Image Problem
We as Christians have an image problem. In 2007, about 40% of those Americans age 16-29 described themselves as outsiders to Christianity. That's about 24 million people. Just in America....an allegedly "Christian" nation. Those outsiders have some pretty strong feelings about Christians. Only 3% of them have a "good" impression of Evangelical Christians. Forty-nine percent have a bad impression of Evangelical Christians. They have good reasons why they have a bad impression:
We wear cheesy Christian t-shirts and put offensive statements on our church signs. We hold protest signs declaring that "God hates fags" or that "Abortion is 
murder". Politicians tout their faith in election years and then flaunt their dishonesty as they are wooed by lobbyists into voting for self-seeking causes. When given an opportunity to truly love others we often instead blame their situation in life on sins they shouldn't have committed. We tell people they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make right choices. We tell them just what the right choices are and when they ask "why?" we tell them "because the Bible told me so". We say we believe this or that, but our actions prove that we believe in whatever is convenient at the moment and we believe we can just repent for everything else.
I want something more...I want to be known for my genuine, unconditional love for others. I don't just want love to be convenient. I want people to know when they talk to me that I am interested in what they have to say and in who they are as people. People should want to come to a relationship with Christ because I have made it evident that Christ has changed my life for the better. I don't want to be known for how well I debate politics or how strongly I support a cause. When my life ends someday, I want to be remembered as someone who loved Jesus and loved others whole-heartedly. I've got a long way to go before I reach this goal, but I hope to spend my life working on it, practicing it until until practice (and the Holy Spirit) makes me perfect at loving others.
- 91% say we are anti-homosexual.
- 87% say we are judgemental
- 85 call us hypocritical
- 75% feel we are too involved in politics
- 72% say we are out-of-touch with reality
- 78% think we are old fashioned
- 70% would say we are insensitive to others
- 68% think we are boring
- 64% know we are not accepting of other faiths
- 61% feel we are confusing
We wear cheesy Christian t-shirts and put offensive statements on our church signs. We hold protest signs declaring that "God hates fags" or that "Abortion is 
murder". Politicians tout their faith in election years and then flaunt their dishonesty as they are wooed by lobbyists into voting for self-seeking causes. When given an opportunity to truly love others we often instead blame their situation in life on sins they shouldn't have committed. We tell people they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make right choices. We tell them just what the right choices are and when they ask "why?" we tell them "because the Bible told me so". We say we believe this or that, but our actions prove that we believe in whatever is convenient at the moment and we believe we can just repent for everything else.I want something more...I want to be known for my genuine, unconditional love for others. I don't just want love to be convenient. I want people to know when they talk to me that I am interested in what they have to say and in who they are as people. People should want to come to a relationship with Christ because I have made it evident that Christ has changed my life for the better. I don't want to be known for how well I debate politics or how strongly I support a cause. When my life ends someday, I want to be remembered as someone who loved Jesus and loved others whole-heartedly. I've got a long way to go before I reach this goal, but I hope to spend my life working on it, practicing it until until practice (and the Holy Spirit) makes me perfect at loving others.
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