Saturday 28 September 2013

"Christian" principles

This cartoon sums up the exasperation of those who love the values of Christ - but not the "Christian values" (which are so often a completely different thing).


Thanks to James for showing me this cartoon.

[See the full version]

Sunday 22 September 2013

Why young people leave the church

I love reading Rachel Evans' article Why millennials are leaving the church, and I feel her pain when invited to describe it to church officials.

She relates how young adults find church "too exclusive, old-fashioned, unconcerned with social justice" and how young Christians feel forced to give up both intellect and compassion. Young people are looking for a safe place to ask tough questions, and wrestle with doubt. A place that's less about "sticking to a set of rules", and less obsessed with sex.

What happens when she presents all this to the church hierarchy?


Invariably, after I’ve finished my presentation and opened the floor to questions, a pastor raises his hand and says, "So what you’re saying is we need hipper worship bands..."

And I proceed to bang my head against the podium.

Her article goes on to say that this most-advertised-to generation has been somewhat innoculated to the whole consumer-church idea, and are craving authenticity more than coolness.


You can’t hand us a latte and then go about business as usual and expect us to stick around. We’re not leaving the church because we don’t find the cool factor there; we’re leaving the church because we don’t find Jesus there.