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Post by Kirby on Aug 27, 2010 8:44:13 GMT -8
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Post by Josh on Aug 27, 2010 10:46:58 GMT -8
Wow. That was an awesome article!
Actually, I'm very curious what you thought about it because in some aspects it seems to reinforce your theological viewpoint (on dogma) but in many others it seems to challenge it.
It's encouraging to me to know that the acts of faith and the specificity of faith I demonstrate to my kids does have an impact... and that as a church it is our radical acts that will have the most impact, not a feel-good message.
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Post by christopher on Aug 27, 2010 18:34:15 GMT -8
I agree, good article. And very timely too.
It's interesting, I have had this growing conviction over that last several months to find ministries to do with my kids. Up til now, they've really only see daddy gone for a few hours while I went down to the prison. They aren't seeing faith in action and it bothers me.
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Post by Kirby on Sept 3, 2010 9:30:35 GMT -8
After reading this article and contemplating this, I think it has to do with several topics we have been discussing: The (mis)perceptions described in "unChristian" and Disingeuous Evangelism.
Perhaps a lot of the perceptions outsiders have of Christians could be based on those who practice "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" and do not practice true acts of faith. Further, is evangelism effective when based on "feeling good" instead of faith? I picture the teenager the article describes: attending a youth group event where the teens have been trained in using the "4 Spiritual Laws" evangelism tracts, and they head to Pioneer Courthouse Square, where they hand out tracts, but are unable to answer deeper questions, are unwilling to give them out to anyone who may look a little scary, and it is done without true service, and only to make themselves feel better that they are fulfilling the Great Commission. What kind of perceptions do you expect outsiders to have of this action? Sure, as Robin points out, this action could reap positive results of some kind.
I think this is a symptom of American chuches in general. It is thought that people want to feel comfortable in church rather than challenged. I was discussing Glenn Beck and his recent rally with some folks recently, and I wondered what non-American Christians might think about the whole event. One friend asked some Christians he knew abroad, and, aside from asking "Who is Glenn Beck?", they were not surprised seeing such a feel-good, non evangelistic, politically powered, culturally charged event like that, which, in their perception, had little to nothing to do with Christianity. (to be fair, they also said there was nothing wrong with that: exercising political ideals to build power is fine)
I guess what I am saying is that this is classically American: the result of a lack of persecution, usually having enough, and the idea that success equates to feeling good.
Do we have any active non-Americans that post that could give an opinion?
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