We have now had our first session of studying the book "UnChristian". I will share a few statements from the book, and would like your comments. P. 11 "Christianity has an image problem." P. 15 "Outsiders(non believers) ... think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what it was meant to be." "Christianity has become bloated with blind followers who would rather repeat slogans than actually feel true compassion and care. Christianity has become marketed and streamlined into a juggernaut of fearmongering that has lost its own heart." P. 16 " To engage nonChristians and point them to Jesus, we have to understand and approach them based on what they really think, not what we assume about them."
This book is about what people 16 -29 think about Christianity in the USA. P. 22 Do not "underestimate the widening gap between young people and their predecessors. Those who think that in due time Mosaics and Busters will 'grow up" and look like everyone else should prepare to have unfulfilled expectations." P. 26 "it is clear that Christians are primarily perceived for what they stand against. We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for." P. 27 "the three most common perceptions of present-day Christianity are antihomosexual (91%), judgmental (87%), and hypocritical (85%).
P. 39 "We are at a turning point for Christianity in America. If we do not wake up to these realities and respond in appropriate, godly ways, we risk being increasingly marginalized and losing further credibility with millions of people."
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From our group discussion after Chapter 3, we all feel the most important thing we have got to do to the unChristian is LOVE them unconditionally. Not that we lower our standards but that we love them the way they are and bring them into the fold to learn and let the Holy Spirit move in their hearts and let the Holy Spirit change their hearts.
ReplyDeleteThe following is an excerpt from a recent Christian Music Today newsletter, that goes along with the thought that we are famous for what we oppose:
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Also making news right now is Kanye West, who has gone from singing, "The way Kathie Lee needs Regis/That's the way I need Jesus" to apparently dropping Jesus from his faith altogether. (I doubt it has anything to do with Kathie Lee no longer needing Regis.)
In the new issue of Vibe, Kanye West says, "I believe in God. But I don't buy into any particular, specific religion. ... I believe every religion has positive points [but] I don't attest to any religion that tells me that other people gotta go to hell." He says that while Christianity taught him to hate others (especially gays), he no longer believes in those messages or in "giving it up to Jesus." Now, he told Vibe, all he likes about church is "the weekly pep talk."