Bainbridge Christian Church

MINISTER'S PAGE > Pastor Dan Royer

Authentic Christianity

     I grew up in a church that was very formal and liturgical (they used a lot of responsive readings, written prayers, etc). There were people in that church who were saints, and they reached out to me and not only taught Biblical knowledge, but demonstrated an authentic Christian spirit in the way that they lived their life. The struggle that all of us have is to live that authentic Christian life in a way that others will be attracted to it and embrace it.

     The Christian Standard in January 2007 addressed the issues of presenting the gospel to a rapidly changing world, which has embraced a new way of thinking, relating and learning. We often call this postmodernism, because it represents a shift away from modernistic approaches to life. Modernistic thinkers are most readily defined by the way they use large all-inclusive systems to describe the way they think. These systems have been given a high level of authority, sometimes eclipsing or ignoring the Bible itself.

     The problem is that moderns and postmoderns value different things differently. For the most part moderns value a program that at times may value performance. Post moderns value relationships and people over programs and performance. Relationships may be a place where we struggle at times because there are moments of uncomfortable and unpredictable outcomes. However, relationships reveal something authentic about us as individuals.

     Our culture has changed over the last several years into a postmodern culture. We live in a world of multiculturalism, where most people can no longer assume that we all have a common frame of reference or common beliefs. As a result, those who live in this culture have begun to become less interested in truth. Similar to that line from the television show Shark, children today are being taught, “truth is relative, pick one that works.”
In one of the Standard articles Dan Kimball describes a conversation about the effort to reach this new generation. In his conversation he is talking to a Pastor who is convinced that this generation will return one day to its roots and come back to Christianity. This pastor was convinced that this generation is just like he was, and that some day they will return. But as Dan Kimball pointed out in the article, “How can they return to their roots of the church and Christianity if they don’t have any roots to return to?” The problem is that the majority of these kids have either a negative impression of Christianity (from media and TV preachers) or they don’t know what Christianity is to start with.

     Postmodern individuals will never relate to the message of Christianity on the basis of spiritual laws or logical arguments. They will relate to Christianity on the basis of story (our personal experience) and relationship. The point is that a person who is born and raised in a postmodern culture will not think like someone who was born and raised in a modern culture.

     We can and should consider how we communicate with these individuals in order to share the gospel. We begin by sharing common experiences and stories, rather than arguing theological points. We describe the reality of Christ in our own life. Secondly, we show that person how our lives have changed because Christ entered our life. This can only be demonstrated over a period of time when we relate with them in both the good and hard times.

     The difference between moderns and Postmoderns is not strictly a generational issue. Dan Kimball suggested that there are larger numbers of postmodern thinkers in our elderly and middle aged groups than previously believed. This has as much to do with frustrations that some churches foster when they unwittingly encourage an inauthentic Christian life by reducing Christianity to a list of procedures, spiritual laws, confessional statements or a particular theological system. These things by themselves are not what makes the Christian life authentic. The Apostle Paul reflected on this in Galatians 5:22 and following: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.(NIV) The fruits of the Spirit that are revealed in our lives are the things that will make people stop and consider what it is that causes us to act and react differently.