BOOK REVIEW: UNCHRISTIAN: WHAT A NEW GENERATION REALLY THINKS ABOUT CHRISITANITY … AND WHY IT MATTERS [1]
INTRODUCTION
Often Christians experience negative reactions from people in their community, perhaps even family and neighbors, and cannot understand the source of the hostility that seems to be directed toward Christians in the United States. Why do people react to Christians and refuse to accept the truth that the Bible teaches about Jesus and the Church? David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons examine the perceptions of those outside the Christian faith and the reasons for these reactions. The purpose of this paper is to review Kinnaman and Lyons’ unChristian and describe its content, propositions, and application to ministry.
UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK
Kinnaman and Lyons deal with practical theology (religious life) issues related to the perceptions of present-day, Western Christianity from those outside of the Christian faith. Their methods for gathering data are surveys and interviews. They provide their analyses of the results from the study and suggestions for solving Christianity’s “image problem” in Western culture (p. 11). Their goal was to “…generate ample conversation about the nature of sin and solutions for the slipping reputation of Christianity in our culture” (p. 205). Furthermore, they invite leading evangelicals to contribute by providing their reactions to the study and suggestions for healthier ministry in a contemporary context.
The authors begin their book by providing a simple theme that guides the overall tone and thrust of their response to this study: “Christianity has an image problem” (p. 11). They find that those outside of the Christian faith have little trust in Christianity and “little esteem for the life-style” of Christ-followers (p. 11). In fact, they find that many outsiders reject Christianity, and thus Christ, because they insist that Christians “no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what it was meant to be” (p. 15).
According to the authors, their motive for conducting this study emerges from the negative reactions they personally experience in conversations with friends and neighbors (p. 15). Therefore, there are four problems the authors seek to solve (p. 11). First, they seek to determine the actual perceptions that outsiders hold toward Christians. Second, they explore the reasons why these perceptions exist. Third, they seek to discover whether these perceptions reflect reality. Fourth, they provide an argument that these perceptions should be understood and should matter to the contemporary Church.
From their research, they find three dominant perceptions that outsiders hold concerning Christians, which the authors term the “big three”: antihomosexual (91 percent), judgmental (87 percent), and hypocritical (85 percent) (p. 27). The authors address these perceptions along with other major perceptions and present six broad themes: (1) hypocritical, (2) too focused on getting converts, (3) antihomosexual, (4) sheltered, (5) too political, and (6) judgmental.
INTERPRETATION
There are two significant terms the authors use consistently that should be understood to interpret this book. First, they identify “outsiders” as “… those looking at the Christian faith from the outside. This group includes atheists, agnostics, those affiliated with a faith other than Christianity (such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Mormonism, and so on), and other unchurched adults who are not born-again Christians” (p. 17). They point out that the labels typically used by Christians to define those outside of the Christian faith (e.g., “lost”) contribute to the image problem and are de-humanizing. Therefore, they chose the term “outsider” as their generic and less abrasive term to describe those outside of the Christian faith.
Second, they use the term “unChristian faith” to describe the perceptions that outsiders have of Christians, that is to say that Christians do not truly represent authentic Christianity. They define “unChristian faith” using several factors. First, they describe the mindset of young adults (Mosaics and Busters, the focus group of the study) along the lines of cultural postmodernism – experience and image driven (pp. 21-23).
Second, they describe the growing hostility toward Christianity from outsiders because of bad images and experiences in the Church and with individual Christians. They identify two primary reasons why outsiders have significant, negative perceptions and images of Christians. First, outsiders feel hostile toward Christians, not because of our beliefs, but because of “… our ‘swagger,’ how we go about things and the sense of self-importance we project” (p. 26). Their perception is that Christians will dominate them, if allowed. The second reason for hostility toward Christians is that they perceive that Christians, especially evangelical Christians, have become “… famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for” (p. 26). Outsiders perceive Christians as angrily and arrogantly defending certain issues (e.g., the definition of the family and the sanctity of life) while ignoring, or at least deemphasizing, other important issues, such as human rights, environmental concerns, and social justice.[2]
The authors identify the background (reasons) that leads to the unChristian faith (pp. 30 – 32). They argue that outsiders’ perceptions are not simply a result of spiritual resistance. There are several important influences that lead to these negative images. First, the majority of young outsiders have attended church at some point in their lives and had relationships with Christians. Second, the secular media is silently shaping their lives. Third, they have experienced painful encounters in the church that leads to these negative images and perceptions of Christianity. Outsiders “… have had very personal experiences, frustrations, and hurts, as well as devastating conversations and confrontations” (p. 32). Therefore, Mosaic and Buster outsiders have a difficult time following Jesus because of their negative experiences with Christ-followers.
According to the authors’ research, not only are the perceptions of outsiders important, these perceptions are a concern of young Christ-followers as well (pp. 33-35). Many of the Christian respondents expressed concern about the negative image that Christianity holds in contemporary culture. In fact, many young believers are hesitant to admit that they are Christians because they fear it would limit their ability to develop relationships with outsiders and would invalidate their message. Because of the mindset of young adults, bad experiences with Christians, and the negative perceptions that result, the authors offer their propositions for changing the image of the Christianity.
The authors argue that there are several reasons why it is important for the Church of Jesus Christ to understand and address the perception of the unChristian faith. First, they argue that the image problem is significant. In fact, it is so significant that, if not addressed immediately and effectively, it will affect the ability of Christians to do ministry for years to come (p. 11). Second, they argue that if the Church is truly interested in effectively communicating and expressing Christ to the younger generations, then it will have to take these perceptions seriously and understand the intensity of the hostility with which younger adults view Christianity (p. 11). They are quick to acknowledge that the Church is not responsible for outsiders’ decisions, “…but we are accountable when our actions and attitudes – misrepresenting a holy, just, and loving God – have pushed outsiders away” (p. 14). Therefore, they remind the Church that God cares about outsiders and wants us to pay attention to them. Third, they argue that paying attention to the perceptions of outsiders is important because what people think about Christians influences how they respond to us, which, in turn, should force us to examine our behaviors and attitudes objectively. Furthermore, because outsiders’ attitudes about Christians can change, we should change our behaviors and attitudes so that there are fewer barriers for outsiders to experience Christ (pp. 37-38).
For each of the broad perceptions held by outsiders, the authors attempted to provide simple solutions to change those perceptions. They acknowledge that our faith “grates against a morally relativistic culture” (p. 36), which implies that even our best efforts may not change the perspectives of some. However, their central solution to these perceptions can be summed up in the tension that exists between product vs. process. For each of the major perceptions (e.g., antihomosexual, judgmental, etc.), the underlying solution is a focus on a process of evangelism and discipleship. This implies ongoing relationships and conversations with outsiders through which Christ-followers seek to present a relationship with Christ as a journey, not simply an event or a product.
It is clear that the authors do not assume to offer a definite solution to changing the perceptions of outsiders or claim to have comprehensively defined the problem. They recognize the complexity and ambiguity of our culture. Nevertheless, the stated goal of the authors is to present their finding as a catalyst for objective reflection on the behaviors of the Church and how those behaviors and attitudes drive younger generations away. Whereas they provide suggestions to initiate the conversation inside and outside the faith, it is clear that they do not claim to have all the answers (which is refreshing).
However, Kinnaman and Lyons provide concrete expressions to confirm the suspicions that Christian leaders have held by providing credible evidence beyond the anecdotal responses that are heard in our everyday experiences with outsiders. They solve a significant problem by clearly describing the most common images of our faith. This is important for leaders because it provides us with a place of objectivity from which to work.
REFLECTION
This book has several primary strengths. First, their method for presenting their findings is clear, concise, relevant, and demands a response. This book is relevant to a broad range of ministries in the Church. It is clearly relevant to those churches whose missional focus groups are Mosaics and Busters. Likewise, it is especially important for church leaders of older, traditional churches to understand why they are not attracting young adults any longer. The information that is presented forces the reader (especially a person like me that holds to conservative theological and methodological interpretations of scripture) to examine our behaviors and how they influence the clarity or distortion of the message. Often, I found myself angry, which was quite clearly the intent of the authors – to drive Christians to examine our lives objectively.
Second, it is an excellent tool for Christian ministry because it identifies significant barriers that exist to effect ministry. It helps the reader reorder priorities in ministry by taking the emphasis off of product and onto process. Because it tended to make me angry and defensive, it forced me to ask objective questions about my method of ministry and how that method blurs or distorts the message. In other words, this book serves to remind the Christian that deeper should always be more important than bigger.
On the other hand, there are three significant weaknesses in the authors’ arguments. First, the authors insist that we should be paying attention to the perceptions of outsiders because these perceptions have developed as a result of bad experiences. The authors provide a few first-hand recollections from those that were interviewed. However, the authors seem to have made a generalization about these “bad experiences” without providing a more explicit summary of the exact nature of these “bad experiences.” I have a suspicion that some of these “bad experiences” may simply be the challenge of living a life of holiness. The gospel, in many respects, is counter-cultural. Space does not permit the level of theological argument needed to defend this proposition; but suffice it to say that, in my experience, conviction from the Holy Spirit is usually a “bad experience.”
Second, they clearly deemphasize the spiritual struggle that exists for the souls of humans and explicitly place the source of the problem squarely on the shoulders of the Church. In several instances while reading, I found myself not really sure that I want to be a Christian any longer because apparently I, a member of the body of Christ, am the real enemy in our culture. By deemphasizing the spiritual struggle that truly exists, the authors’ propositions imply that Christ has failed because his chosen instrument to transform culture has failed. Without denying the reality of behavioral and attitude barriers in the Church that prevent people from experiencing faith, hope, and love, I insist that the Church is not a delinquent child. It is, and will continue to be, under the sovereign leadership of Christ.
Third, I am concerned that the authors have used a secular “filter” (i.e., “image” or “reputation”) to propose how we do ministry. There is a problem with using a desire that is embraced by cultural postmodernism: image is too closely associated with consumption. I tend to agree with David Wells: “Consumption is not only about our material needs but also about self-understanding and self-projection. The danger is … that the meaning we adduce from the things accumulated can drift loose from reality. Image can dominate substance, appearance can substitute for reality, and the staging of a self may end up trumping the real thing.”[3] Image is not real. It is only an image. The problem is trying to correct something that is not real. This creates a problem in ministry when a Christian leader tries to correct perceptions instead of correcting the real behavioral and attitude problems in a particular church. A young, enthusiastic pastor could read this book and chase images and focus on “self-projection” and end up “trumping the real thing.” In other words, when we focus on “image” and “reputation,” the danger is that we become consumer-driven and elevate what is “cool” over what is real and eternal. A pastor can follow all of the suggestions in this book and still be superficial because they have placed their hope of “success” in something that is not authentic.
Nevertheless, the strengths of this book far outweigh the weaknesses, and it is an incredibly valuable tool for ministry. The first and most important value to my ministry is that it provides a more specific and reliable understanding of the barriers that prevent us from effectively reaching our community. It is important for each of the leaders on my staff and elder team to understand how our behaviors and attitudes can directly prevent us from establishing meaningful ministry in our context. In other words, this book’s primary value is for self-reflection and discussion that leads to a greater understanding of the mission of God and the barriers to fulfilling that mission.
Second, I value the discussion on faith formation as a response to the perception that Christians are too focused on getting converts. I find that they accurately describe the mindset of the faith tradition in which I was raised – if you just have a personal “experience” with Christ, then you will be fine. Unfortunately, this narrow focus on an experience leads to a lack of depth in a Christian’s life. The authors’ argument is that the Church should take the focus off of an event and, instead, “… become a catalyst and environment for genuine and sustainable spiritual transformation” (p. 80). They define the process of spiritual formation as “… the passions that should define a Christ follower” (p. 80):
· worshipping God intimately and passionately
· engaging in spiritual friendships with other believers
· pursuing faith in the context of family
· embracing intentional forms of spiritual growth
· serving others
· investing time and resources in spiritual pursuits
· having faith-based conversations with outsiders
I notice two very important implications from this list. First, these passions are based on core practices to become more Christ-like and take a step away from traditional core values, such as dogmatic, theological paradigms and denominational programs. The second implication of this process of ministry is that it takes an incredible of amount of faith, patience, and commitment to relationships for there to be sustainable faith formation. By faith, I mean that these core practices place the work of transformation solely in the hands of the Holy Spirit and away from the numbers and event driven cajoling and manipulation from charismatic evangelists. In other words, these core practices avoid the use of being “born-again,” perhaps due to the “baggage” associated with that term. Thus, it requires patience and longsuffering as a disciple grows up in Christ and requires a commitment to the relationship despite the “messiness” of life. This is a challenge in my context of ministry because of the traditional value of the “born-again” experience at the “altar-call.” Moving away from confrontation to conversation is a significant paradigm shift that could take older generations some time to embrace.
The third major value of this book to my ministry is to ask, “How can the timeless truths of holiness, righteousness, and redemption be reframed to declare those truths by what we are for rather than what we are against?” It is pointless to preach from the pulpit and rail against issues like abortion and homosexuality because “… despite more sermons on the subject from the pulpit and more emphasis on political engagement, Mosaic and Buster churchgoers remain unconvinced that the homosexual lifestyle is a problem for society” (p. 101). This type of polemic is simply antagonistic and counter-productive. Therefore, these perceptions force to me address the tone and thrust of the methods that we use to proclaim the message. While never compromising the message, I must evaluate how to adjust the method to include the desired goal of these timeless truths. For example, instead of preaching against divorce, advocate for healthy families and actually provide environments for families to grow spiritually, relationally, and emotionally.
CONCLUSION
Kinnaman and Lyons’ unChristian is a must-read for the pastor and church leadership that are serious about providing ministry to younger generations while remaining faithful to the essential teachings of scripture. The methods that were effective in reaching previous generations that generally had a biblical worldview are simply not relevant and are being perceived as antagonistic and avoided by the younger generations in the United States. By understanding and creatively applying the findings in this book, Christian leaders can once again become a light to the Mosaics and Busters. The cost is too great to avoid it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kinnaman, David and Gabe Lyons. unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity . . . and Why it Matters. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007.
Wells, David F. “Christian Discipleship in a Postmodern World.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51/1 (March 2008): 19-33.
No comments:
Post a Comment