Get Saved!

During 2010, I've enjoyed getting back into reading. During my single days, I used to read prolifically. One year, I averaged a book a week. Since kids came along 8 years ago, my reading dropped a lot.

Last year, someone asked me what I had read recently that was interesting. Sadly, I couldn't think of anything and responded that I had been reading some children's books.

One book I've gotten back to this week is by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons and features groundbreaking research from the Barna Group. It's titled un christian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007). It features research on "outsiders" (people outside of the Christian faith) of Mosaics (born 1984-2002) and Busters (1965-1983).

Chapter 4 is titled "Get Saved." The perception of outsiders born between 1965 and 2002 is that "Christians are insincere and concerned only with converting others." The ideal new perception is that "Christians cultivate relationships and environments where others can be deeply transformed by God."

I'll just quote some parts from the chapter.

Among young adults, process trumps the product and the journey is more important than the destination. The skeptical viewpoint affects how they think about belief and conversion. (68).

Most reject the idea that Christians show genuine interest in them as individuals. This was one of the largest gaps in our research: most Christians are convinced their efforts come across as genuine, but outsiders dispute that...Showing general interest in someone is hard to fake...When outsiders question our motives, it neutralizes their interest in Christianity...Rather than being genuinely interested in people for their friendship, we often seem like spiritual headhunters.(68-69).

Many of the young people we interviewed also pointed out how hard it is to take Christians seriously in light of some of their tactics. In all of the interviews we did, we heard no favorable comments about so-called street witnessing, where Christians intercept unknown passers-by to share the Good News. "People stalk you and verbally berate you. I'm like, do I know you? Why should I care what you are saying?" was one comment. (69).

And outsiders expressed particular disdain for methods that "trick" people into paying attention. One respondent called this "the con of conversion." She said, "Christians want you to pay attention to their message about Jesus, yet somehow I don't think Jesus would be happy about being turned into a gimmick." (70)

Outsiders are skeptical and savvy. In the vast majority of cases, rather than creating spiritual depth in people, these methods create unChristian barriers--mental and emotional obstacles--to Jesus. (70)

The chapter then presents some results of research done during 12 years about evangelism and faith-sharing activities. This research identifies a number of myths about how and why people become Christians. These misconceptions enable Christians to be in a state of denial about their conversion efforts. Unfortunately, these myths often are barriers to the development of the kinds of relationships & environments in which people can be deeply changed by their faith in Jesus. Here are several of them.

Myth: The best evangelism efforts are those that reach the most people at once. (70)

Reality: The most effective efforts to share faith are interpersonal and relationship based. When we asked born-again Busters to identify the activity, ministry event or person most directly responsible for their decision to accept Jesus Christ, 71% listed an individual--typically their parent, a friend, another relative, or a teacher. A majority of those decisions were described as conversations and prayer, while about 1/3 were instances in which their friend or family member took them to a church service or an evangelistic event. In an era of mass media, it is easy to believe that the more eyeballs, the more impact. But radio, television, and tracts accounted for a combined total of less than 1/2 of 1% of the Busters who are born again. The clear implication is that most young people come to Christ because of people they know very well, usually in the context of "everyday" interaction. (70-71)

Myth: Anything that brings people to Christ is worth doing.

Reality: When you're talking dollars, there is no price too high for a soul. But the problem isn't just cost. In our research with some of the leading "mass evangelism" efforts, we found that often these measures created 3 to 10 times as much negative response as positive...If you create more barriers with outsiders because of your tactics, you have not been a good steward of the gospel. How we choose to share Christ is as important as our actually doing it. (71)

Myth: People embrace Christianity because of logical arguments. (72)

Reality: Most people, by personality, are not logical thinkers and are not likely to change their beliefs because of elegant argumentation or apologetics...Most people do not become Christians because of the overwhelming evidence. And since Mosaics & Busters are more likely to possess a nonlinear, fluid way of processing life, they are increasingly comfortable with subtlety, nuance, ambiguity, and contradiction. So even if you are able to weave a compelling logical argument, young people will nod, smile, and ignore you.

When we asked outsiders what the most important factor is in their faith, they said it is something that "feels right to them personally" (69% of outsiders said this was an important facet in their spirituality)...67% of Christians between 16 and 29 said this was important as well. Among young people, whether we like it or not, their sense of individualism, their loyalty to peers, and their emotional and experiential outlook on life guide their spiritual pursuits. (72)

Myth: Everyone has an equal chance of becoming a Christ follower. (72)

Reality: Based on extensive research on this topic, our data points out clearly that the faith trajectory of the vast majority of Americans is mapped out before they become adults, often befoe they even reach adolescence. (72)

Think of the implications of this. First, it underscores that Christians should prioritize the faith development of children, a unique time in human development when the vast majority of us "pick" a faith. Second, it implies that we must work hard to strengthen the often-tenuous faith of teenagers, because this is when their faith is gelling...Finally, it reminds us why respect for other people's faith is so crucial. We are not likely to change another adult's by a comment here or a small dose of Jesus there. If we really want to help outsiders see the unique freedom available through Christ, the simplistic get-saved message is an insult to their intelligence. We may think people just need a quick spiritual transaction, but this kind of overhaul does not happen without a person's permission and the activity of the Holy Spirit. (73)