Doing a little survey or inquiry:
1. What are the walls that unchurched/ de-churched people have built in their lives against church?
2. What walls do they come into church with?
3. What are their attitudes or feelings about "church"?
This is the diagnosis. Next, we'll be talking about how to tear down these walls.
4 comments:
Hmmmm, that's a complicated one. So often I find that when I engage my unsaved friends, co-workers and family in conversation, it seems that collectively they're confused and unaware of the REAL truth about Christ. They take bits and pieces of world religions and form this idea of what God is and what He can do. Being so misinformed, they see no real need for a savior...He doesn't seem to "fit" the bill of what's required to survive in this world. They don't understand how Jesus absolutely applies to every corner of their lives...today. Another big one is before they commit to God, they watch us...waiting to see if this "stuff" really works. And of course...we have our moments, but when we start to point fingers, become judgemental or just flat out reject people, be it intentionally or unintentionally, we have become hypocrites...and yes, even as messed up as this world is, I've found society will except a criminal faster than a "religious" hypocrite. The criminal doesn't pretend, he doesn't have any standard or expectations...neither should we, but it happens way too often.
So it would seem if we could clear up the misconceptions about Jesus...and His followers, get the REAL truth out, the world will understand we're all imperfect and at the end of the day, we're not trying to judge or even to be perfect...just forgiven.
Distrust and inadequacy are two major barriers people have up as they walk through the door. Distrust for several good reasons. They've been hurt by people in the church, they've seen some mega-church leaders fall on their faces morally, and the church is by far more known for what it's against than what it is for.
Inadequacy for some of the same reasons they distrust. They don't think they're "good enough." Maybe they're struggling in a certain area in their lives and feel they won't be accepted by the church (maybe not even God). Maybe they're afraid they won't know what to do: when to stand up, how to pray, how to receive communion...etc.
The list goes on...
I think folks have high expectations of people in church -- of the Church -- because many don't really understand that all of the power of our faith comes from Christ (some of us get confused about that one too). People never will get it right, but He always does. So, if folks would just be willing to come in and learn the Truth -- that none of us can do anything worthwhile without The Holy Spirit -- they'll have a better understanding of the faith and the flawed individuals practicing it. I think for this reason the whole "hypocrisy" thing is right on target. It's difficult to believe in the faith and in Christ and in the Bible when we are the billboards and we get it so wrong, so often. Many, many folks have been hurt by church, by Christians, by vocal proclaimers of faith who twist God's Word to such extremes. They think, "I don't need that," so they don't bother coming back or don't dig deeper into what they are seeing and what the Truth is. I also think pride is a HUGE wall for many folks when it comes to faith and church. That need to be in control and be right and be independent. "I don't need anyone." "I'm a good enough person." "Only weak people need that crutch and I'm strong." Thank God scripture says that pride comes before the fall, because often many of us (and them) need the fall in order to understand our deep, deep need for our Savior. He's real and those of us who follow Him just need to be as real about all of this as we can. Every day. With everyone.
[From Steph]
I think that another one of the reasons that unchurched people have built "walls" against church or against experienceing God is because they have become comfortable in their sin. I don't believe that people are as in the dark about the concepts of sin and redemption and life changes as they let on to be. I think that in a society which promotes self- satisfaction and an "anyhting goes" moral mentality, it has become increasingly difficult for those who have not met Christ to understand the extent of the damage that sin has in their lives, or to understand what possible advantages there are to accepting Christ and thereby allowing change into their life. It is hard for them to accept the idea of letting Christ govern their life b/c of the humanistic propoganda that society pushes (in any way it can) which says that man is his own moral compass and must choose his own path, and that it is a sign of weakness or dependence or failure to allow your life to be ruled by anyone's thoughts but your on, even if those thoughts are by a Higher Power. I think that people fitting this description come to church with an attitude of hostility, looking for a reason to reject it and reject Christ because then they can rationalize pushing God away.
Post a Comment