This is the fourth chapter from Gary Miller’s Reaching America: God’s message has not changed but our culture has. The first three chapters titled Awake, Alive, and Multiplying, What Is Different & Does Anyone really Care were the three prior posts. Warning: this is a heavy chapter. First, we must Behold the depth of God’s love for us, and then, we must Beware of the deceitfulness of our own hearts. merlin
Jesus warned His followers that the Gospel message would not be an easy sell. Describing the path, He warned that “strait is the gate, and narrow the way is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.(Matt 7:14) This is restrictive language, describing a path pursued only by serious seekers. Peter, a few years later, reiterated the narrowness and exclusivity of the Jesus way. “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12) Peter says that Jesus (no exceptions) is the only path to God. Given that the mantra for our age is tolerance, this message does not make our job of reaching out any easier.
The Irony of Tolerance
Our current culture exalts tolerance and despises exclusivity. “What right do you have,” we are told, “to claim that your religious beliefs are superior to anyone else’s?” D. A. Carson, in his book The Intolerance of Tolerance, notes there was a time in America when people had the right to believe what they wanted and even state it openly. Everyone’s belief was truly tolerated. But today, the belief that all beliefs are of equal value is the only belief being tolerated. Carson says it like this: “Intolerance is no longer a refusal to allow contrary opinions to say their piece in public, but must be understood to be any questioning or contradicting the view that all opinions are equal in value, that all worldviews have worth, that all stances are equally valid.”(6) The prevailing push toward “tolerance” is actually more restrictive and intolerant than the worldview it replaces. No longer does anyone have the right to believe that one opinion is superior to another. The only acceptable perspective is that is that all beliefs hold equal value.
“I am the way, truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” There is no wiggle room in these words of Jesus. A “Christian worldview” does not attempt to force everyone to agree, but neither does it believe that all worldviews are of equal value. Therefore, this kind of “exclusive” position is deemed intolerant, and many turn away from the Gospel because it does not accept other religions. But intolerance isn’t the only reason today’s seeker might not be interested in what you have.
The High Cost
Jesus was very clear. Not only did He teach that He is the only way, (John 14:6) but He said the cost of being His disciple is extremely high (Lukem14:33). While that was obviously true in Jesus’ day, it could be argued that the cost is even higher today. In our low-commitment culture, one of the burning questions we are almost fearful to ask seeking families is whether they are divorced. This is not a question we ask in our first encounter, but when we see children of varying ages, we can’t help but wonder.
If it does turn out to be a second marriage, the cost of following becomes very high. Choosing to separate from a spouse you love, knowing the devastating impact on the lives of your children, and questioning if this is actually God’s will is an extremely difficult decision. For many, taking Jesus at His word comes at incredible cost! Most of us have seen individuals come up against this and back away.
Others struggle with the concept of defenseless living. Jim found the Lord early in life and became part of a local Protestant congregation. He married, had children, and came to believe that part of being a faithful Christ Follower was physically protecting his children from harm. In fact, by the time he met someone who believed Jesus expected His teachings on nonresistance to be taken seriously, Jim had storage closets of guns and ammunition. He was simply trying to be a good Christian father and protect his family. Today Jim has embraced defenseless living, but it was not easy.
Jim tells how difficult it was to believe that Jesus would want fathers to live in this violent world without lethal protection. It was unimaginable! Yet he kept going back to the actual words of Jesus, considering them, and eventually he embraced this basic teaching. Jim has been a faithful follower of Jesus now for many years, but he still remembers how difficult it was to accept this truth. “I was convinced God wanted me to protect my family, and choosing to sell my guns and ammo was a huge decision.” I can think of others who have come up against this “hard saying of Jesus” and walked away. This is one of the reasons seekers may not be interested in the Gospel you are presenting.
An Easier Path
Faced with the reality that Jesus’ self-denying Gospel is a hard sell to a self-centered culture, churches have attempted to give Christianity a face-lift. While the old Gospel focused on taking up the cross and dying to selfish desires, the new alternative looks at people’s desires and attempts to satisfy them. Whether it is popularity, wealth, acceptance, or just an entertaining Sunday morning experience, there is a church out there willing to help you achieve your goal. The Gospel of Jesus was designed to transform the seeker to please God, but this new approach seems more focused on adjusting the holiness of God to fit the seekers. If the churches are going to grow, it is argued, we must create an enjoyable experience that leaves the visitor wanting more.
Dr. Gary Gilley in his book This Little Church Went to Market, describes it like this:
“Growing churches are creating an atmosphere, an environment, of fun. So fun has replaced holiness as the church’s goal. Having a good time has become the criterion of an excellent, growing church, since fun and entertainment is what consumers want. Yet Bible references encouraging churches to become havens of fun are, as one may suspect, lacking.”
Unquestionably, the message that God’s primary goal is for you to be happy makes sharing the authentic Gospel of Jesus difficult. After all, if two paths lead to the same point, why choose the one that is more difficult? Why pick an unpopular counter-culture route if it is not necessary? That defies logic. So we, as Christ Followers, have been given the task of sharing the uncomfortable truth that Jesus did really mean what He said. His message was clear. “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaking not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:33).
So, It’s Just Them?
We have no control over some of these obstacles to evangelism. We cannot tell people that Jesus is just one of many ways to God, or redo our theology to make it more attractive. We do not have the privilege of making the path easier or softening the cross that God calls us to bear. Neither can we force people to become more interested in the Gospel. So, the thinking goes, if they don’t want what I have, I might as well just focus on my business instead of my neighbor. If he ever gets serious about seeking God, he knows where I live (I Pet 3:15).
Do you ever find something like this drifting through your mind? There is something a little comforting about this line of thought. If the problem is simply a combination of American affluence, a love of pleasure, fascination with electronic entertainment, or a godless worldview, then I can’t really do anything about it anyway, and it isn’t my fault. Most of us have been tempted to subconsciously rest in this line of reasoning.
It’s Just Not That Simple!
But reality isn’t quite that simple. Americans are not finding solutions for their inner cravings, and behind all the smiles there is an emptiness and a strong sense that something is missing. In spite of being constantly connected electronically, many are experiencing a sense of alienation and a need for relationship that is not fulfilled. Consider the increase in the use of antidepressants. Between 1999 and 2014 there was a 64 percent increase in people using antidepressants, and in 2017 an estimated 16.5 percent, or one in six, non-Hispanic white Americans were using antidepressants. (8) Doctors prescribe antidepressants for more than one condition, but clearly the search is still on for a solution to anxiety and for lasting fulfillment and peace.
As Christ Followers, we know where to find ultimate peace. We have experienced it. Not only inner spiritual peace for our hearts, but loving human relationships with others. Many of us have grown up in strong, loving church communities. When facing deep sorrow or disappointment, we have experienced an arm around our shoulders. We know what it is like to see a financial burden lifted, and we don’t worry about being left alone when a family member dies. In short, we have exactly what people around us are searching for. So, what is the problem? Why are we doing so poorly at conveying this reality to the lost?
Some of our congregations have the same last names as fifty years ago. Yes, taking care of our own families is important, but is that all God has in mind? Remember, every surname in your congregation was new at one time. So why aren’t more people joining our fellowships now?
The next post, Sunday nite, will be chapter five, “Do We Really Want Them?” My goal in sharing these five chapters is to have wet your appetite by now so that you’ll order your own copy for the 17 remaining chapters. I got my copy at Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) in Berlin. Gary Miller is a prolific writer for CAM. Two other of Gary’s books, Going Til You’re Gone is a must read for everyone approaching 50 and I use his 79 page mini novel How Can Anyone Say God Is Good as a tract suitable for teens up thru retirement, the latter if you buy a box of 50 are only a dollar each. Spread some Light about the oppressing darkness. How else can you better invest less $ than a coffee to plant a seed that may sprout a seeker of kingdom truth? Blessings merlin
EndNotes
(8) Lea Winerman, “By the Numbers: Antidepressant Use on the Rise.” American Psychological Association, Nov 2017, Vol. 48, No. 10.