Pastoral Ponderings| Pastoral Ponderings | [printer version] |
How serious a statement would it be if a child rejected the name his or her parents gave to them? Not just the first name, but the last name, the family name which was passed on to them? That would be a serious statement indeed and that is exactly the situation the church is facing today. Respected Christian researcher George Barna found that many teens, while holding to the Christian faith are not identifying themselves as “Christian.” This attitude is reflected in a series of skits on YouTube (please click Christian No More) comparing “Christians” and “Christ Followers.” It concludes with the bold declaration: “Christian No More” written on a crumpled piece of paper which is good only for the trash. While humorous, these skits make it clear that being labeled a Christian is not cool. A generation is rejecting the name being passed on to them. In times past, aspects of the older generation's practice of Christianity have been abandoned, but even in the Reformation, Martin Luther's intent was to bring change within the existing church community. Today's youth are not trying to correct what they see as problems with their parents' faith in Christ; they are distancing themselves from it in the most fundamental way possible. Christian No More. | Why? Barna discovered that it has to do with the image the word “Christian” projects. And this is not isolated to the way Christians are portrayed by the media. Barna found out that factors such as "unchristian" behavior by church people, bad personal experiences with churches, and ineffective Christian leadership amid social crises contributed as well. In other words, Christians are the problem. This needs to be a wake up call. The problem is not liberals controlling media, education and government in order to promote anti-Christian attitudes. According to our youth, the problem is us. Could it be they are Christian No More because Christians oppose gay marriage on the grounds that it violates the sanctity of marriage, but then have a divorce rate above 50%? Could it be they see Christians united in opposing abortion because every human life is precious, but suddenly divided when the issue is a stroke-stricken, severely disabled middle aged woman? Are they Christian No More because they see grace used not as an encouragement for the repentant, but as a means of disregarding the seriousness of sin? Barna also discovered that more than the name of “Christian” is being rejected. Today's teens are rejecting the beliefs being passed down to them as well. Ideas such as absolute truth are considered “rigid” and evidence of a closed-mindedness. The Bible is viewed skeptically as an indicator of right and wrong. In short, today's teens are rejecting the foundations for understanding what has, for two thousand years, defined the faith. Barna also discovered that American's continue to have a high opinion of themselves individually. The great irony of this is that, even though our children are rejecting our name, we don't see it as our fault, at least not in a way that calls us to change. How's that for good self-esteem? |