Comments on: Three challenges facing Christians…

By: Brian Harris

Brian Harris — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 03:20:41 +0000

In reply to Allen Browne. Great thoughts. Thank you.

By: Allen Browne

Allen Browne — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 02:50:31 +0000

Great post, Brian! Crucial issues.
Possibilities:
#1 People perceive the gospel as “intellectually vacuous” if we reduce it to something that merely addresses individual guilt. “Come to Jesus to be forgiven” is woefully inadequate and culturally irrelevant. We need the good news of the kingdom — the story of God releasing his world from the grip of evil back into his care through the most amazing kind of ruler you ever heard of (Jesus confronting evil unarmed, giving his life instead of taking lives, raised up to be our sovereign/Lord).
#2 The only way to genuinely rebut the charge of being “morally suspect” is to live genuine lives in front of the people who know us. That involves being honest about how we abuse power, as all broken humans do. But we’re trying to give power back to God, so we can invite people to join us in doing that (without drawing lines to define them as out and us as in).
#3 If people think Christianity is “experientially obsolete” they’re not hearing the stories of what people of faith are doing. We need to tell big-picture stories, as John Ortberg does in “Who is This Man?” We need to tell local stories, e.g. in our community newspapers. We need to tell each other’s stories. Perhaps we should devote as much time in our church gatherings to telling stories as we do to sermons? We can’t reduce it to back-slapping, but we are inspired and motivated when we hear what our friends are doing to bring the wider community under Jesus’ care.
A big gospel about King Jesus releasing and restoring his world.
An honest lifestyle that’s inclusive and inviting.
Living and telling stories of the good news in action.
We can do that!

By: Elizabeth Jenner

Elizabeth Jenner — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 02:14:42 +0000

Always an interesting read thank you Brian. May be ‘the last days’ and Satans increased activity are also factors.

By: Brian Harris

Brian Harris — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 01:37:18 +0000

Thanks for this fourth challenge Barry. I think you are spot on. The drift from any Christian influence makes it a lot more difficult to find points of intersection – and places a lot more responsibility on places providing services in the name of Jesus.

By: BarryAustin

BarryAustin — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 00:44:06 +0000

I think you hit 3 good nails on the head Brian.
Working in a predominantly secular workplace I do think that a gradual drift away from any Christian influence in our culture is also a factor. Most of the younger folk I work around (as a chaplain) have had no contact with the faith as they grow up. Hence “religion” is not on their life radar….it is seen as a distant, old fashioned and irrelevant part of life.