Today I attended the Innovative Church Community in Burlington, NC. I was contacted by an important person in the SBC world who reads my blog but wants to remain anonymous. Thanks for telling me about this group it was great! The ICC is a group of innovative pastors in NC who gather together once a month to sharpen each other! I connected with some cool people. Today the topic was Influencing the Secular World. The organizers brought in 4 non-believers and one "seeker" to answer some questions about Christianity in front of this group of pastors. There was Mike a college student who was brought up in church but doesn't go to church anymore. Morgan is a student at UNC who has not been back to church since high school. Jeremy is from a half Baptist-half Catholic home and is an atheist. Then John who is a 40-50 something guy who is a "former evangelical Christian" who has just started to attend an innovative church in Boone, NC. They were frank and honest about why they don't go to church and what they think of Christianity, Christians, Church, pastors and Jesus. Their answers were enlightening. Question 1: What comes to mind when you hear the word Christianity? Mike and Morgan: Group of people who share the same beliefs Jeremy: Hypocrisy, fascism, racism and sexism. He said that Christianity is like looking at a reverse negative--everything Christians say they are they are not! John: Hypocrisy. More harm has been done to him by Christians than non-Christians. Christians don't even examine their own religion. Main flaw--Christianity is a noun to believers but it should be a verb. Question 2: What comes to mind when you hear the word church? Mike: Church is for networking for business-so one can get rich. It is exclusive--no minorities, homosexuals, etc.. but Christians are greedy. Morgan: Dry but sometimes exciting. Jeremy: Cult, gathering of social groups. More hanging out and socializing instead of doing good works! John: Practice on Sunday and forget it on Monday! Question 3: Do you know any Christians that you respect? Mike: no! Morgan: Mother. Everyone else she meets just disaproves of her and does not show love. Christians won't admit they don't know everything. Jeremy: All Christians do is follow a conservative word of God instead of the "liberal" Jesus. Jesus associated with everyone! John: Yes, those who live it and don't talk about it. The church he is attending now tries to live it and they admit they don't know it all! Question 4: What do you think of Jesus? Mike: His followers are terrorists! Morgan: Son of God. He would be disappointed in what He saw today! Jeremy: He'd be cool to hang out with. I want to see what He thinks of Christians. I think Jesus would be like George Burns in O God. John: I think Christians mis-understand Jesus. Christians miss the heart of the law. I don't believe He was the son of God, He is "a" son of God. Question 5: What would you say to us (Church leaders and pastors)? Mike: I would like to see less "forced" conversion tactics! Less taking scripture out of context. Morgan: Be approachable. Most pastors don't let you get close to them. Jeremy: Stop selling salvation. Take off Christianity on mints, car lots and gyms! All ministers want it $$$ and a b@#@h on the side! You are hate mongers. Stop making $$ off of Jesus. You ministers use God's name in vain when you sell Christianity. John: When are you actually going to study the Bible? You are afraid to challenge your own beliefs! If you believe in something you preach--you need to make sure it is true. What did I learn? These are the same kind of people I've been hanging out with for the last 6+ years @ Starbucks, other coffee shops, fitness centers and libraries. I go out of my way each day to hang around people like I met today! But it confirmed to me that discipleship is very imperitive. John was right. Christians don't know what they believe. You can only get so much out of a message or sermon. Followers of Jesus must be discipled so they can know what they believe. Also, our evangelism must not be trying to put another notch on our belts! We need to build relationships with non-believers because we actually like them. We share our faith with them because they are our friends. Everyone of them has been hurt by Christians. I mentioned earlier in the week that a great friend of mine was jerked around by so called Christians this week. What a shame! What a way to ruin one's testimony. I would like to bring a group of non-believers to my church to do the same thing for our members so they can hear first hand how we can influence the secular world!