I am currently reading David Kinnaman's UnChristian for one of my classes and really enjoying it. I know most of us probably didn't need a book to tell us how poorly the Christian community is perceived by the wider culture (and often rightfully so, in my personal opinion), but I've been pleasantly surprised and personally challenged. That's not to mention that it has my mind spinning about our ecclesiology - taking all of this information into account, how should the church respond? For those of us who are passionate about seeing new churches started (and for those brave souls who are passionate about overhauling existing churches), how do we effectively minister in a post-Christian culture where we are increasingly perceived with skepticism and distrust? The book is causing me to wrestle and that's a good thing.
Here is something that I just read and had to share. "When asked to describe what Christianity is like, outsiders offered these provocative analogies:
The Titanic - a ship about to sink but unaware of its fate.
A powerful amplifier being undermined by poor wiring and weak speakers.
A pack of domesticated cats that look like they are thinking deep thoughts but are just waiting for their next meal.
An ostrich with its head in the sand.
A hobby that diverts people's attention.
These images capture an idea we repeatedly encountered in our research - Christians are sheltered."
Whew. I don't know about you, but that stings a little.
