Impacting a City: Part 1

Mideast’s Christians Losing Numbers and Sway was the leading front page story printed in the New York Times today, Wednesday, May 13, 2009. According to Ethan Bronner, the reporter of the front page story, the Holy Land’s population was made up of 20% professing Christians a century ago. It is about 5% now. Jerusalem is now predominantly Muslim with only 2% of the population claiming to be Christians. The story attributes the decline in Christian population primarily to emigration and violence. In a Mass at the foot of the Mount of Olives on Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI stated “While understandable reasons lead many, especially the young, to emigrate, this decision brings in its wake a great clutrural and spiritual impoverishment to [Jerusalem].” What an interesting comment. Seriously, interesting. While I don't agree with much of Catholicism I must admit I find this comment by the Pope to bring up an intriguing idea...

What impact does Christianity have on a city? What impact should Christianity have on a city? Unfortunately, these are two very different questions. Let's tackle the first question in this post and the second in a later blog post.

What impact does Christianity have on a city? While I know Pope Benedict was referring to Jerusalem, and even more broadly the Holy Land, I believe the question can be asked of any city. Obviously, it's affect on Jerusalem is great. Jerusalem is the home for the world's three largest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Judaism and Islam are still abundant in the holy city but Christianity has fallen to 2%. Part of the tragedy here is that Jerusalem was the site of much of Jesus' ministry and Christian history. Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem; he was buried and was resurrected in Jerusalem. He appeared to many witnesses in and around Jerusalem. The church started in Jerusalem and spread out from there. So, it's definitely sad to see Christians leaving Jerusalem. But to say it "brings in it's wake a great cultural and spiritual impoverishment" escalates the effect of Christianity to a whole new level. Why would Christians leaving a particular area or community have that sort of affect on that which it leaves? I wonder how many communities would be affected to that extent if Christianity was to leave? What about your community? Would your city look any different if the Christians left? Would it be culturally and spiritually imporverished? The question "what impact does Christianity have on a city?" asks all of us, both Christians and non-Christians, to take stock of what impact it has had on our particular cities and the like. The answers, especially in America, may be scary for us to confront that claim to follow Christ Jesus. Still, it would serve us well to be honest on what impact we are making within our cultures we do life in. Once we have determined what impact we are making we can then, as those that profess Jesus as Lord, evaluate how to make a bigger impact so that if we were to leave our community for some reason people might actually notice due to a "great cultural and spiritual impoverishment."

For His Renown,

Nathan

Skeptics...Come one, come all

Are you skeptical about God? Are you skeptical about Jesus Christ and who He claimed to be? I believe we all have been at some point in our lives. Even for people who have believed in God since they were children still find themselves skeptical at times. I have a 7-year old son who believes in God and the claims of Jesus but even now still has questions. The fact that skepticism is commonplace and continues to become more commonplace within our culture raises some interesting questions.

First, does increasing skepticism in the existence of God mean that God does not exist? I don't believe this has any bearing on God's existence. Skepticism does not ultimately decide reality; rather, it is a way in which we, as rational creatures, ask questions to help us effectively grasp what we believe reality to be by wrestling with facts, perceptions, and other data. By being skeptical about something it does not effect the actual reality of what is in question but is a helpful way to process information to make an informed and thoughtful decision. For example, if I believe that I can fly and I climb to the top of a 2-story building I am going to go home with a best a bummed knee. My own belief in my ability to fly or my own disbelief in gravity does not actually have any bearing on reality.

Secondly, everyone is skeptical about something. Therefore, no matter if you believe in God or not you must admit there is an element of faith to whatever you believe. There is even faith behind your doubts and faith is what holds up your skeptical beliefs. The fact is that you really cannot disprove God for sure. So, have you ever doubted your faith that there is NOT a God? Have you ever tried to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does not exist? For every clue of the non-existence of God there is a stronger clue of the existence of God. Authors such as C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia and many other titles) and Lee Strobel set out to disprove Christianity and the claims of Jesus. Both of them in their study wound up with faith in Jesus as God. I read critics of Christianity...do you read anyone who boasts Jesus as the true God? When you realize that your belief or lack of belief in God is founded on some sort of faith it will inspire you to doubt your doubts and begin searching for truth.

Finally, if you are skeptical of the existence of the God of the Bible ask yourself what is so hard for you to accept or believe? Let's go to the root of the problem. Does the existence of evil inhibit you from believing in an all-loving God that claims to be in control? Does injustice keep you from belief? How about evolution? How about believing there are no moral absolutes? What is your hold-up and then begin researching. Try praying to God and asking him if he is real to make himself known to you.

This topic is really not one in which a short blog can address the issue of skepticism in the claims of the God of the Bible. However, my point was not to change your mind about God. Rather, I wanted skeptics to at least entertain the idea that there is faith behind their doubts and to challenge skeptics to really look into and research the claims of Christianity. And I want you to know that if you are skeptical... you are welcome! Unfortunately, many churches and Christians treat skeptics like they have the plague when in all actuality you should be welcomed with your doubts and all. I believe in Jesus. I believe that He is God's Son and that all purpose in life is to be found in him. I am a Christian. And I personally want to welcome you to bring your doubts and questions and seek out the truth about God, Jesus and Christianity.

Skeptics...come one, come all.