When I owned up to my faith in Christ in my mid-20ies I didn’t want to call myself a Christian. The word “Christian” left a bad taste in my mouth. And that wasn’t because I had one bad Christian experience--- I had a whole series of them. There were the Christians who told me to stop asking so many questions and just “believe,” then, there were the ones who had a need to pin-point the exact time I asked Jesus “into my heart.” Other Christians had said that the faith was just about “being nice,” – these were the same ones who then turned around and lied and gossiped. No, I didn’t want that label.
I did eventually find my way into calling myself a Christian-—it was in a small United Methodist church in Long Beach (Belmont Heights). The church was filled with senior citizens who loved me and shared their simple and real faith in the God they knew in Jesus Christ. Their witness led me to finish college (now as a religious studies major) and go to seminary. I am in my 18th year of serving the local church as a United Methodist pastor.
“UnChristian” is about the scores of 16-29 year olds who want nothing to do with Christianity. They find Christians to be hypocritical, anti-homosexual, too political & judgmental. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons ---who come from a conservative, evangelical background—set to share not only what they have found, but also how Christians might respond.
When I read this book last year I thought, yeah, but ...
Yeah younger people might feel like this BUT they will come around….
The truth is that we are finding that this isn’t as true today as it was in earlier generations. Today’s 16-29 year olds are statistically less likely to return to church once they leave.
Yeah, its true about some Christian churches BUT we are United Methodists, we aren’t like that!
Well, here is the thing. To the average “regular person” (instead of non-Christian or seeker or whatever label people use these days), Christians are all the same. Who cares if you are a Baptist or a Presbyterian or a United Methodist—what difference does that make????
And… while in a church like the United Methodist church this could be less of an issue, I don’t really think it is. These issues are across Christianity and frankly, we have additional issues like we are so old school with much of our worship, we don’t have a sense of what we believe, etc.
At the end of the day, perception is reality. If people think this, there are reasons why and it moves us to explore, discover and understand.
People look at Christianity and have….
• Little trust in the faith --what is it, what do we believe?
• Little esteem for the lifestyle – do we live it?
• Emotional and intellectual barriers – how do we deal with controversial issues?
• Feel rejected by Christians – we are self involved
What might the Holy Spirit do in our churches as we read together and search our hearts? I am looking forward to our reading and discussion, meet back here to discuss chapters 1 & 2. -Nicole
Good Afternoon Rev. Nicole. I was just browsing the blogger community because I am thinking of starting my own blog that centers around my faith. I believe that your blog post has confirmed that action for me. I wanted to thank you for this post it was the very first one I landed on. I am "un-churched" so to speak and also have issue with the Christian label and organized religion. I wanted to use the blog forum as a way to voice my thoughts and chronicle my progress as a self taught Christian.
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa, I am just learning to use this site. I was struck by your courage in keeping track of your progress in your faith. I would like to pray for you if you like.
ReplyDeleteMelody
Wow! I guess I am really sheltered. I had no idea these ideas was so prevalent. Yet, I know that I do not always act Christ-like with others. I also know that I am not alone in missing this change up to now.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa--thank you! I'd love to hear about your journey--how might I find your blog? Hope you will join in this conversation too if that works for you...
ReplyDeleteMelody Ashley, I think this is a huge time for change for the church and christians. Hope you'll continue to be part as the conversation continues.
Nicole: Thanks for starting this off! My Christian journey began as a very personal one-- I didn't join a church for many years because I couldn't relate. On the other hand, many of my friends assumed I was a Christian only because I hadn't examined things I was taught as a child. Well, my parents weren't Christian, and didn't raise me in a church!
ReplyDeleteI was really stuck between a community of believers, where I didn't seem to belong; and a community of folks who weren't Christian and who couldn't see why any thinking person would be.
It is not a surprise to me that Christians are viewed as portrayed in the book; but I am hopeful that this book can be a tool for us to do some deep reflection as a community of Christians.
It is inspiring me to think more about ways in which we Christians are not authentic in our humanity (honest about our human failings and successes), and ways in which we are unkind to one another-- we'd rather be 'right' then 'loving.'
Unfortunately,the criticism seems to fit.
At the same time, I bet we could do a better job of lifting up the ways our 'organized' religion can be of some good-- like when we get organized for "Nothing But Nets" to get mosquito nets to prevent malaria, and the Hurricane Katrina rebuilds.
As a young adult (yes it was a while ago....) I wasn't interested in church. I had dropped out in Jr. Hi. and had too much fun doing other things to give it a thought.
ReplyDeleteThen, through a series of events that must have given God a good laugh, I discovered a congregation that was full of life, love, spirit, Jesus... and was involved in solving the thorny problem of race relations to boot!
It was a strange group called "United Methodists." It was in the First UMC of La Mesa, Ca.
As a Political Science major, I hung around to see how people could merge the "good life" (i.e. meaningful, thoughtful, prayerful - but fun too!) with social justice and real engagement with the world.
I suspect that the same challenge is before us today except now the institution of the church, (along with all of our social insititutions) have been thoroughly discredited.
"unChristian" is about OUR insititution, but the situation it addresses is effecting EVERY institution.
I'm looking forward to this discussion.
Let's get it on! (ooops, dated myself....)
Greetings. I confess I read these chapters about a year ago and haven't been able to re-read them yet. (Already behind on my homework!)
ReplyDeleteOne thing I remember thinking as I read unChristian was how the description of what was going on seemed very helpful, but that the suggested responses were less than persuasive. This, I think, is where we who value our UM roots may be able to generate better responses than the authors of unChristian. --ROBB FUESLER
One of the reasons for the image problem is that the Church has communication strategies that were developed when the culture was more friendly. Now that the culture is more hostile the strategies are inadequate.
ReplyDeleteWe are hampered in developing the strategies because not only is the culture at war with us we are war with one another.
Conservatives & Liberals are tearing the Church apart. Liberals are busy drilling holes in the right side of the ship and Conservatives are busy drilling holes in the left side of the ship in a collective madness where both sides are stupid enough to think that if they can drill enough holes ONLY THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHIP WILL SINK! All the while the culture is busy drilling holes wherever they can.
It is time to stop the drilling and start the patching!
There are three areas of ministry that if the Church engaged in an organized ministry it would gain the attention & respect of the culture; ministry to poor/homeless, ministry to gangs, & healthcare ministry.
Just think if instead of planting peace poles on the campuses of our Churches we planted them on street corners of gang infested neighborhoods backing them up with gang diversion ministry & neighborhood watch patrols where those of us who live in our protected neghborhoods declared ourselves to be the neighbor of those in that neighborhood and walked alongside them in establishing a peaceful & just community. Would that get attention? Would that get respect?