How the World Perceives Us
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| In 2007, David Kinnaman published his groundbreaking book, UnChristian: What A New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity. This book is the result of three years of extensive interviews with young adults today. Through his research, Kinnaman discovered the negative perceptions the unchurched (he called them “outsiders”) had toward Christianity, which altered their willingness to commit their lives to Jesus. One person he interviewed put it this way: “Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peaceably with anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe.” |
| Kinnaman’s research explores the six perceptions these outsiders have of Christians: |
| 1. |
Hypocritical. Outsiders consider us hypocritical—saying one thing and doing another—and they are skeptical of our morally superior attitudes. Christians present the church as a place only for the virtuous and morally pure people. |
| 2. |
Too focused on getting converts. Outsiders wonder if we genuinely care about them. They feel like targets rather than people. They question our motives when we try to help them “get saved,” despite the fact that many of them have already “tried” Jesus and experienced church before. |
| 3. |
Antihomosexual. Outsiders say that Christians are bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians. They say that Christians are fixed on curing homosexuals and on leveraging political solutions against them. |
| 4. |
Sheltered. Christians are thought of as old-fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality. Outsiders say we do not respond to reality in appropriately complex ways, preferring simplistic solutions and answers. We are not willing to deal with the grit and grime of people’s lives. |
| 5. |
Too political. Another common perception of Christians is that we are overly motivated by a political agenda, and that we promote and represent politically conservative interests and issues. Conservative Christians are often thought of as right-wingers. |
| 6. |
Judgmental. Outsiders think of Christians as quick to judge others. They say we are not honest about our attitudes and perspectives about other people. They doubt that we really love people as we say we do. |
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| While we may not agree with the views of the unchurched, Kinnaman challenges us not to ignore them. We have to deal with the young adults of the 21st century as they are—candid, irrelevant, and brazen. |
| Leadership is about perception. What people think about Christians influences how they respond to us. In fact, what they think should help us to become more objective. We need to make continual, honest evaluations of ourselves so that we reflect what we profess. What people think about Christians also reflect their own personal stories of the disappointing interactions they have had with churchgoers. But we can change all that. We need to represent Christ in a completely new context. Like Jesus, we must start engaging culture and its people with respect and love. |
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Yes..i’ve heard alot of unchurched talking about bad experiences with Christians..we have to be more careful..
maybe.. we can do something about the booking of seats first? :( it really doesnt potray us being generous and helpful. just my 2 cents >.<
Hi Pastor Kong! It’s a great insight! I really believe all of us should love with simplicity and no ulterior motive. I’m so inspired by your entry to change this perspective people have about christians. We are and should not be what they think we are, and we shall show it to the world that we are different. Thank you so much! :D
We have to teach others as “living examples.” We have to live in the outside world and not simply within the walls of the church. We have fun, we live a Christian life and show love and kindness to all. This “living example” will win more ‘outsiders’ to find a Christian life then brow beating. Very good article and is always good to look in the mirror and examine ourselves.
Pastor, this is a very interesting article. I don’t think the writer is 100% correct, but I do think that if there were to be a similar book that is gonna be published along the same study but focus on the “disappointed churchgoing Christian’s” perspective, findings 1, 2 and 6 will definitely stick out.
My opinion is that churchgoing Christians leave church because of the above reasons, and also because of other reasons and even for the fact that a handful of them are, as described by Pastor Phil, “pot plants”.
But that should not stop us advancing the kingdom of God. In fact, the commission and mandate is absolute. However, an objective, open and honest evaluation of held believes and systems might be the key to change and advancement. After all, even personal change occurs only when strongly held believes and systems are evaluated and changed before any significant breakthrough can happen. There must be a reason why other’s leave, and uncovering it will plug the seepage.
My opinion is that the challenge to most Church is not so much in winning the lost, because growth is natural with the preaching of the word (I’m thinking of all the crusades held by evangelists who just go to a foreign land to preach the gospel and thousands respond and miracles happen). Even boring churches sees 1 or 2 new (boring?) people attending church every week, and maybe get saved. The challenge is also not in dealing with negative opinions of the world or bitter Christians. Negative opinions fall after some time without truth to sustain.
I think the challenge lies in retaining the churchgoers – disciple them, and at the same time not antagonizing them to bitterness or to the point of crushing their spirit. Unfortunately, at times it’s very hard to balance the lion/shepherd role of leadership without killing some weaker mules (unintentionally).
I do believe that leadership and awareness is the answer to the challenge. The vision of the leader and the God given mandate must not change, but the ways are not cast in stones (most are probably cast in scones). The feedback of churchgoing Christians are equally important for they have the potential to expose blind spots which would otherwise hinder the advancement due to leakage of souls.
Yes. When we become relevant to society, love and respect one another’s differences and step into the view of their world, it gives us an added dimension of others that we can never see if we had just looked at them through our own, and make senseless and hurting judgments against them. When we sharpen our cutting edge and fill up the gaps in our seepage, quantum growth is inevitable.
Yes! Change we must. Change we can. And Harvest we will! :)
Excellent! Wish many churches would open up their eyes to see how far right we have become. This article is so on the bulls eye let’s not go to the left or right but stay centered on what really matters.
You are right Pastor!
That’s why i belive the cultural mandate message you preach shows that judgmental and hypocritical is not in a true Christian.
I agree that we should constantly reflect and change ourselves to live by the word daily and not weekly on Sunday/Saturday.
I strongly believe your messages are purpose driven and with a direction for the long run. Perhaps what we could work on is to soften the hearts and really absorb and do the messages God places into you for us.
Hi Pastor Kong,
Thanks for adding me in your facebook. I really love to listen to your sermons. Please send my regards to your wife, Sun who was my senior in Anglican High School Choir. I was a bass then.
1 Corinthians 1:30
30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
Each time you point everything back to Jesus, the devil has nothing to say because Jesus qualifies you for all of God’s blessings. In and of yourself, you do not qualify. Without Christ, there is nothing good in you which can qualify you.
But with Christ, your disqualification becomes your qualification for the undeserved, unearned and unmerited blessings of God. And because God puts your life in Christ (Colossians 3:3), who is the all-deserving one, you become all-deserving. Because you are in Christ, you are qualified.
In everything we do and say, we want to glolify Jesus!
Hi Pastor Kong!!! This is a great example of religion vs. relationship. We as true Bible Christians are to be all things to all people so the unchurched can come to Christ. The ironic thing about the unchurched is when they have a negative encounter with a Christian or Church they broadcast it to the world, but if they have a negative encounter in the store or at a club no one but the bystanders know about it. Christians need to really understand that our walk is more for the outsider than it is for us. Jesus hung out with the wine bibber, harlots, and thieves not to judge them but to love them where they were. We have the same mandate today, to love people into the kingdom, and come outside the walls of the Church and go into the market place and be the example as Jesus was. This book should make all Christians want to prove the “outsider” wrong by doing as Jesus have done. This is not a if you can’t beat them join them issue, it’s a meet them with love issue. If Paul, a Christian killer, could turn the world upside down by preaching the Good News, then we certainly can change the world of today perception of the Church and Christians. Pastor Kong this book’s interviews can all be answered by your Sermon out of Acts 17 where Paul did not despise the culture, “The Great Paradox of Holiness.”
Hey pastor, yea. I do agree with the post. I have many friends whom I’ve been trying to reach out to saying the exact same thing back to me. It’s as though some christians “spoiled” our name and our true desires. It’s as though excessive planning/thinking spoils everything.
Pastor,
great and easy-to-read post you have. Using it for self evaluation and to be more careful about these points. I’m sure we can change their perspective by showing the genuine love that God can show through us (:
Hi Pastor Kong,
The author is absolutely true. Christianity has become like pharisees’ religion. We exclude ourselves from the society just to show that we are “Holy”. Our attitude towards unchurched people should change. Christians now a days are exactly like pharisees of the Jesus’ period. Judging attitude, Holier than thou attitude, showing off our piety, psudo-pious life, making righteous deeds ritual, proselytism and hypocritic attitude are what brings us bad name from the non-christians. I like city harvest, cos it has broken the walls of the church and let the people in to find the Christ Jesus.
Hi Pastor.
Especially for this upcoming Easter, its good for us to reflect ourselves and be a good messenger of God’s love. Got to be relevant, living out the cultural mandate :) Thanks for sharing this Pastor.
I think all six points are true but I’m not going to apologise for it.
I’m a stereotypical christian. No harm admitting it and then take them out for pizza. I found it’s a two-way thing. Those in the know how despite being unchurched respect your lifestyle but if they’re going to senselessly barrage you about it then that’s just disrespect and christians shouldn’t have to tolerate verbal abuse. Sometimes you can actually earn respect by putting your foot down and tell them woah, calm down buddy, life goes on, then joke you don’t wanna die from a heart attack when you’re not even saved yet? let’s get some pizza.
I also found it’s more of an attitude. Young adults might be more real today but strip away their exterior and they’re not that much different to 50 years ago. It’s the way you express yourself and answer their questions. For example I still have homosexual friends since High School even though I tell them homosexuality is a sin but so is sex if you think about it, we are all sinners, you need to come into the light. Also admitting you don’t have all the answers instead of barraging them with personal convictions, it can sometimes sound like you have an unhealthy obsession with Jesus when it should be healthy.
I tell them like it is but not dressed in white like some un-spotted lamb, there have been days with a cigarette dangling from my mouth, sitting in a bar with a glass of orange juice evangelising to them about the perils of homosexuality. I found you need to be prepared to get yourself dirty on the outside at times and not just join christian clubs, christian sports, christian christian christian. I found we christians have too much fear, we don’t necessarily have to enter every unfamiliar turf holding up a sign saying ‘Jesus loves you’, your life, your attitude, your actions, how you respond to others especially during sticky scenarios is really enough for people to think twice about christians.
Jesus didn’t walk around saying ‘I Jesus, loves you’. Actually he tried to conceal his identity but through his attitude and actions people believed. Why should we christians have to parade our faith inappropriately when Jesus has given us the tools to effectively evangelise without the need to be detached from the world? So yes I’m not going to apologise for it but at the same time I do believe we christians should shed our fears and step out into unfamiliar territories more often.
Very true, the article. I seriously resisted becoming a Christian for 20 years. In fact, I resisted it so much that I read the bible just to find out inconsistencies and use it against Christians who come and preach to me. My main complaint was that Christians were hypocritical, judgemental and I would be damned if I were to become one of them.
What changed was when I was studying in England and saw a complete different type of Christian, one that is accepting and genuine, who have flaws like everyone else, but try to live life the right way. They are honest about their flaws and readily admit them. That made me realise that it is not Christianity’s fault, but the people.
I realise that by drawing our line too clearly keeps us from building relationships with the unchurched. Not going to clubs with friends, or not drinking alcohol at all, draws a line that is too clear with the unchurched and seperates us too clearly from them. However, if we were to go with them, enjoy the time and companionship with them, but refuse fornication, enjoy drinking alcohol with them, but keep the control of not getting drunk, it earns their respect and they are far more willing to accept your reasons for not crossing the line. This way, you include them, but maintain the purity.
Hi Ptr Kong,
So blessed by your Daily Devotion messages. Thank you for highlighting the points above..! As we all know, there are the 4 different soils a farmer will scatter the seeds to (Matthew 13:3-8) but you have highlighted the awareness and importance of the attitude and characters of the FARMER too… ! What a great insight!
We are also praying for Sun’s speeding recovery.. We knew how much both of you love Jesus..Thank you both for making a difference..! We all love both of you!
Yes, it is true, I believe this has been passed down to us from generation to generation. We must change all that in these new generation…
Dear Pst Kong,
The word you shared is spot on. I began to look at my own view of the unchristian world and found myself being judgmental. I am still uncomfortable around gay people and this Easter, I am determined to nail that bigot in me to the cross. Thanks Pst, if there is any change needed, it starts with me.
Edward
Kong – communication in its purest form is the ingredient to lasting success with Jesus. Our job is to know the language of the unchurched and deliver Jesus. Effectively translating Christ is our mission from Christ.
Thank the Lord we have Him on our side. your the best and an influenceR of Christ
http://iHateChurch.Wordpress.com
Dear Pastor Kong,
Very true!
I attended my very first Sunday service last week, I found that you are a very powerful speaker, I have no hesitation to attend CH church coming Easter Holiday.
This is my first time so close to Christ and hope someone will provide me with more strong will power.
Since the Cultural Mandate, the opinions of many unchurched people have changed… they don’t feel “judged” so much as we embraced their lifestyle and stepped into their world.
I’m able to recall, some 13 or 14 years ago, if we went to pubs, chat on IRC, tattooed our arms, colored our hair, chit chat with female member on phone, listened to Pop/Rock genre or wore jeans and t-shirt to service, we will be invited to drink coffee and have dinner with our leaders/pastors (a.k.a. counselling).
Since 2002 with the crossover, we write and sing Rock songs and RAP, break danced, “Painted the Town Red” and sung lyrics that goes “God did not SCREW UP when He made you” did not raise our eyebrows, we colored our hair, tattoo our hands, legs, buttocks (huh?), broke all the taboos of traditional church, today became tweets and really be normal humans who enjoy things normal people do.
The result? First, we moved into a small old Cinema in 2005. Too small for us. We lasted 6+ years. We built out own building and run up to 6 services in 2001. Pastor started Cultural Mandate, had Pop concert in church. Many are saved. Too small for us. We lasted only 3+ years before we have to find a new place. Dec 2005 we moved into a Stadium sized hall. NOT BIG ENOUGH. We have to hold our service in 2 locations because we cannot house everyone in that big hall. Barely 3 years. TOO SMALL FOR US.
The point is people still get saved today without the traditions, many of which are first church converts. It must tell us something. If being traditional (and judgemental/legalistic) don’t bring the kind of revival that being relevant to society brings, then there’s no value in holding on to traditions unless the Great Commission is to preserve tradition.
I guess the only thing missed dearly today about the past is the Thanksgiving Service with Pastor Kong and Sun where we have to queue extra long hours to get into Hollywood Theater…
I sure many will have at least one point in us out of 6 point bad. Hopefully as we celebrate Easter and bring friends, we will not commit into any 6 bad points to keep people in church as what the author had said.
Yes Pastor. Many Christians think that being judgemental and political is a form of “holiness”. This really reminds me to take a step or two back, really understanding people and situations before saying or concluding anything.
Becoming a christian is the easiest thing; however, BEING a christian is the challenge for us all. In the end, it is the “being” that really matters, it is the one that makes us a true child of God, makes us the living proof of the existence of a living God and makes us a true testimony to others of what an awesome God we serve.
Great summary again.
Especially this line : we must start engaging culture and its people with respect and love
I imagine that the love as defined as Agape and Mett? might be good examples.
It’s sometimes not as easy to speak on the behalf of the whole group when not all are 100% on the same wavelengths of thought and purpose. But on a general line and basis, the leader does have to speak for the whole at times. Very well said on the quote “Leadership is about perception.”
Great post :) Eric
I’m glad to have found this site. I’ve read the other posts and I understand where they are coming from. I think the heart is right. I personally don’t feel the need to color my hair, get a tattoo, drink or go to a club just to prove I am “normal”. I don’t do those things because I am Christian, but because they are not my personal tastes.
I don’t take any drinks simply because I know I have an addictive personality and I don’t want to start something I can’t stop, especially with having family with alcoholic backgrounds. I just think having a tattoo, for me, is ugly so I don’t want any. I don’t do clubs because usually, at least in our area, it gets violent and sometimes people are even killed. I don’t see the need to subject myself to that. The “unchurched” friends I have can see that I can have fun without drinking or going to the club, but if they do, that’s their choice.
I do believe that many people have had bad experiences with hypocritical or judgmental people. You can be loving without going all out to look like and behave like the world, because we still do have a mandate to be a part of this world but not of it. This means how we stand out should be, as one poster said, because of our actions and reactions to every day situations and life. We are to be known because of our love for one another and it is the love of God that brings repentance.
Love is something the world desperately needs and desires and doesn’t get enough of, therefore this alone is enough to make Christianity attractive. But alas being judgmental and hypocritical does not belie love and therein lies the rub.
My goal is to simply lead people to Christ and if they truly love God, then anything contrary to His Word (whether it be drunkenness, homosexuality, prochoice, whatever) then God will deal with that. The Holy Spirit will convict them as they grow in their relationship with God. No one, in their right mind, would accuse God of being judgmental and hypocritical, so let Him do it. I, or any other human, people can and will always find fault with.
What a person is doing wrong right now shouldn’t be the main focus or concern when evangelizing. After they accept Christ, that can and will be dealt with. There is a balance to evangelism that we need God to help us with if we are going to influence the lost for Christ.
Many non Christians are now thinking that some churches are too vain, fashion conscious, materialistic, pleasure seeking. Does it bother you?