Rejecting the Pursuit of Christian Values

Last night, in the beautiful home of an airline pilot, I sat eating brats and chatting with several men decades older than me. While slightly out of place, I’ve grown used to relating to men in their 50s and 60s and I find myself fascinated by this generation.

While they complimented each other on the chili and reminisced about their kids and grandkids and the deer they’d shot last fall, the conversation turned slowly toward the state of the nation and how to live as a Christian in our increasingly secularized world.

Instead of the flippant judgmentalism I often see in American evangelicals, I saw an earnest concern on their faces as they spoke of dangerous movements in politics, education, and theology. They were genuinely worried for their children and grandchildren living in a post-Christian society.

At one point, evolution came up and one by one, they soberly discussed the evidence for a young earth and quietly told stories of children who had walked away from the faith when presented with this “theory”. One man turned to me and said, “What do you think, Nate? Do you see your generation turning away from God over this issue?”

I swallowed hard.

“Well…” I began tenuously, wondering if this high-powered group of guys would actually sit still long enough to hear my opinion. But their eyes fixed on me quietly and widened slightly when I told them my mother-in-law is an evangelical biology teacher who teaches evolution. “You mean they force her to teach it?” one man cut in. “Well no…” I replied. “She believes it. She’s a theistic evolutionist.” Slow nods around the table.

“I think,” I continued, “that what causes young Christians to walk away from their faith is when Christian scientists are not careful in presenting good science and research about evolution. It makes us feel like Christians have something to hide. I think that does as much damage as anything else…” More nods and the topic moved to politics.

As I think about it, what I really want to say to Christians is this: The growth of secular humanism may seem alarming and threatening. And yes, I think it is dangerous. But equally dangerous—equally alarming and threatening—should be the rise of legalistic, moralistic, Christian fundamentalism. I think bad experiences with the church and with a Christianity that is inextricably married to culture are just as much a catalyst for young folks leaving the church as anything Secular America can offer.

I think we often look at secularism as the “great Satan” and legalism as a naughty little habit that mature Christians should overcome. But it’s time to understand that Satan is just as insidious inside the church as outside and the stuff we buy into as Christians becomes JUST as toxic spiritually as atheism or humanism. Or let me say this for shock value: a church that glorifies Christian values over Christ himself, that falls into hypocrisy, that reduces Christianity to the judgmental pursuit of morality... This church is more repugnant to God than a Pride Parade for gay abortion doctors. Dead serious. Looking at Jesus, who he condemned and who he loved... that's the conclusion I come to.

I recommend a careful rethinking of our irreducible minimums. What makes a person Christian? What’s the bottom line? I mean, beyond an intellectual acceptance of Christ’s atonement, what does it look like to follow Jesus? I think if we can answer this question thoughtfully and biblically, we’ll see a lot of young people coming back to the church. In fact, I think THAT question needs a heckuva lot more attention and debate than abortion, gay marriage, and evolution put together. Just sayin’.