Authentic Christianity

Authentic Christianity
by
August 26, 2025

As we continue to study the NT book of James, we will be challenged to keep thinking about how we live out our faith. The Ministry Fair we had on Sunday was an incredible testament to how our church does that in this community. A big thanks to everybody who participated.

A few years ago, there was a survey that was conducted by Thom Ranier, then President of Lifeway Christian Resources based right here in Nashville. Ranier is now Chief Editor of Christianity Today. He recently reflected on 30 lessons he has learned in 30 years of ministry and you can click here to read the full article.

For over a decade, Ranier has been researching the “unchurched” people of our society to find out why they are hesitant to get involved in the church. And the results of this survey were very interesting. Contrary to popular belief, Ranier says that non-Christians are not turned off by the church, by preaching, by Sunday School, or even by evangelism. But there were some other things that bothered them about the Christian community. These included:

1) Christians who treat other Christians poorly. “The unchurched don’t expect Christians to be perfect but they can’t understand why we treat each other without dignity and respect.”

2) Non-Christians are bothered by “holier-than-thou” attitudes. “The unchurched know that Christians will make mistakes, and they often have a forgiving attitude when we mess up. But they are repulsed when Christians act superior to them.”

3) Non-Christians are bothered by Christians who talk more than they listen. “Many of the unchurched, at some point, have a perception that a Christian is a person who can offer a sympathetic and listening ear. Unfortunately, many of the unchurched thought that Christians were too busy talking to listen to them.

4) Ranier reports that non-Christians are bothered by Christians who don’t go to church or very rarely attend church. “They saw the disconnect between belief and practice in the lives of Christians who never or very rarely attended church.”

Ranier concludes his research by saying, “They are all aware that any human will stumble at times, but these unchurched individuals want to know that Christians will treat each other well and they want to see humility in our lives. They want to know that we will take the time to listen, and even take more time to really be involved in their lives. And they want to know that we love our churches and that we are committed to supporting them.”

When you read the gospels, it’s clear that Jesus really didn’t think highly of religious talk. He said, “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. You will know them by their fruit.” He denounced the scribes and Pharisees who could quote scripture, use fancy words, say fancy prayers, and make theological statements to impress people. Jesus was much more interested in faith that led to action – especially actions of love, kindness, and compassion. I have found that nothing is more dangerous or scary than a manipulative person hiding under a Christian disguise.

The common disconnect between what we say we believe and what we do is the greatest challenge for Christians. Words simply don’t matter if they are not backed up by actions. People pay more attention to what you do than to what you say. Harvey Cox says we’ve officially moved from the age of belief to the age of the spirit, and I agree. You know what I think will continue to mark this new era of Christianity – a complete intolerance for those who cannot practice or at least authentically try to practice what they say they believe in. In the age of the spirit, talk is cheap. Actions will speak louder than words. St. Francis said, “Preach the gospel, and use words only when necessary.”

Blessings,

-Clay

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