholics, drug addicts, beaten, worn, without hope. These are the least in our society and we are called by Christ to serve them. I greatly appreciate the end of the book (pp 218-219) where Yankoski provides a few ideas and encouragement to get involved locally:

  1. Find the rescue mission nearest to you. Call and find out how you can get involved. Show up an hour early and plan on leaving an hour after you’re scheduled to. Have conversations with the homeless as they stand outside, waiting to get in. Bring bottled water, baked cookies, granola bars, patience, and a sense of humor. You’ll bless those who cannot bless you in return.
  2. Go downtown with a friend or friends (don’t go alone). Buy cups of coffee or a bag of take-out food, find a homeless person sitting around asking for money, share your gifts, and enjoy a conversation. No agenda, no plans, no purpose other than to be with that person. You’ll be amazed at what unfolds.
  3. Is it cold outside? Go to your closet and grab the sweater, sweatshirt, or coat you keep telling yourself you’ll wear sometime but know you won’t. Call up four friends and tell them to do the same thing. Then go downtown and hand out your warm clothing to the men or women huddled under the overpass or in a doorway. As you stand there thinking of how cold your nose is, you’ll be amazed at the genuine thankfulness of someone whole whole body is probably numb. And your giving will warm your soul, too.
  4. Become a spokesperson in your your group, church, and community for those who have no voice. Be relentlessly suspicious of your comfortable life, and of the comfort zones that render so many Christian fellowships insensitive and ineffective in our communities. God calls us all to more. And you and I can lead the way, one small step at a time.

In other words, do something.

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The Heart and the Fist

The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy Seal, by Eric Greitens

the-heart-and-the-fist-cropped
Click picture to view on Amazon.com

Founder of The Mission Continues,

Eric Greitens was inspired to launch the organization by his experience visiting Marines and soldiers who were wounded in combat after returning home from service in Iraq. Without exception, each service member expressed an unwavering desire to continue serving their country, even if they could no longer do so in the military.

Today, The Mission Continues has operations in cities across the country. Veteran volunteers, alongside non-profit partners and community leaders, work to achieve critical objectives such as improving community education resources, eliminating food deserts, mentoring at-risk youth and more.

Special thanks to my wife for encouraging me to read a book…just to read a book! No outlines here, no string of posts with notes and questions for discussion (the Table of Contents is provided for reference only).

This is a book that should be on the required reading of everyone in the military and those who work for humanitarian support agencies. Eric Greitens takes us on a tour of humanitarian and military hotspots around the world and provides an even-tone, introspective view of how individuals affect change around the globe. It’s not an almanac that tries to cover everything, just some highlights provided in a well-written, enjoyable read.

It should be required reading for the military because the author reminds us of why we wear the uniform and he does so from a position of humility without ever waving the flag. As a Navy SEAL, he is entitled the respect of many just for wearing the badge and serving with honor, but this is not flaunted nor is it brandished about as if the badge alone demands respect–he has earned his place at the table.

Those who work for humanitarian relief organizations will gain some valuable insight into why the military is their ally and how they can be partners in the effort to help those in need around the world. We need to work together, communicate better and serve with a common purpose.

Throughout the book, Greitens demonstrates the great need for humanitarian efforts to continue and he makes the case that there is a time and place for the military to take up arms to defend those who are defenseless. The wounded warriors that read these pages will walk away with a sense of honor that they deserve, with a respect we all have for their sacrifice.

I greatly appreciate Greitens’ inspiration for The Mission Continues. These men and women are far from being done yet. They may be physically wounded, but what they have learned and the heart they have for being an effective part of the cause agent for positive change is nothing short of remarkable.

Thank you Mr. Greitens for sharing your story. Thank you for encouraging all those who have served in the Armed Forces of this great country that chooses to involved itself for humanitarian needs regardless of the motivation. My prayer is that we would all learn to appreciate those who have such a heart for people, that we would learn to look at others as brothers and sisters and not projects or numbers. Thanks for the perspective.

 

 

Table of Contents

  1. Mind and Fist
    1. Iraq
    2. China
    3. Boxing
  2. Heart and Mind
    1. Bosnia
    2. Rwanda
    3. Bolivia
    4. Oxford
  3. Heart and Fist
    1. Officer Candidate School
    2. Seal Training
    3. Hell Week
    4. Advanced Combat Training
    5. Afghanistan
    6. Southeast Asia
    7. Kenya
    8. Iraq

Epilogue: The Mission Continues

 

 

 

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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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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: Intro

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters

David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons  

Hope Fellowship is using this book for it’s Connection Groups to discuss scriptural truths that provide a stronger foundation in Christ and His Word. It’s an interesting study that provides insight into what our society really thinks about Christians.

Table of Contents

  1. The Backstory
  2. Discovering unChristian Faith
  3. Hypocritical
  4. Get Saved!
  5. Anti-Homosexual
  6. Sheltered
  7. Too Political
  8. Judgmental
  9. From unChristian to Christian

Afterword

Introduction

The Barna Group is a visionary research and resource company located in Ventura, California. Started in 1984, the firm is widely considered to be a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture.

Based on extensive research, Kinnaman and Lyons provide objective insights into our culture to gain an understanding of how we, as Christians, are perceived by the world, or at least the United States. Published in 2007, the book is nearly 10 years old and is thus based on data a bit older than that. Though I’ve only read the description, comments, etc., I believe You Lost Me is a follow-up title published in 2011 that affirms the findings in this book. The conclusion remains the same: we need to pay attention to what our society thinks about Christians and hear what they are saying if we want to be relevant.

The book essentially provides statistical data in a narrative form along with insights from church leaders around the country. Compelling stories and quotes from respondents are presented to make us look in the mirror and give us an opportunity to break down barriers we hold onto dearly.

The timing of reading this book (on the heels of Mittelberg’s, Ten Questions) is interesting. Why am I intrigued by this subject? I hope I’m responding to the Holy Spirit to climb out from behind the walls of church and get into the real world where real people are lost and don’t even know. I hope I’m hearing Christ’s call to show people He has the real answers to their questions.

 

Chapter 1 »

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Ten Questions: #8 and #9 – Christian Hypocrites Are Often Judgmental

Full questions:

#8. How can I trust in Christianity when so many Christians are hypocrites?

#9. Why are Christians to judgmental toward everyone who doesn’t agree with them?

Summary

  • Mittelberg begins by relating how an actor’s job is to portray someone based on a script and story–it’s their job. Our lives should reflect who we really are, not an act!
  • Statistics bear out the sad fact that many who claim to be Christians fail by falling into serious sin.
  • When people express anger at hypocrisy, they are in good company–Jesus directed some of his harshest words at the hypocritical religious leaders of his day.
  • Jesus alone was free from sin. He will never disappoint. The rest of us need to get in line.
  • There is a difference between a struggling but honest believer and a hypocrite who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing.
  • Judgmentalism can refer to an arrogant and unacceptable “I’m better than you” attitude. Be aware that
    • spiritual confidence can be misconstrued as arrogance.
    • everyone thinks they are right in their own beliefs
  • Point your friends to the truth found in Christ, not other Christians

Introduction

  • Garry Poole provided an interesting perspective on the profession of acting and how they often portray fictional characters. Sidenote: Garry has a great heart for spiritual seekers. Check out his book, Seeker Small Groups: Engaging Spiritual Seekers in Life-Changing Discussions.
  • Headlines remind us all too often when some evangelical leader falls into some kind of serious sin.
    • It’s always a tragedy when a brother or sister falls
    • Even worse is when it affects someone who is seeking the truth in Christ
  • Hypocrite comes from an ancient Greek word that was a technical term for a stage actor. Hypocrites are mask wearers, acting without ever acknowledging that is what they are doing. They are frauds and imposters living a lie. Ouch!
  • Another book, one that we’re using in our small group, unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity, by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons uses research to show there isn’t much difference between people who claim to be Christians and the rest of the world.

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

Gandhi

In response: I am not offering you Christians, I am offering you Christ.

Akbar Abdul-Haqq

Halting Hypocrisy

Our friends are not alone in their harsh judgment of hypocrisy: Jesus often dealt with this issue. Matthew 23 records Jesus’ words about hypocrisy and directly points to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law.

  • When our friends condemn hypocrisy, they’re actually on Jesus’ side!
  • Jesus is the only perfect example–and therefore the only one who won’t disappoint us. Hebrews 4:15, John 8:46
  • The primary issue regarding the validity of Christianity is not Jesus’ followers but what he offers to those who follow him–the powerful, proven person of Jesus Christ himself.
  • Many hypocrites are only pretending to be God’s people. Titus 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:5
    • Hard to discern at times, but Jesus warned us about this from the beginning: Matthew 24:24-25
  • Hypocrisy comes in degrees–and each of us struggles with some measure of it. Romans 3:23, Colossians 3:12, Ephesians 4:23-24, Philippians 1:6
    • In reality, there should be no surprise that Christians are unable to live up to standards they strive to attain–no one can! We are not perfect. John 3:21
  • Jesus died on the cross to pay for and to free us from our sin–including that of hypocrisy. Don’t miss the verses after John 3:16: John 3:17-18 as well as Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1:15-16.

A Personal Response

  • As genuine followers of Jesus, we ought to be able to illustrate the difference that knowing him has made in our lives without glossing over the ups and downs we face in trying to follow him.
  • Keep it real. Be vulnerable.
  • Remember the Lord disciplines those he loves. Hebrews 12:5-6, 12

Judging Judgmentalism

  1. What many people react to is a haughty and arrogant attitude that they sometimes see in others. The “holier than thou” attitude. The truth is we’re just blessed to have found what we have in Christ and are privileged to get to share it with them.
  2. Some think we should never say we’re right and somebody else is wrong. See Matthew 7:1. But Jesus clarifies this position in Matthew 7:24. We need to be discerning and not condescending. Serve one another in humility John 8:32.

Tips for Talking About This Issue

  • Be honest about the reality of Christian hypocrisy. Let the hard truth of failures stand.
  • Listen in order to understand. Listen with empathy.
  • Be transparent.
  • As appropriate for the particular situation, be vulnerable about your own struggles.
  • Redirect. Remember that the basis for evaluating Christ must be Christ, not Christians.
  • Accusations of judgmentalism need to be defined.
  • There is no place for spiritual pride in the church.

Questions for discussion

  1. Why is the hypocrisy of Christians such a hot button for unbelievers? Why do you think it bothers them so much to see Christians acting in unchristian ways?
  2. Why do unbelievers hold Christians to such high standards?
  3. Have you ever encountered a hypocritical Christian? Describe the encounter. How did that person’s hypocrisy make you feel?
  4. Why did Jesus speak so sternly about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day?
  5. Can you share a way you have struggled with hypocrisy? What did you do about it? Can you think of a way to utilize that experience to point people to Christ?
  6. Explain the statement, “Authentic Christ followers understand they are works in progress.” Is that a helpful description or an effort to excuse bad behavior or attitudes? How does this help you talk about the hypocrisy with unbelievers?
  7. Describe the difference between “judgmentalism” and “judging with wisdom and discernment.”
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