I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine the other day. My friend has never really been that familiar with church, though she is growing to a place where she is getting more involved. Part of her journey is feeling like she needs to be a part of a Christian community and make her commitment to follow Jesus more formal and public.
As I was sharing how that would be done in our church, I came to the point where I felt compelled to share with my friend how to communicate her thoughts and desires to folks if she were to do that. I may have not needed to be a translator, but I think in the end if my friend decides to become a part of our church community what I shared will help her understand how to make that relationship a committed one. "Its sounds to me like you need to say that you have accepted Christ but feel like you want to make a 'profession of faith' and have never done that." Perhaps the reason I felt compelled to explain is because most of the lingo that our church uses here was foriegn to me when I came. As we were talking, I began to wonder, how many people are more than willing to be invested in a Christian community, but have their heart and desires lost in translation of a "Christian culture"?
This is what a lot of the book "They Like Jesus But Not the Church" is about. How do churches and Christians begin to break down barriers that are invisible to them but obvious to those who choose to avoid Christians and churches in the first place.
Something interesting to think about.
3 comments:
I think this is a very important question. I know a few people who believe in God and Jesus, but don't like to call themselves Christians as they don't like what that implies. I would like to see where you go with this thought Friar!
Yes, this needs to be addressed. The Church needs a better understanding of why folks like myself don't come. I am an admitted Christian, but there are many things that occur in church that is disconcerting to me. for instance I do not understand how we can fully understand what Jesus was really doing and saying if we do not understand and know Jewish history and religious practices. Why doesn't the Christian Church teach this? I do not understand a lot of things, so I take the initiative to learn it on my own. Telling folks that they can come dressed any way they like is great, letting folks be the way they are and accepting them too is the real issue that no one really addresses.
thanks for the encouraging words about what I experienced and wrote about. it sounds as though you understand what I was hoping to communicate. I like you blog! i gt sucked into reading a bunch of it.
Ok, bye for now!
Dan
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