I came across a book a few weeks ago entitled "UNCHRISTIAN What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity." The book had such a big impact on my life that I wanted our church to be exposed to it. It is written by a guy named David Kinnaman, who works for the Barna Group.
He and a friend Gabe Lyons did extensive research to find out what people in their 20's really think about Christianity and the Church in the USA. Some 50 people in our church begins small group discussion this week. They will meet for 8 weeks and then the first of April all 4 groups will come together to decide how the info we discovered should influence the way we do things.
Here is a quote from the inside cover: "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.
I will discuss with you over the next 8 weeks the highlights of each chapter. We are perceived to be Hypocritical. Rather than really caring for people, all we care about is getting people saved so we can brag about it. Our moral stance against the homosexual has led the 20's generation to perceive us as Antihomosexual, even among those in that generation who are involved in church. We are viewed as living Sheltered lives and being out of touch with the real world. We are way too political, and also seen to be Judgmental.
This study will be shocking to you. Tell me what your initial impressions are of this article.
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I have started reading the book UnChristian and it is amazing to hear about the gap in the age groups. I am in the Buster generation-I guess I missed the paradigm shift that views Christianity in such a negative way. I do, however, see the value of understanding the other side of the issue.
ReplyDeleteDonna
I am the last of the boomers and can really see what this author is talking about. I see good intentions misinterpreted by both sides.
ReplyDeleteKeith
I have pre-conceived ideas about the book "UnChristian"...testing my intuition to see if the conclusions expressed here will be similar after I finish the book....(Steve)
ReplyDeleteSome thoughts emerge from ("UnChristian") the book's description....it implies ( to this member of the older generation) that we can and should appreciate and respect the "cultural traditions" experienced over the decades preceding our generation....after saying that...the reality of a huge culture shift in our current generation mindset of values suggests (or demands) that Christians change....not with respect to the fundamental truths we live by and communicated to us in the Bible....but change in the way we communicate to our current generation about God's truths and his desire to have a relationship with every person on earth as well as those on the space station.....the question arises by asking, "is the current generation really that cynical about life in general?"....do they interpret hope in a different way?.....What motivates the young people to look forward to what's next and what's going to be great about tomorrow?....How do they decide who and what is of value to them? How do they allow themselves to be influenced? Recently I became aware that the younger generation is not interested with church denominations, symbols, procedures, rather, they seek to "EXPERIENCE" Christianity with mutual worshippers.
"How do we prepare everyone for the return of Christ?" It is important for me and my family to be prepared for Jesus' return....Am I motivated to urgently communicate the importance of everyone preparing for Jesus' return to a lost people? I should be...I need to pray....
an image keeps coming to mind...it is that of a "compass".....it always points in one specific direction......the integrity of the needle's purpose can be corrupted by placing a magnet or an energy field next to the sides or opposite end of the navigational instrument.....without any outside influences it will return to it's original orientation.....If we as Christians can deliberately avoid corrupting influences.....will that be enough for us to serve as a compass... a symbolic encouragement to our young generation? Just how important is it to our lost young generation to willingly accept the relevance and the reality of establishing an eternal relationship with God? It is obvious that several Christians display a tarnished testimony.....Is that all that a lost person sees when they ponder about religion and Christian values?...Christian beliefs?. Traditional customs of man-imposed Christian behavioral rules apparently inhibits the desire for many young people to hear the gospel.... If anything...it should always be clearly stated what God thinks in rules of behavior....
I need to make the commitment to pray as a Contemporary Christian and seek an understanding of God's message that earnestly communicates effectively to young people. With the hope that they shall find it to be important and relevant to them and the current culture we find ourselves in...
The masculine mindset seems to dwell on the premise of "conquer" and "be successful" in our quest to reach the lost with God's important message.....What will work to make it happen? I already assume that I have the authority to do so with Matthew 28:19
I have pre-conceived ideas about the book "UnChristian"...testing my intuition to see if the conclusions expressed here will be similar after I finish the book....(Steve)
ReplyDeleteSome thoughts emerge from ("UnChristian") the book's description....it implies ( to this member of the older generation) that we can and should appreciate and respect the "cultural traditions" experienced over the decades preceding our generation....after saying that...the reality of a huge culture shift in our current generation mindset of values suggests (or demands) that Christians change....not with respect to the fundamental truths we live by and communicated to us in the Bible....but change in the way we communicate to our current generation about God's truths and his desire to have a relationship with every person on earth as well as those on the space station.....the question arises by asking, "is the current generation really that cynical about life in general?"....do they interpret hope in a different way?.....What motivates the young people to look forward to what's next and what's going to be great about tomorrow?....How do they decide who and what is of value to them? How do they allow themselves to be influenced? Recently I became aware that the younger generation is not interested with church denominations, symbols, procedures, rather, they seek to "EXPERIENCE" Christianity with mutual worshippers.
"How do we prepare everyone for the return of Christ?" It is important for me and my family to be prepared for Jesus' return....Am I motivated to urgently communicate the importance of everyone preparing for Jesus' return to a lost people? I should be...I need to pray....
an image keeps coming to mind...it is that of a "compass".....it always points in one specific direction......the integrity of the needle's purpose can be corrupted by placing a magnet or an energy field next to the sides or opposite end of the navigational instrument.....without any outside influences it will return to it's original orientation.....If we as Christians can deliberately avoid corrupting influences.....will that be enough for us to serve as a compass... a symbolic encouragement to our young generation? Just how important is it to our lost young generation to willingly accept the relevance and the reality of establishing an eternal relationship with God? It is obvious that several Christians display a tarnished testimony.....Is that all that a lost person sees when they ponder about religion and Christian values?...Christian beliefs?. Traditional customs of man-imposed Christian behavioral rules apparently inhibits the desire for many young people to hear the gospel.... If anything...it should always be clearly stated what God thinks in rules of behavior....
I need to make the commitment to pray as a Contemporary Christian and seek an understanding of God's message that earnestly communicates effectively to young people. With the hope that they shall find it to be important and relevant to them and the current culture we find ourselves in...
The masculine mindset seems to dwell on the premise of "conquer" and "be successful" in our quest to reach the lost with God's important message.....What will work to make it happen? I already assume that I have the authority to do so with Matthew 28:19
I get from the first two chapters that unChristians see Christians for what they are against.This tells me that we who are believers need to focus on expounding the truths that are in God's word and let the Holy Spirit do His job. I am not saying that we should comprise our faith. NO!I am saying we need to show them that God loves them so much that Jesus died for them. God took the initiative to reach sinful men when they could not reach Him. Romans 5:8 Wilson
ReplyDeleteHypocrisy, irritating to say the least...the data numbers are too high...numbers that indicate the following: We turn young people off when those of us representing "the church" act less than genuine as Christians...(Yes...It is personal)...(frustrating)...It is also an opportunity to realize the Holy Spirit is vital to us all...every day...every moment....we seemed to have forgotten that part of Christian life...
ReplyDeleteGetting closer to understanding what we Christians "as a whole" should do to become relevant to the spiritual needs of young people these days. It is very simple....involve the "Holy Spirit" with all that we think, do, and say...I need to remember that God is three-in-one----The Father, Son, & Holy Spirit... The Holy Spirit is always present and available. We want to welcome God's will constantly.
Learned the following in Sunday School today. See yourself inside a circle representing a personal relationship with God, outside the 1st circle, draw a 2nd circle.... within this 2nd circle should be all the people that have a similar relationship with God. These are the people we fellowship with and rely on to share the lifelong Christian challenges, adventures, and continuous changes....These are the people we always want to be involved with.
Draw a 3rd circle around the 2nd circle ... the 3rd circle band represents the world and the non-believers....the challenge is to reach out to them and tell God's meesage....take the time...make the effort to develop relationships that are honest and with integrity....learn what is important to them....tell what is important to you...tell them how they can acheive an eternal relationship with with God....Do not succumb to the temptations God tells us are UnChrstian...transparency is part of the equation too...be certain that there is a transparency of all we say and do. Do this with integrity or else we no longer are of value to anyone as a representative of Christianity.
Steve