Unchristian
Christina Rash
MIN6033
09/17/2013
What is the unique contribution this author/book offers
pastors and church leaders in contemporary American Evangelical Christianity?
In this book, Unchristian by David Kinnaman, The unique
contribution offered to pastors and church leaders is a better understanding of
how society views us, as Christians. By knowing how late teens and young 20
year olds view Christianity, we also can learn how to reach a generation running
from the church faster and faster each year. Senior pastors and youth pastors should read
this book to help them understand what we are facing with the mindset of these
young people. To reach this generation there are many changes that must be
completed starting with how we show our relationship with Christ and who we are
as His children.
Do you agree with their assertions? More importantly, what
would living into these observations look like, and what implications arise if
we do or do not?
According to this book, young people see Christians as
hypocritical, too much focused on "getting people saved”, anti-homosexual,
sheltered, too political, and judgmental. There are nuances to these
impressions that I do not have time to explore here. They do not suggest that
Christians back away from Biblical truth in the way we respond to these
impressions, but instead want us to see with clear eyes the culture to whom we
are trying to introduce God's Kingdom. They are asking us to pay attention and
respect this generations view while still holding strong to the truths of
Scripture. While doing this we can then work hard to communicate the Gospel
accordingly.
“Transparency disarms an image-is-everything generation.”(pg56).
This is so very true but I have found that elders in the church are completely
against transparency and even speak about it as if it is a bad thing. I believe
if we live transparent now we will never have to worry about what will be shown
at judgment. We need to show those
outside of the Christian faith that we are in no way perfect and we all have
our own short falls in life but we believe in Christ who cleans our sins away
and gives us another start over and over.
“Shifting the get saved perception happens when we learn
that relationships are the key – not just leading people to Christ but also in
helping them be transformed.” (pg 83).
We need to take the time to really get to know each other. By building a
relationship we can get to know the persons history of “church” and how their
views are now placed around the connection between the church and the God we
serve. As a person who has been “church burned,” I know how easy it is to entwine
the hurt and pain faced from the people in the church and the God they said
they served. I was ready to pack up my children and never walk back into a
church building ever again. There are many people that have been church burned
over the years and it only takes a little time to get a relationship going so
they can become transformed through Christ.
“When the local church is doing what the church is called to
do – preaching the gospel, administering the sacraments, and exercising
discipline – inevitably the surrounding culture will be affected.” (pg87). If churches got rid of all the fluff of
making themselves look like a club or a show I believe the church would become
what it is meant to be, a place to learn, grow, grow the relationship with God,
and become disciples to reach others for Christ.
unChristian: What
a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity ... And Why It Matters, by
David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007. 256 pages.
