How to Stand Out From Other Christians
Most
of us agree that Christians should be different than the general
population. We hope that people can see
something in us that intrigues them. But
maybe the real question should be, when compared to typical, self-described
Christians in America, do we stand out in the crowd, or are we one of the pack? Many Christians take great pride in being patriotic
Americans, and after the anniversary of 9/11 the media focused on what it means
to be an American. But studies suggest
that few Christians put that same passion and self-identification into being a
citizen of the Kingdom of God.
In
a recent article published by Barna Group, studies reveal four obstacles
that hinder people from growing from a nominal, shallow relationship, to a
mature, deep relationship with God.
Obstacles to Spiritual Growth
Commitment
While
4 out of 5 self-identified Christians point to a meaningful commitment that
they made about their faith, only 18-22% claim to be “totally committed to
their own spiritual development” and are “totally dependent on God”.
Repentance
The
majority of self-described Christians acknowledge the importance of confessing
their sins to God and receiving his forgiveness. But few (12%) admit that they have truly
pondered the significance of their sin, and have been devastated by it. Only about 3% have come to “the places where
they have surrendered control of their life to God, submitted to His will for
their life, and devoted themselves to loving and serving God and other people.”
Activity
Pastor Rich has talked about the
epidemic of busyness in the American culture.
In fact, these studies confirm that most Christians confuse religious
activity with spiritual growth and depth.
While many Christians say that they have participated in “normal”
religious activities in the past week such as praying, going to church, reading
their Bible), few have engaged in deeper faith expressions: less than 1 out of 10
have talked about their faith with a non-Christian, fasted, and had an extended
time of spiritual reflection. Nor have
they practiced spiritual disciplines such as solitude, sacrifice, acts of
service, silence, and scriptural meditation.
Spiritual Community
Most
self-described Christians in the studies say that they are comfortable being
around other Christians at church, but measures used in the studies show that
the majority of these relationships do not have the depth and quality described
in scripture. Only 1 out of every 5
believes that “spiritual maturity requires a vital connection to a community of
faith.”
So What?
The
implications of these studies are startling.
The sad fact is that most of us do not live what we believe. We try to fit God into our lives in a
convenient and socially acceptable way, and the church is apparently failing in
its responsibility to teach, encourage and lead people into the deep, vital
relationship that God craves for us. But
don’t blame the church—no one can do our part in our spiritual growth. We have to own up and take responsibility
(with the Holy Spirit) for the quality and depth of our relationship with God. I challenge every person at SCFBC to read
and reflect on Colossians 3:1-17. Let’s
not be content with where we are, but pursue the Lord with patriotic zeal!
Barna Group.
(2011). Self-Described Christians Dominate America but Wrestle with Four
Aspects of Spiritual Depth. Retrieved from http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/524-self-described-christians-dominate-america-but-wrestle-with-four-aspects-of-spiritual-depth
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