Smart Christians?

Conventional wisdom seldom consults the facts while stereotypes thrive on ignorance. When unchecked both create a reality distortion field that skew our good intentions and derail earnest ministry... And screw up the life of our youth.

Conventional wisdom says that the dim and the ignorant are more likely to have faith, so beware of book learning and distract people from deep thoughts and rational inquiry. Yet the facts say something very different. A recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln study shows that likelihood of someone attending a religious service increases by 15% for each year of higher education he or she completed. In addition, the likelihood of reading the Bible also increases 9% for each additional year of education. That's significant when you take into account that Biblical illiteracy is now so high even among evangelicals.

Also contrary to conventional wisdom, the group leaving the church in the greatest number are those without a higher education. I need to note here that a college education does not define a person's intelligence. Some are bright enough that a college education is redundant. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, philosopher Mortimer Adler, and a number of people I've meet in my life and travels attest to this, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Learning is important. The majority of the U. S. population over 24 and under 40 is now college educated and that number is continuing to rise. We are commanded to love the Lord with our mind as well as our heart, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27). A tension develops, though, when pastors, youth leaders, and parents try to teach information that is not accurate, especially concerning history and science, and when they belittle learning.

Some pastors and teachers go so far as to edit Scripture to undermine the idea that study is important. They teach that Paul's outreach in Athens was a failure because he reasoned with his audience (according to Acts 17, he started a church there), downplay Peter's command for good apologetics (1 Peter 3:15), and present the Apostles as a group of simpletons. God has shaped learning, art, literature, laws, values, and more through the brilliance of his Word to us. It's okay to see the entry point of the gospel as simple, but God's message to us is not simplistic. Scripture never says, "Stop thinking and everything will be okay."

We should be ministering to the poor, the needy, and the uneducated (the three are not necessarily the same), but not because we are unwilling to do the hard work of ministering to the majority around us. Throughout most of the last two thousand years, Christian leadership was known for the hard work of learning and then communicating that knowledge to others. Pastors were expected to know Scripture and to personally devote themselves to God through prayer, worship, and service. In addition, they were expected to be knowledgable in science, philosophy, history, and literature at the very least. It was a high calling to be sure.

Intellectual laziness kills. It creates false tensions between what some say Scripture demands and what is readily observable. It is a false tension since the conflict doesn't result from Scripture or the correct observations we make but from passing on bad interpretations and misinformation that result from pop theology, short-lived Christian bestsellers, or the current Christian superstar. There are real answers to the tough questions of life. There is wisdom and understanding to be found in sincere and honest searching. Learning is not more important than the other parts of the Christian life, but neither is it less important.

The numbers show us that education and faith go together, but they also tell us that if we are too lazy to meet the challenge of this generation, they will go somewhere else.

Invite Jesus Into Your Conversations

One of the first ways to bring Jesus into your conversation is to keep up with the news. CNN has a religion blog on their Website and NPR often has positive discussions of Christian issues. Their reporting can be a good starting point as in: "CNN just reported on a huge national study that reveals that you are more likely to go to church the more educated you are. I was a little surprised by that. Are you very religious?"

I'll have to talk about this report later, but it shows that less educated Americans are leaving the church in the largest numbers. Each year of higher education makes it more likely that you will become a faithful church member. I like this because the truth violates the stereotype. It's one of those facts that people go, "Hmm..." It has great potential to lead to a longer conversation.

You should be always looking for these kinds of conversation starters, but be careful where you search. You are looking for positive, surprising information and insights. Fox News, Focus on the Family, and Christian radio stations are not good sources. Not because they are necessarily unreliable, but because that media is aimed mostly at people who already agree with the attitudes and information being expressed. It's not persuasive to the unconvinced.

The primary reason that C.S. Lewis has remained interesting and persuasive for so long is that all of his writing was for a general audience. He wrote for newspapers and radio, not for Christian bookstores. There are similar writers today such as Timothy Keller, N.T. Wright, and Rob Bell.

I also recommend that you talk more about you spirituality. Spiritual exploration, development, and growth remain popular in our culture. Be willing to start there. Too many Christians make every discussion into an all or nothing treatise on theology. It's often too much too soon and doesn't address the questions people really have. If you've just come back from a retreat, talk to your friends about your spiritual growth weekend. Spiritual insights you have received from a good book, say those of Henri Nouwen or Eugene Peterson are appropriate to bring up in conversation.

What makes most Christians nervous about bringing Jesus into their conversation is the belief that we have to go for a full-court press every time he's mentioned. Pepper your conversation with your spiritual life and see where it goes. Sometimes people will want to go deeper. Sometimes you'll just move on to the topic of discussion. What you will have demonstrated is that you are comfortable talking about God. This means that your friends will know that you are the one they can go to if they have questions or they need help.

PreChristians talk about God a whole lot more than we think. Take a look at the current crop of TV shows and movies. When science fiction and supernatural shows are popular (and they are right now), it means that people are interested in the big questions of life. Unfortunately, it's Christians that make spirituality a taboo topic by pushing too hard, too often or by avoiding the topic altogether out of fear. Just remember that every discussion doesn't have to be persuasive. Bring Jesus into the conversation and don't be too pushy, and people will start asking you questions.

I'm not done with this topic. More next time.

The Life of an Explorer

(Note: I promised some practical input on talking to others about Jesus, but as I was praying, God directed me to begin with this practical advice.)

Humanity was created with a sense of adventure. Since the dawn of civilization we have wondered what was over the next hill or across the ocean. We have dreamed of strange new people, exotic animals, and giant carnivorous plants (they always seem to show up in stories of exploration). We have dared to dream of and seek out new adventure, experience, and understanding. To boldly go... We seek to discover a universe large enough for our imagination. And if you don't like adventure and are content with this side of the hill, then you're not going to like Jesus very much.

There is a reason that Star Trek, Star Wars, and Doctor Who resonate so deeply with so many. They all reflect that desire to discover and explore the world around us. We intrinsically realize that we grow larger as our world grows larger. The fact that Doctor Who values the discovery of a new person as much as the discovery of a new planet has made him, perhaps the most popular fictional character in modern history (You don't have to like any of these shows to be a Christian. Insert your favorite explorer, but if you don't have a favorite explorer or innovator... Well?).

As we share our faith, we need to be sure it's a living faith that people can get excited about. There are many religious systems, including Christian religious systems, that try to tame God and make him manageable. Religion is used to control the lives of those around us so no one will rock our boat.

These systems create deep, safe, predictable ruts that are presented to others as the will of God, but really these ruts are there to make us evade the challenges God brings to our lives. That means that even Jesus must be kept at arms length because he's all about rocking our boat. It is easier to try to make Jesus into a self-help guru or a political pundant, than embrace him as the Lord of life who is making us into a new creation.

We should be hungry for the mysteries of God, looking forward with expectation for God's next surprise, looking forward to see what new thing he is building in us. We should have a holy discontent as we strain ahead to see what Jesus will reveal through us, to see the wonders he will preform through us as he touches others through us. That is the adventure of the gospel.

Jesus is not boring, comfortable, safe, a proponent of the status quo, an American, a conservative, or a liberal. He is Jesus. The most creative being in the universe, full of love, mercy, justice... And most of all wild love. Intentional love. Faithful love. Trustworthy love. Serving love. But wild love.

Jesus invites us on an adventure to change the world by sharing in his quest to bring his wild (intentional, faithful, trustworthy, serving) love into the lives of those around us.

Jesus thoughts are not our thoughts. They are wiser, grander, and larger. So much so that they seem like foolishness to those who have not given their hearts, minds, and strength to God. It's scary to think Jesus' thoughts also seem foolish to those who hide behind religion that keeps our boats from being rocked, who dislike adventure, and aren't sure they are willing to go where Jesus leads. That kind of religion makes cowards of us all and looks to the world like the limp, dead thing it is.

This may seem harsh, but our gospel needs to be authentic if we expect people to be intrigued by it. Religious conservatives hated, literally hated, Jesus in his day. Jesus calls to obedience rather than chaos and self-indulgence, but I choose to be Biblical in my obedience rather than to attach myself to the manmade systems that are labeled conservative or liberal. Instead, I am hungry to know what I don't know and to experience in Christ what I haven't yet experienced.

Life is motion and change. I want that change to be directed and empowered by God. I don't want to find a comfortable place and just sit. That only brings the disease of nostalgia, and nostalgia is no gospel.

If you want others to consider your witness then it needs to be a witness to a living gospel, a gospel worthy of an explorer.

Talking About Jesus

After the challenge from the last blog to talk about our faith with others, I have had several requests to offer some practical guidance about talking to people about Jesus. So I'm going to take a few blogs to do just that. I hope it helps, and please, keep the feedback coming.

Attitude is the first practical concern. What we say and how we say it is shaped by our attitudes. I'll start with the two most common: political correctness and the belief that you actually save people.

Political correctness is a polite way to say peer pressure. It is an attempt by others to tell you what you should be embarrassed to talk about. In all honesty, many churches have done this for centuries and now the world has caught up. Ideas are not dangerous to talk about responsibly, but the censorship of ideas are. Political correctness is the last refuge for the lazy, the thoughtless, and the tyrant.

Relationships also suffer in a culture of political correctness. Instead of honesty, people are always frightened they will accidentally insult someone, be misunderstood, or be labeled for something they have said. It's like wearing a spacesuit. It may be safe, but it gets in the way of any real contact.

Political correctness is great for mindless sheep, but it's a debilitating trait for leaders, influencers, and friends. Honesty is a virtue. Fear is not.

I'm not recommending tactlessness. Being polite and sensitive are virtues as well. They can both be used in service of truth and love. Political correctness just means that you are letting other people control what you believe and say. If you bow to the power of political correctness, then you will find yourself in conflict with Jesus. Our culture tells us we should be embarrassed to talk openly about our religious beliefs, but Jesus says, "If any of you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)

The opposite attitude is also a hinderance to sharing. If we think it is our place to force others to believe, then we will most likely do more damage than good. I cannot change anyone's heart. Only God can do that. My job is to tell Jesus' story, to tell my story, give answers when they are requested, love, and serve.

If I believe it's all up to me, then each time Jesus comes up in a conversation, it becomes an all or nothing proposition. There are times when you will sit down and spread out the whole story of redemption before someone, but more often than not, it starts with bits and pieces. You make a comment here or there or someone asks a couple of questions about your faith but doesn't go any further. That's fine. People process information a piece at a time. Curiosity develops over time. You are letting them know you are comfortable about talking about your faith and that you won't leap on them every time they ask a question.

If you think you save people, then you will push too hard. You will try to dominate others. You will back people into a corner. You are responsible for your decisions and not for other people's decisions. Don't try to live other people's lives for them. That's not love. That's not friendship.

So if you choose to give other people the space to make their own decisions while rejecting the political correct idea that spiritual indifference is somehow loving, you will find you will become a better communicator and a better friend. You will find gentle honesty to be freeing. The first, practical step in sharing effectively is to examine your attitudes and let Jesus deliver you from the fears that can rob others of the opportunity of new life.

Next time, I will look at practical ways to bring Jesus into your conversations.

Good Advice from a Chief Atheist

Last night Penn Jillette of Pen and Teller (the magicians) fame was on Piers Morgan Tonight. Pen is a very talented, compassionate, moral man who is also an outspoken atheist. He has recently written the book, God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales. This may surprise you, but I think we need to take his advice.

Morgan, a theist with a Catholic background (he didn't say much about his current beliefs), told Pen that the title of his book angered him. Pen replied that was not his goal and that respectful discussion was important to him. He took pains not to make fun of anyone in his book. Pen's desire is not to shut anyone down but to get people talking. "I am a huge fan of proselytizing," says Pen. "I am a huge fan of speaking your mind. The only way we can share the universe, to share humanity, is by talking very strongly about what we believe."

I think we would do well if we had the same attitude. While extremists seem to have no problem being vocal, I find that too many Christians take truth lightly. I want to encourage normal, caring, compassionate Christians to be at least as vocal as the insensitive and the rude.

We're fine at being vocal when we are together, in fact we're often too good at taking pot shots at others when they are not around, but we are too silent today when it comes to making Jesus known. Far too much polite Christian conversation today is about morality, America, and politics. There needs to be more talk about Jesus and what he thinks and teaches. The founding fathers are fine, but Jesus is the author of truth and compassion.

I understand most of the overriding fears we have. I share many of them. I actually do care what people think of me, and I am very sensitive of making people uncomfortable or pressured. I don't want to be callous and drive people away from the gospel, but if I never breach the topic or tell Jesus' story, then there is no chance that I will be involved in leading anyone closer to Jesus either.

I spent several years doing open air preaching on college campuses around the country. No, it's okay. You don't need to back away. I'm not frothing at the mouth.

I loved and hated open air work. At the time, hateful, name-calling, and often apostate open air preachers were a common occurrence. I didn't want to be associated with them, but I also didn't want their voice to be the only one heard on campus. The activity made me nervous. I would have lost my breakfast on those days, so I didn't eat breakfast. But I don't want fear to control my life.

I loved those times because once I started God was right there. The fear would leave because I was focused on the people who stopped to listen. I used a question and answer format, so I never really knew what was coming next. I still use that format even in my teaching. I found that if I treated people with respect and listened to them that people would treat me with respect. Heckling was easy with someone who was rude, but no one wants to be the jerk first. If we belittle people and make cheap jokes about their beliefs, then we should expect rejection. But that is not really an option for us. We are commanded to share with "gentleness and respect." And we are called to share. Disciples of Jesus are called to be "fishers of men." Jesus' last command to us was to "make disciples of all men." This was not a call to pastors or apostles. It was a call to all his followers.

I am not asking you to all start preaching on street corners. The campus is unique and made for activities like that. But Jesus asks us to talk to the people around us. I do challenge all of us to follow the advice of one good atheist and start "speaking your mind." Just make sure that when you do it, you don't sound like Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, or Al Franken. Try for Jesus' voice. I hope compassion drowns out the noise of the disrespectful and the mockers, but that will only happen if the compassionate speak up.

Campus Ministry and the First Weeks of College

Prepared to be surprised. Whatever you know about your faith, there is more to learn. You stop learning and you stop growing and you begin to wilt. College brings new and healthy questions. Questions that God wants you to confront in order to grow, but you don't grow alone. That's where campus ministries come in. If you seek out a healthy ministry from the start, you'll find your college life will be much more dynamic.

A college fellowship will blow out the walls of your faith. Your life is about to get a lot bigger. Classes will expose you to ideas, information, and concepts that you never considered before. Those new ideas, questions, and even the challenges will lead you to ask new questions about God, and, surprise, God has answers. I guarantee you that your picture of God is too small. You have been content with small answers because your questions have been small. That's all going to change, and if it doesn't your faith will not fare well.

Campus ministries are full of believers going through the same challenges and exploring the same issues as you are. They will be a great source of strength and encouragement. These groups are led by campus pastors who will help you navigate the Scriptures as you grow and help with practical guidance.

I often tell our students that you won't survive adult life with a Sunday school faith. I'm not putting down Sunday school, but it's goal was to help children begin to understand the faith. You are no longer a child and now you need stronger stuff. Campus ministries will supply that.

You also need spiritual friendships. People you can trust who will be there to listen, to pray, and to drop everything if you need help. You also need to be that kind of spiritual friend to others. It's how God created us to function together. So you should look for a group that encourages small group ministry and discipleship. It is not unusual for life-long friendships to emerge from these groups.

I am part of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, and we offer these things. So does Intervarsity, Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), and Navigators. We are four large national ministries, but you will find others that fit the bill if these are not on your campus.

You should seek out a church near your campus, but I don't believe that is enough. You should fellowship with Christians within the campus environment for several reasons. First, because time passes differently on campus. A lot of life is squeezed into every week. Growth happens quickly, and it is often hard for things off campus to keep up. Secondly, college life deals with a unique set of questions, pressures, and challenges. You should surround yourself with people who have successfully had to deal with them. Third, outreach is central to the Christian life. You should plant yourself in the middle of this rich mission field and minister to those around you. Campus ministry is strategically positioned for this.

You should make the decision before you arrive on campus as to whether you want your faith to thrive or wilt. Wilting is easy. You only have to neglect your faith. If you want to grow, then plant yourself in a healthy campus ministry. Check them out during your first weeks and then commit yourself to one. You will be surprised by the results.

Romance in the First Weeks of College

Let's be honest. You arrive on campus, you don't know anyone, and your homesick. I don't care who you are, this makes you relationally vulnerable. First and second week college romances are the norm. So is the fact they almost never work out. They start for all the wrong reasons. You are lonely and looking for friends.

The best course of action before you arrive on campus is to commit yourself to finding some good friends and decide that romance is out until at least the first few weeks have passed. Hook up too soon, and you will miss out on a lot of potential friends. You want to meet many new people instead of focussing on one person right away.

Friendships are important. In fact, building good relationships should be one of your main focuses for the first half of your first year. Those friends will be with you throughout your college life, and you will need them as much as they will need you. I still have friends that I have stayed in contact with since college. Your college life will be richer for good friendships.

On the other hand, do you want to spend most of your relational energy on a stranger you met at a relationally vulnerable moment only to have them (or you) lose interest a couple weeks later when you have both adjusted to college life and exit your life perhaps to never be seen again? This happens all the time. You just need to decide if you want it to happen to you. If you like drama, I suggest a soap opera. It's less painful. If you meet someone interesting, just give it a few weeks. If he or she has the right stuff, then they will still be around. If not, well, who needs the pain.

You need to know that sex is readily available on campus without the messiness of a committed relationship. But there are several catches. The first is that you are not made that way. Sex is meant to enhance a committed relationship where trust is involved and security is present. Graduates have become more vocal about the fact that their indiscretion during their college years has screwed up their married lives. The study in book form, Premarital Sex in America by Mark Regnerus and Jeremy Uecker, contains many testimonies to this effect from the preChristian community.

Another huge catch is that one in four premarital sexual encounters involves a sexually transmitted disease. Some of these are quite serious and currently incurable. I have been warned by campus nurses that female infertility is a far more common result of sexually transmitted disease than most people think. They have had to tell far too many women that they will never have children because of a one night stand.

It is not unusual for healthy, life-long relationships to develop during college, but they seldom develop in the first weeks of school. If you protect your romantic and sexual life then you will retain more freedom that you can use on good choices later.

Preparing for the First Weeks of College

This is for both parents and students. It is important to think through and discuss how to deal with the unique challenges that come with the first weeks of college or university life. For students, you need to know what is ahead and make decisions before you find yourself caught in a situation you wished to avoid. For parents, you have a responsibility to help your son or daughter prepare. You won't be there, and you can't control the decisions that are made, but you can give wisdom and advice. Just one note on tone. Don't come in as the authoritarian. Come in as one who had to deal with the same decisions, temptations, and pressures. But forewarned is forearmed, so here are the pressures we see students dealing with.

These issues need to be discussed before college, but it's important to note that all these issues begin in high school and in some places even during middle school. It would be best to discus them earlier, but make sure it happens before college.

I'm going to start with parties because decisions here can have huge consequences.

You are a stranger when you arrive on campus, and you want that to change as soon as possible. There is a strong social component to the first weeks of school, and parties are part of it. There are many kinds of parties that will go on the first weekends. Their not all bad, and their not all alcohol based. In any case, you need to know what you are getting into.

It's okay to ask about any function you are invited to. What will be going on? What will it cost? Will there be drinking? Where is the activity? How will I get back to campus if I want to leave early? You are investing yourself in this activity, so ask.

It is okay to leave if you are no longer comfortable. Other people should not make major decisions for you. Always have a backup plan so you are free to choose.

To drink or not to drink? Students who have never drunk before are more vulnerable than they realize. The effects of alcohol will be stronger than expected, and they will not be used to effects of impaired judgment. First of the year parties are not the place to experiment. The first parties of the year always result in a number of students being sent to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. This is serious and life-threatening. Every student should know about the effects of alcohol. Don't exaggerate in an attempt to frighten students away from alcohol. Students can sense exaggeration and will dismiss the advice. Instead, just be frank. That will be respected.

Unfortunately, date rape is a real concern on campuses. If you choose to impair your judgment, then you make yourself vulnerable. Also realize that others are trying to impair you. Don't ever lose track of your cup unless you want it spiked with a date rape drug. Don't expect parties to be a source for long-term relationships. The norm today is the one-night hook up. People cruise parties primarily for one night stands. Most barely remember who they slept with the night before and really don't care if they see that person again in any other setting.

That may sound like a harsh over exaggeration, but sexual ethics have changed. Sex is often seen as merely a recreational activity without any greater significance until someday in the far future when marriage is considered.

You don't have to drink. There are many students who just say, "no." in fact the number of recovering alcoholics on campus has grown. Campus based AA groups can be quite large. Most students will respect your decision. It's not politically correct to pressure anyone else. If you are pressured, it is a sign that the person pressuring you is uncomfortable with his or her own activity. Don't let other people's insecurities influence your choices.

Underage drinking is illegal even on campus. There are still consequences when the police are called in. But most of all, is that the situation you really want to find yourself in? There will be many health alternatives where you can build strong friendships, healthy relationships, and not regret what you did the next day.

A Matter of Perspective

In the critically acclaimed 1976 film, Network, a failing newscaster shots to the top of the rating by declaring, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore." He taps into and fuels arising national frustration with the state of things, but he has no answers, only aimless frustration. The result is that his frustration is open to be aimed by others, and he is easily exploited by others.

It has been a rough summer in the news, and it's not over. But sadly, this is not new news. In a world of sin and rebellion against God, chaos, pain, and injustice is the rule. The real news is that God continues to heal, to bring freedom, and to meet real needs. Our perspective will determine how we respond to the crisis around us.

If God forms our perspective then three things need to be held onto:
1) The world is in a mess because of sin.
2) God is at work to bring healing and life.
3) He's recruited us to help him.
4) We're not in this alone.

This last point, that we're not in it alone, needs to be unpacked. This does not only mean that God is with us individually, but that God is with us collectively. "Just me and Jesus," is not a formula for success. We are not only baptized into Christ, we are also baptized into the body of Christ. God ministers to us through each other. We cut ourselves off from the body, and we cut ourselves off from the resources God has given us.

If we try to take on the problems of life on our own or just as a family, then we will suffer needlessly. There is a great deal of talk about the family being the basic building block of society, but I don't read that in Scripture. The body of Christ, locally gathered, is meant to be that basic building block. Only on that scale are our needs and the needs of others met.

But I think we have to go a step farther. Only through the body of Christ will the world's ills be cared for. We have become too dependent on others solving our problems. This is especially true of our expectation that government will show us the way forward. That is our job. We need to meet together and creatively seek God to see how we would lead us forward to meet the crisis around us.

That world has changed in some significant ways. For decades and decades the population of the United States has consumed about 80% of the resources extracted from the earth. Now that other, large nations are developing a middle class, those resources will need to be shared. If we don't share them, then we will find ourselves in opposition to God (James 5:1-6). Compared to most of the world, we are the rich.

But we do not need to indulge in American bashing. We have our faults that need to be dealt with, but we have been a generous people. We have cared for those beyond our borders as well as those in need close to home. We have room to grow, but that is true for every people and nation on the earth.

The issue today is that there are new challenges in this changing world, and someone has to seek new and creative ways forward. In the past those changes did not come first from governments and think tanks. They came from Christians working together to meet the needs God directed them towards. As those solutions offers by God began to gain traction then governments and think tanks took notice.

It is a matter of perspective. Who do we trust to bring us answers? God or governments? I will put my hope in Christ, but that means that Christians must come together to seek God, to share council with each other, and to creatively serve the needs around us. God has a positive way forward for us, but we need to be listening. We don't need the world's permission to do what's right. Nations will rise and fall, but God will be with us till the end. We can choose to hide from the adventure and follow the world into the abyss, or we can faithfully follow God and lead the world.

Hope That Kills

How can one of the most hopeful nations on earth also be one of the most disillusioned and cynical? Hope is a dangerous thing no matter how you look at it. False hope kills dreams, while investing hope in something solid kills disillusionment, cynicism, and fear.

The world loves blind leaps of faith. Go with your gut, just do it, make the leap, and follow your heart are cultural bylines. Infatuation takes the place of romance in most of our fiction. Infatuation are those feelings we have for someone we don't really know yet while romance is a slower, committed exploration of another person. It only grows based on an investment of time, honesty, shared experience, shared sacrifice, and loving service.

The entertainment industry thrives on easy hope. In most films people go from losers to heroes, loveless to fulfilled, and poor to rich in two hours based on infatuation and leaps of faith. But you only need to look at Hollywood headlines to realize that these false hopes don't even work for those who espouse them. False hope leaves people bitter, disillusioned, cynical, and—sadly—loveless, but the problem isn't hope. We need hope. Without it, what's the point? We all need something to live for.

I believe that the opposite of infatuation is romance. Infatuation are feelings based on ignorance while romance is an investment that leads to greater understanding and knowledge. Romance can apply to anything: a mate, a career, a hobby, family, and learning. It definitely applies to the Christian faith.

When faith is an infatuation it has more to do with feelings and little to do with knowledge. It is a faith that focuses on the experience and whims of the moment, and sadly, it doesn't deliver. Some eventually walk away in disillusionment. Others keep running after an emotional high while never gaining any depth. It all becomes Precious Moment statuettes and velvet Jesus paintings without the cross.

Faith should be a romance. True lovers invest everything to draw closer to each other. They take the time to get to know each other. Their emotional, financial, physical, and mental resources are focused to strengthen their romance. Without the investment, the hope of romance dies. The same is true of faith. It is participating in the divine romance. Faith begins in love, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Jesus promises a great deal. He gives us something, someone, to hope in. But that hope requires an investment. To be sure, Jesus' offer of life is a gift,something that we can't buy. We must surrender and accept the gift of discipleship. But if we want a hope that doesn't disillusion, then we must throw off infatuation and enter into a romance with God. We read Scripture not merely as medicine, but as a love letter written to us and for us, going back to it again and again. We pray and worship because it brings us closer to our most faithful lover. We serve alongside God because we want to share life with him and invest in what he loves. We study because a lover wants to know his or her beloved more each day. All that leads to a solid hope that will not fail.

Infatuation faith will not move a dishrag, but the faith of a lover will move mountains. False hope kills, but true hope gives life and never disappoints.

The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation Part III

The idea of a Christian nation is dangerous to our youth because it gives the illusion that they are growing up in an environment that is naturally friendly to the gospel. It gives an feeling of false security.

Regardless of the culture we live in human nature as well as spiritual agents are always at work to inhibit or twist the truth of God. This will be the natural state if things until Jesus returns. The idea of a Christian nation builds a sense of false security. The battle starts in our hearts and then is joined by our culture and by spiritual forces. In Christ, we find that his strength is greater than forces amassed against us, but only if we are constantly aware of the danger and constantly dependent on Christ. The idea of a Christian nation implies that our culture and it's principles are redeemed and always working for us. God warns us that will not be the case until he returns.

The idea of a Christian nation also contains the idea that our culture will train our children in righteousness even if we don't. I am amazed at how many Christians promote common sense, cultural or worldly wisdom, rather than searching out God's wisdom. It is not the job of our culture or of our schools or of our government to teach the truth of God. That is the role of the community of Christ.

Just because someone grows up in America does not make them a disciple of Jesus. The same is true of growing up in the church. Our youth will not learn the truth by just hanging around us. They will only learn the truth if we take the time to teach it carefully and often. Paul shares the Biblical mandate to pass on what we have learned in Christ: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." (2 Tim 2:2)

Our youth spend most of five days a week in school, as many as 21 hours a week watching TV and playing video games, a couple hours a day texting and interacting on social media networks, but few churches offer thoughtful, systematic Christian education for even an hour or two a week, but more to the point, there are too many parents who see such education as an optional extra to be despised of if it becomes inconvenient. There is a value clash here. Youth need to work hard at education that will get them ahead in the world, but God's truth is an optional extra. What message do we think that sends to our youth?

Youth groups are a good, but most are evangelistic in nature. That's a good thing, but it's no substitute for good theological education.

It may be true that not every parent cares enough about their children's faith to help them attend educational opportunities, but our ministries should not be aimed at the lowest common denominator. A one size fits all ministry often sinks to the lowest expectation. The opportunity should be there if only for a few. They will eventually inspire others as others see the fruit worked out in their lives.

Each generation must be reached anew with the gospel. We must always remember that the gospel is always one generation from being lost to any people group. I hope our communities, our schools, our entertainment, and our government will reflect the values of Christ, but that will only happen if we are the ones who assume the burden of teaching the truth.

We need to be careful to train the next generation. My biggest fear from the fraudulent idea of a Christian nation is that it really means we are letting our nation train our youth.