A New Kind of Christian

I like many things that Brian McLerna writes, but I am not a Brian McLeran fan. I find it too difficult to overlook his compromizes on key parts of biblical teaching (Jesus as the Only Way, divorce, homosexuality, etc.,.). But Brian McLeran writes an essay called, “Christian,” in David Kinnaman's new book, UnChristian. His vision is GREAT! Here is what he says . . .

In thirty years, research could show us that when people think Christian, they think things like this:

• Christians are the ones who love people, whoever they are – gay or straight, Jew or Muslim, religious or atheist, capitalist or not, conservative or liberal.

• Christians are the ones who have done more than anyone in the world to stop the HIV/AIDS crisis.

• Christians are the people who gravitate toward the poor and who show compassion through generous action and seek justice so that the systemic causes of poverty are overcome. They call the rich to generosity, and they call on rich nations to work for the common good.

• Christians are people who believe that art and creativity are important, so they consistently produce the most striking, original, and enriching art.

• Christians are willing to give their lives for the cause of peace. They oppose violence in all of its forms. They will lay down their lives to protect the vulnerable from the violent.

• Christians care for the environment. They don’t just see it as raw materials for economic gain, but they see it as the precious handiwork of their Creator.

• Christians have personal integrity. They keep their marriage vows and are aware of how destructive misused sexuality can be. Yet they are compassionate toward people who make sexual mistakes, and they never consider themselves superior.

• Christians build harmony among races. You always know that you’ll be respected when you’re around a Christian.

Perhaps I am a dreamer. But when the hard realities jolt you out of denial (as the research presented here can do), the status quo becomes less acceptable, and one is motivated to dream of better possibilities. I hope that this research will push others toward becoming dreamers too, and that hose dreams will inspire the needed creative and faithful action.

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A New Type of Christian

David Kinnaman, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity.

1. Christians say one thing but live something entirely different . . . . becomes . . . Christians are transparent about their flaws and act first, talk second.

2. Christians are insincere and concerned only with converting others . . . . becomes . . . Christians cultivate relationships and environments where others can be deeply transformed by God.

3. Christians show contempt for gays and lesbians . . . becomes . . . Christians show compassion and love to all people, regardless of their lifestyle.

4. Christians are boring, unintelligent, old fashioned, and out of touch with reality . . . becomes . . . Christians are engaged, informed and offer sophisticated responses to issues people face.

5. Christians are primarily motivated by a political agenda and promote right-wing politics . . . becomes . . . Christians are characterized by respecting people, thinking biblically, and finding solutions to complex issues

6. Christians are prideful and quick to find fault with others . . . becomes . . . Christians show grace by finding the good in others and seeing their potential to be Christ followers.

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Only Tough Guys Should Plant Churches

In our most recent bootcamp, we had several veteran church planters over to my house to join with all the new church planters (guys who were about to plant). We always break the teams up - My wife, as a veteran church planter and pastor's wife, takes the women - and Todd Wilson and I take the men. Then we open it up and talk, down and dirty, about the spiritual warfare in a church plant. Wow! It is alway eye-opening. One of our trainers - a veteran planter from the east coast - shared this time how hard it has been on him to plant a church. I am used to hearing it, but the depth of his struggle (as he described it), caught me offgaurd. But simultaneously, as I heard his words, I sensed the Holy Spirit remind me of a passages from the Church Planter's Epistles (scholars call them Pastoral Epistles, but they are really written to church planters/evangelists): Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3). Thats right, only tough guys should plant churches.

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