Kissing Christianity Goodbye
Little insight: My first book emerged over years of being a leader in the Church and often seeing a lack of life. Little vigor. Lack of excellence. Proprietary issues (“my” ministry). Traps that Christians get caught in, which I’m calling “camps” in the book. By that I mean Christians camping out in the lowlands. For example, my “Untapped” camp has this nagging feeling they don’t have much to offer. They have a gnawing sense of unworthiness.
Josh Harris’ book I Kissed Dating Goodbye, that put him on the map, has now also planted a goodbye kiss on Christianity.
Hillsong’s Marty Samson, who has written worship songs and led worship for several years, also informed us all that he has walked away from his Christian faith.
These are two prominent Christians with huge followings. And this has a serious impact on us all.
With all my heart, I believe the solution lies in going back to the most basic of all things: Living in Light of the Good News.
The Good News is The Gospel.
It’s the Gospel, settled one time and then revisited again and again, that makes all the difference! We need to be anchored in our need of a savior and Jesus being that savior as our starting, continuing and ending place.
Why? Because of the cause and effect of the Gospel on our lives.
The Cause: What God has given and done in Christ. He removed the barriers that kept me from Him, kicked the hell out of sin and death, made me alive in Him. He gave me a royal identity and empowered me by His Spirit.
The Effect: Gratitude. Absolute gratitude and love poured out to God and to all. I’m alive! I’m free! Free to love and live.
Are we so grounded in who God is and who we are in Him that we can grapple with our deepest faith issues?
“God are you who I always thought you were?”
“God, the Scriptures say this about homosexuality (gay), but there are compelling interpretations and realities today that I hadn’t considered.”
“I thought I had my theology figured out, but I don’t know anymore!”
Are we so grounded in the Gospel that despite what’s going on around us - in the Church or beyond - we look up, up, up and see God’s heart full of love and compassion? Are we so grounded in the truth of the Gospel that we’re not thrown when people or the enemy come at us? Do we instead see God strengthening us and cheering us on?
If we can return to the Life God offers that’s found in Christ, I do believe we can reverse the trend of lack of life in the Church. And not only reverse it, but call that mighty River of Life to cascade through our nations again!
I’m real because God is so very, very real.
~ Nancy
CALLING
Don’t write these guys off or any other person struggling with their faith. Pray for them! Pray that God would move them to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is indeed God who works in them to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose in them.” (Philippians 2:12,13)
And while you’re at it, pray for those who’ve been impacted by their current story.