I recently started a new book, well I suppose I start a new book each week, it is just a matter of whether I will pick it up after the first time I crack it or now. I have gone months even years without picking up a book for a second time. I like to think of it as if I am just not in the right place or the right time to really catch what is in that book (this was the same for all of my college books I held on to). But I picked up a new one today (well actually two) and I cracked it open, I think it will hold my attention for a while. The title of the book is UnChristian, and I am just assuming it is the latest Barna group book to emerge since Revolutions (an extreme idea of modern church but ultimately lacking the accountability that God calls us into). This book is not written by George Barna but by the president of the Barna Group David Kinniman.
I have just finished the beginning and hald way through the first chapter of the book (I fell asleep at one point, but not because of the book) and the focus of the study that is presented in this text is a look at the major turnoffs that exist within Christianity (notice I didn't say Church). This three year study looked at what this new young generation (16-30) thinks of this religion called Christianity. There was one quote that stood out to me that I believe is the summation of what Kinnaman is working to get across, "often the perceptions of Christianity reflect a church that is infatuated with itself."
This is actually something I have struggled with for a long period of time, I cringe whenever I see a Christianity section in a book store and I have a hard time crying out in outrage whenever I have a parent ask me to help them get their student to listen to only Christian music. This is not what God intended! Do we really need a million different version of the bible (I am talking about all the cute, bible for singles and end of days bible and every man's battle bibles, etc.) and a hundred books that promote our own diet. God did not tell us to create our own world to live in but to actively change this world and not with oven mitts on (I guess that is my new favorite saying).
When I talk about oven mitts, I am talking about handling things as safely as possible. As the CHURCH we should not wear oven mitts (perhaps I will just write my own follow up called oven mitts). I don't know if any of what I just wrote is in the book, but those are my thoughts on this issue. I'm sure I will post again as I continue to read more.
Those are all my thoughts at the time at least,
CJ-Out
