Christianity needs a face lift. On second thought, it needs total reconstruction surgery. In their newly released book entitled "unChristian," David Kinnaman (from the Barna Group) and Gabe Lyons (co-founder of the Catalyst Conference) reported that only 3% of 18-29 year olds in America hold a positive impression of Christianity. Christianity has a major image problem.
This open hostility held by the current generation (ala Kathy Griffin telling Jesus to go "suck it" a couple weeks ago at the Emmy's) is alarming, yet somewhat understandable.
Case in point - last week at Minister's Enrichment I was checking out of our hotel when I noticed the "Sleep Inn" (yes, we only travel first class) desk clerk, a young women in her early 20's, trying to assuage an irritated guest. The guest raised his voice several times (something about already paying his bill for which he did not have a receipt - of course, it wasn't his fault) and the young woman went to the back room for reinforcements from the manager. During this uncomfortable encounter, I could only pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let this guy be one of our card-carrying ministers."
Well, we paid our bill and with receipt in hand left the hotel. I smiled and wished the young woman well and told her how pleased I was with her service. During the break after the first session, I was in the lobby trying to resist the delectable donuts when I looked up and guess who I saw ... bingo ... Mr. Angry Guy from the hotel. I was so upset. How could this so called "Christian" (minister none-the-less) treat someone so unkindly.
Then I paused and realized, I can't stand "Christians." The hypocrisy and hostility and unwillingness to carry out the mission of Jesus. You see, I love Christ, but there's a lot Christians I can't stand. And perhaps the Christian I cant' stand the most is the one writing this blog entry. I can't my stand my inconsistencies and my unwillingness to go the second mile and sacrifice for the cause of Christ like I should.
If we are going to reach this generation for Christ, we are going to have to live the life of a Christ follower every day. What can you do to understand what a new generation really thinks about Christianity and why? More importantly, what role can you play to change that perception on a daily basis?
Friday, October 12, 2007
unChristian
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4 comments:
David,
I have not yet read the book you mentioned, but I am seeing it everywhere. CNN today did an interview with Lyons, and Fox talked about it a lot.
Among the many things interesting to me, is that we (Christians) now think we SHOULD be liked, or respected. It seems to me that many generations before us did not expect to be liked.
Another thing that interests me, is that we seem to be our own worst enemies, and this kind of thing makes us eager to criticize ourselves. Not that we don't make it easy for the world to do it, but we Christians cannot seem to get in line fast enough to tell ourselves how horrible we are.
And if I can make one more observation, it would be that we are currently poor at embracing heroes. The Rick Warren's, Bill Hybels, and Joel Osteen's are our favorite people to criticize rather than supporting, embracing, and cheering them on. We seem to love to beat up our own leaders more than ever, which sure makes it hard for us to succeed.
I attended the Catalyst Conference where the book "unChristian" was introduced and saw two panel discussion with Kinnaman and Lyons. Their points are well taken.
I do not think that Christians have a history of self-loathing. We have a fairly good estimation of who we are and what we are doing. I think the problem of late has been the lack of self-examination in our ranks.
For example, I find an almost total disdain among ministers for most of what we see on "Christian television". Though we have an aversion to criticizing our own, there is an undercurrent of anger over what the "televangelists" get away with both in doctrine and lifestyle. The problem is Christian TV is giving us a bad name. Many of the young people who were polled for the "unChristian" book were probably influenced by what the see on TV and think this is who we are. We should be greatly bothered by this.
I wonder if the Lord is not tearing some of it down with His own Hands as we see many of the most popular TV preachers being exposed as hypocrites.
Gerry, it's not so much that the Christian community needs to cojole contemporary culture. In fact, it's quite the contrary. We need to swim against the cultural currents that lap up against the church.
As Alan Hirsch so appropriately points out in his new work, "The Forgotten Way", persecution is good for the church. It's what made the church in the first century and the Chinese church in the 20th century explode with meteoric growth.
I think it comes down to this: I don't want to be liked for the wrong thing ... I want to be disliked (ridiculed or persecuted) for the right thing.
What I mean is - people who follow Jesus usually end up offending Pharisees, not the outsider. We should be known by the outsiders by what we are for, not what we are against.
Great post David!! Christians don't necessarily need to do anything new, just "Remember the height from which [we] have fallen...and do the things you did at first." We have strayed so far that being a 'Christian' has become more about our political stance or position in society than our transformed life. I believe the way we turn the tide is one life at a time!
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