Reading some of our good old Lutheran blogs and feeling a bit embarrassed and then went back and read this little blurb from a friend ……
This disconnect between our analytical abstract evidence for faith in Christ and what unbelievers observe in Christians is one of the key causes for rejection of the Gospel message. “The primary reason outsiders feel hostile towards Christians, and especially conservative Christians, is not because of any particular theological perspective. What they react negatively to is our ‘swagger,’ how we go about things and the sense of self-importance we project.” (Barna Group, UnChristian) Observed hypocrisy has been cited again and again by unbelievers as their primary reason for their unbelief. A Barna Group study of unbelievers aged 16-29 shows that 85% of unbelievers surveyed described Christians as “hypocritical– saying one thing, doing another”, this even in
spite of 76% also saying that Christianity “has good values and principles.” For people in a digit-oral culture of communication, your behavior and attitude on facebook is just as important, or more even important than the Christian messages you occasionally post. An unbeliever who sees your Christian testimony in word but observes as you viciously attack or berate others on facebook or in person will reject your belief in the same way they reject other marketing messages that are “too good to be true.” Those who reject hypocrisy are in good company; Jesus’ ministry is filled with stories of His denunciation of the hypocritical religious leaders of the day.
