Changing Perceptions
February 25, 2008
As I mentioned last week, I have been reading
unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity. This book, by David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, summarizes extensive research about the opinions of 16-29 year-olds in the United States about Christianity. His conclusions, particularly about those he calls unChrstian, are troubling.
The book makes a strong case for developing new ways for believers to connect with nonbelievers, new attitudes to drive our efforts at building relationships through which the gospel can be lived and communicated. For almost 20 years, I have lived near Portland, Oregon and San Francisco, California – two of the more secular cities in North America. During that time, my experience resonates with just about everything Kinnaman wrote in his book. I have befriended hundreds of nonbelievers and shared the gospel with many of them. Here are some of Kinnaman’s suggestions for changing our attitude toward nonbelievers (p. 194-195), voiced from their perspective with some personal illustrations.
First,
listen to me. My doctoral project was on developing listening skills for personal witnessing. This has been a passion for me for almost 30 years! You begin sharing Jesus effectively, not by talking, but by listening – really listening – to your friends.
Second,
don’t label me. Learning this was a painful lesson for me. Soon after we moved to Portland to plant a new church, a family in the community befriended us. They invited us to their home. In the course of the evening, they asked why we had moved to the area. When I told them, “To start a church” the woman said sarcastically, “So, you’ve come to save us poor pagans.” For the first time, I realized how pejorative our words sound to others. By the way – we are still good friends with this family and still praying for them to commit themselves to Jesus.
Third,
don’t be so smart. Learning to say, “I’m not sure” is not part of most Christian witness training programs. It should be. We often act like we have all the answers. We don’t. Admitting it strengthens our credibility.
Fourth,
put yourself in my place. This was foundational to our church planting experience. We determined everything from the Bible translation we used to the starting time for our worship services based on the perspective of nonbelievers. Some other Christians criticized us for these practices, but we consistently tried to look at our witness through the eyes of those we were trying to reach.
Fifth,
be genuine. Relax. Be yourself. Let people know the real you. Your friends already know more about you than you realize. So relax and be yourself. Transparency builds credibility in relationships.
Finally,
be my friend with no other motives. Nonbelievers can tell quickly if you are only interested in them as an object of evangelism. Some of my best witnessing has been done over a period of years, working hard to build a relationship that really valued the other person.
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unchristian
February 18, 2008
I’m reading a new book,
unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity. It’s a tough read. This book, by David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group summarizes extensive research about the opinions of 16-29 year-olds in the United States about Christianity. His conclusions, particularly about those he calls unChrstian, are troubling.
We have a saying in our family, “The truth is the truth. Deal with it.” Facing reality and responding appropriately to hard, difficult truth takes maturity. Responding to the facts in this book will require a disciplined, focused effort by Christians like us.
Kinnaman found an overwhelming negative impression of Christianity among those he studied. What are the primary objections? We are viewed as hypocritical, too focused on getting converts, antihomosexual, sheltered from reality, too political, and judgmental. Ouch! I wish I could say my experiences contradict Kinnaman’s findings. They don’t.
As a sports chaplain (aiming most of my ministry at this age group), I have heard many of these same objections by those I have engaged about the gospel. As a frequent “airplane” witness, these same issues come up over and over. All three of my children are in this age group and are active, witnessing believers. These are the same issues they call me for help in learning how to dialogue with their friends.
So, what do we do? Do we just give up on sharing Jesus with this generation? No way! Kinnaman underscores one conclusion his research indicates we must not do. He writes (p32-33), “Some Christians respond to outsiders’ negativity by promoting a less offensive faith. The unpopular parts of Christian teaching are omitted or deemphasized. They hijack the image of Jesus by portraying him as an open-minded, big-hearted, and never-offended-anyone moral teacher. That is entirely the wrong idea of Jesus.”
The solution proposed by some believers is to soften Jesus and his message, to make him more palatable for this generation. I believe, strongly, this is the wrong approach. Our task is to present the real Jesus – who he is, how to know him, what he demands of us, and his power to change lives. Presenting Jesus, the real Jesus, not a caricatured, sanitized, or stylized version is our message.
Jesus, presently honestly, will sometimes offend. The message of the cross does that. But he will also attract. His life does that. And, his name, his power will change any life open to genuinely meeting him. The resurrection guarantees that.
So, Kinnaman’s findings are hard to face. But face them we must. While we must not compromise our core message, we must learn how to present Jesus more effectively to this generation. I’ll share more about that in the next week or two.
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A Day for Love
February 11, 2008
Later this week is a special day we celebrate with those we love. It’s a once-a-year day for remembering past joys and thinking hopeful thoughts about the future. Even though it’s still winter, it feels like a spring day – full of new possibilities.
This week, pitchers and catchers report for spring training.
The beginning of the baseball season means resuming my work as chaplain for the San Francisco Giants. We work intensely during spring training to reconnect with players, meet new players, help players build the habit of chapel attendance, organize plans for Bible study, and establish good working relationships with other team personnel. The minor league chaplains from the minor league affiliates come to spring training for at least one weekend. This helps them meet players who may potentially be assigned to their city. All in all, it is a busy six weeks essential to a good year for Baseball Chapel.
Working as a chaplain energizes me. Sharing the gospel, leading Bible studies, doing marriage counseling, helping families with grief situations, etc. is fulfilling, hands-on ministry. God has assigned me to the seminary – to training leaders and leading a Christian organization. But nothing replaces the intense work of “the cure of souls.” Being a part, first-hand, of life transformation is the most fulfilling part of ministry.
Some Christians, including leaders, lose the immediacy of seeing God work through them because they default to talking about ministry, analyzing ministry, debating ministry methods, or encouraging others to do ministry. This has a deadening effect. We, all of us, have to keep our hands dirty meeting the needs of people. When we do, we experience God’s power in fresh ways. We see him working to change people. We know God, rather than know about him.
So, this is a good week. A week of new beginnings, new challenges, and new possibilities – starting a season of sharing the gospel, making disciples, building marriages, and extending Christian influence. Let’s play ball!
And, oh yeah, happy Valentine’s Day too!
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Who did you vote for?
February 4, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 is the California primary election to select the candidates for president from the two major political parties. Friends have asked, “Who did you vote for?” My answer is the same answer for every election in the past 30 years.
I voted for the most pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-security candidate who will appoint Supreme Court justices to uphold laws supporting those positions. Most Americans, according to national polls, base their decision on the economy or perceived likeability or party loyalty. I don’t. I am a “values voter” who votes a particular way on what I consider the most pressing, long-term issues of importance in American culture.
Because my convictions are clear, it is usually fairly easy to figure out how I voted and how I will vote in November. But I don’t endorse candidates. Why? Deep down, I believe the best position for religious leaders toward politicians is “respectful prophet.” Christian leaders today, generally, seem too enamored (on both the right and the left) with political leaders. We enjoy the notoriety that comes from knowing and being known. We like to be courted and included. We are induced and enticed by the trappings of power. Frankly, it’s easy to like the attention! My concern has always been Christian leaders would become so closely connected to political leaders we would lose our prophetic voice.
Our role, it seems to me, is to speak to governmental leaders – not for them. Our role is to demand justice and integrity, to hold up a biblical standard for behavior in the public square. Our role is to model servant leadership and challenge political leaders to express that spirit of leadership but with the authority of the state.
We also have the responsibility to provide pastoral ministry to political leaders. Some have criticized Billy Graham, and now Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, for being pastorally involved with the current and past presidents. This is shortsighted. Everyone, especially those isolated by positions of great responsibility, needs a pastor. We should celebrate a leader humble enough to seek personal spiritual counsel and pray for those who God gives the opportunity for such influence on leaders.
Voting is a special privilege. Vote your values – not the economy or the trends of the latest polls.
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