Feeding the Mind

There is a story I hear over and over again from students who have left the church. They begin to have questions based on things their friends say, what they have heard in class, read in books, or just thought up on their own. They bring these questions to their pastor or a Christian they respect. At first, that pastor or respected voice listens and even tries to answer a question or two. But then, they are meet with the same response. "it's not good to ask too many questions. You should just have faith."

It is at that point that the student checked out of his or her young faith. Why? Because what they heard that leader say was, "Christianity has no answers for your very real question, so stop thinking and just believe."

This response is not unreasonable. As a student grows up the world gets bigger. They encounter people with new ideas and beliefs. It is natural that they would look for answers. Student's questions do not necessarily reflect doubt or rebellion. They honestly need more information to deal with the challenges life throws at them. For most of them it is a shock to be told to stop thinking and just have faith. They had believed that God was big enough to deal with the hard questions. But when they are told to just have faith, they interpret faith as a shame to cover for a religion that can't deal with reality.

I don't always have an answer for my students' or even my own kids' questions, but I have a responsibility to find one. The Apostle Peter exhorts me to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

"I don't know," is a legitimate and honest response. Students really don't expect us to know everything. But that response needs to be followed by, "but I'll find out."

Unexamined and unchallenged faith is weak faith. I have seen it rocked by things like the ridiculously bad scholarship of Dan Brown's Di Vince Code. The challenges of the self-titled New Atheists are simplistic and ill-informed, but powerful against ignorant Christians. As a pastor, it's my responsibility to make sure that those under my care are not ill-informed or unprepared. If I am not willing to take up the challenge, then I'm not fit for the calling.

Faith should never be equated with being stupid. I serve a God of truth, a God who has called me to love him with all my mind, a God who is up to any human challenge.

This may seem a bit strong, but perhaps I am not being strong enough. This is the most Biblically illiterate generation in the last 500 years of American history. It's not their fault. The generations that proceeded them had the responsibility to teach them. No one prepared them for the challenge, and we are losing our youth in record numbers.

If you want to see revival then start a revolution of responsibility. Start with prayer, but then get off your knees and study and then begin to answer the questions of a new generation.

Faith has to do with trust and risk. It should never be equated with ignorance.