The Church Has A Problem
January 18th, 2008 | by Scott |People don’t like us very much. In the new book UnChristian the research indicates that the unchurched primarily view us as judgmental, arrogant, homophobic, too political, insensitive and hypocritical.
The question that emerges for us is: what do we do about it? I’ve come into contact far too often with Christians who just dismiss it. I heard one preacher not too long ago quote that 82% of young unchurched Americans have a negative view of the church. He then proceed to say that it was a mis-characterization and waved it off as insubstantial.
I think a knee-jerk reaction, and a wrong one, is to say “well, we have to share the message, proclaim the gospel” and if they don’t like it “tough.”
“Jesus said we were going to be persecuted, right?”
And yet the majority of the persecution that Jesus faced was at the hands of the overly religious. So, maybe we need to rethink our mission and our message. And understand that maybe if we are doing our mission right then it might not be those on the outside that are most skeptical of us but our own. The ones who have enthroned themselves as the arbiters of proper doctrine. The ones who feel that the primary mission is to stand for “the truth” rather than embodying the spirit of Christ. Who overemphasize the “not of this world” to the detriment of the fact that we are “in the world.”
If our mission is that of making disciples what does it mean? I believe it means that we are in the business of telling an alternative story. One that turns conventional wisdom upside down. That seeks to enfold rather than exclude. One that propagates love over above division.
Yes, we have a problem. And it’s not that “they” don’t get it. Far too often it’s that “they” haven’t truly seen Him in us.
Maybe it’s time to take a little break from proclaiming and listen a little bit more. Jesus was good at that.
So, what do we learn from this world if we listen. What is the Christ-like way to respond?
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5 Responses to “The Church Has A Problem”
By terri on Jan 18, 2008 | Reply
You said ‘emerges’.
By greg on Jan 18, 2008 | Reply
I’m anxious to finish this. I started it earlier this week and am through the first three chapters. Seems clear from what I’ve read thus far that we not only have an image problem among outsiders, but also among the younger generation on the inside.
By JTB on Jan 21, 2008 | Reply
“image problem”…yeah, an imago Christi problem. Amen, Scott.
By Shane on Jan 23, 2008 | Reply
I was going to write something similar to what Greg said at the end. Dittos (read no Rush Limbaugh enthusiasm there please). My gut says we should repent, but it always comes off as inconsequential when the insiders that agree with the outsiders do the repenting and the insiders who see no problem just roll their eyes. Maybe the best response is hinted at in your last line. When in doubt, be willing to listen.
By Scott on Jan 23, 2008 | Reply
I think the problem that we really have harkens back to JTB’s Imago Christi problem. We are so often stuck on defending our doctrines and positions and focusing so much less on being Christ.
As a result people see a bunch of bickering and judgmental people rather than Christ.
Maybe our problem is that we see an image problem where we shouldn’t be focused on our image at all. As if we have erected our own idol.