Something that I’ve noticed recently is that the Church in America is really good at answering questions that nobody’s asking. The Church is providing answers to questions that nobody but the Church is asking. We’re an info booth filled with information that nobody’s asking for. It’s not helpful. It’s not relevant to our world. We’re asking questions that the world has no interest in having answered.
The unChurched in America aren’t asking about whether someone should be immersed or sprinkled with baptism.
They’re not asking whether you’re supposed to be a Calvinist or an Arminian.
They’re not asking about transliteration, transubstantiation, or even translations.
The unChurched in America are asking questions though, tough questions, questions like:
- How do I know that God exists and that He cares for me?
- I have plenty of friends who are “Christians” but I can’t tell the difference between us. What would compel me to even want to change? (Ouch.)
- Can you be a Christian and be gay? (This is a growing question that the Church is having to answer with our changing culture, especially with some denominations openly embracing LGBT clergy.)
- Is there a purpose for my life or can I live like hell and toss it up to being “good enough” to gain salvation?
- How can we say God brings peace and love when the condition of our world would suggest that God couldn’t care less about us?
- What is truth? (Sounds easy, right? In a post-modern culture, think again.)
These are the types of questions that the unChurched in America are asking. These are the types of questions that the Church needs to start answering. We need to be listening for the questions that people are asking and then provide the answers to those questions.
And when we do answer these questions we need to be prepared to be called called bigots, haters, narrow minded and all sorts of other names and sometimes, even crucified. Sad but true. I say give them the gospel and let the power of the Holy Spirit grab onto their lives and start the journey. Until the Holy Spirit has a firm grip on our lives…we are on our own. Very sad, when followers of Christ, look like and behave like the world…a real problem when those in the dark have no light to lead them to the Lord. We need our lives to shine, Jesus’ light, through our lives. I really liked your book list and have actually down loaded them on to my Kindle…Radical is amazing!