unChristian.6

6.23.13

          “So many Christians are caught up in the Christian subculture and are completely closed off from the world. We go to church on Wednesdays, Sundays, and sometimes Saturdays. We attend small group on Tuesday night and serve on the Sunday school advisory board, the financial committee, and the welcoming committee. We go to barbeques with our Christian friends and plan group outgoings We are closed off from the world. Even if we wanted to reach out to nonChristians, we don’t have time and we don’t know how. The only way we know how to reach out is to invite people to join in our Christian social circle.” – 28 yr old Christian describes how Christians prevent their selves from engaging the world around us.

          Chapter 6 focuses in on the perspective that Christians are sheltered. Outsiders believe that Christians are:
1. Out of tune with reality. Outsiders view Christians to no longer be in step with their ever-changing fast paced lives.
2. Lacking spiritual vitality and mystery. Many surveyed outsiders have been to church and haven’t experienced God through the church. This allows them to view Christianity as a lack of supernatural description but rather a religion of rules and standards. Personally, this is unfortunate and makes me sad knowing how much I see the mystery in Christianity. And the moments when the Spirit draws me in and I’m left in awe.
3. Christians aren’t thinkers. Outsiders doubt that the Christian lifestyle boosts intellect. That it stifles curiosity and Christians become unwilling to face their doubts and questions.
For myself, I have grown increasingly in the dynamics of my thinking since becoming a Christian. There comes moments where I’m baffled by certain biblical view points, and seek to find the answers. I can personally say how little Christianity has stifled my thinking. It pushes me to grow and answer the hard questions.
4. Christians live in their own world. They remain in the church bubble and neglect those around them.

           This is easy for many Christians, and I believe this is a real issue. But when the Gospel begins to saturate your daily living, sharing Christ with those who haven’t come to follow him becomes more and more present in your life. It is definitely something that needs to be worked on by all.

The author also points out the deep needs this generation's young people have. This generation faces more violent settings than 40-50yrs ago, growing up with one parent, media swimming with sexual content, premarital sex, substance abuse, depression and struggling with loneliness, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among people 15-24yrs of age. Looking at the sheltered unChristian perspective, Christians will not be able to help this generation find Christ.

                                              Response to the sheltered perspective:

• Accepting responsibility. It’s our duty to engage the world. Jesus calls us to. Guiding, preserving, or protecting is not easy and automatic. The world does not come at our doorstep, it takes effort and sacrifice. 
•  Not being fearful. (1 John 4:18) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment…” God’s love is perfect. My biggest struggle with sharing the Gospel is that I act out of fear of loss. That I wish not to sacrifice a relationship due to my beliefs. Which is selfish to both parties and puts human relations before Gods. 
•  Not being offended. (John 16:33) “..In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Being offended is the wrong response in attempting to connect with outsiders. Outsiders are living out their human nature. We wouldn’t be that different if it weren’t for God’s grace. Jesus never took offense when his invitation to follow him was rejected. 
•  Helping the desperate. Christ instructs us to reach the end of the Earth with the life changing message of the Gospel. God wants to use us in the gritty, raw places of other’s life. 
•  Being prepared. When Christians shelter themselves, letting “someone else” answer the worlds doubts and address its problems, they abdicate their biblical role to be spiritual influencers. It is incumbent on us to develop our hearts and minds so that we can fulfill our role as agents of spiritual, moral, and cultural transformation. 
•  Keeping balance. “Being salt and light demands two things: we practice purity in the midst of a fallen world and yet we live in proximity to this fallen world. If you don't hold up both truths in tension, you invariably become useless and separated from the world God loves For example, if you only practice purity apart from proximity to the culture, you inevitably become pietistic separatist, and conceited. If you live in close proximity to the culture without also living in a holy manner, you become indistinguishable form fallen culture and useless in God’s kingdom.” – Mike Metzger.

Avoiding certain situations because it might lead you to sin or allowing time to be alone to refocus in on the relationship between you and God are both healthy things. But when Christians become too sheltered that they are unable or unwilling to reach outsiders who need Jesus, there arises a problem. The conclusion I [the author, David Kinnaman] hope you draw is that a fragmented world requires diverse means of engagement. We are to bring Jesus to others but the world is a unique place and each relationship is different.