Changing the Face of Christianity has a new website: http://www.changingthefaceofchristianity.com. It’s full of newsworthy articles and videos on living as a true disciple of Jesus. Read and share opinions on Christian hypocrisy, intolerance, homophobia, and judgmentalism. Help Changing the Face of Christianity reverse these negative stereotypes!

I’ve highlighted the most significant negative stereotypes that us Christians create: such as Christian hypocrisy, Christian intolerance, Christian judgmentalism, and Christian homophobia.

The mission of Changing the Face of Christianity is: Reversing Christian intolerance, hypocrisy, homophobia, judgmentalism, and other negative Christian stereotypes, by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ.

Visit the new site, learn something new, and share your own stories.

Article re-printed with permission from Changing the Face of Christianity.

What happens when a young child asks a probing question, a REAL question about God, Christ,…the truth? Imagine a young child in her teens in a Christian school. Imagine a young man in “Sunday School” at church. Imagine them asking real questions such as “Why can’t I see God?” or “In the Bible, Jesus keeps referring to God as His father. But you say God and Jesus are the same thing. How is that possible?” or “Why would God take my younger brother away in that car accident?”, etc…

How we answer these questions can have a profound impact on the future spirituality (or lack of spirituality) of those impressionable children.

We have two choices when kids ask these questions:

1. We can attempt to explain as best we can these mysteries, doing some real research and soul searching ourselves so we can thoughtfully respond. We can take these children seriously as honest seekers who just want honest answers. We can expose them to a greater understanding of the fullness and complexity of God by digging deeper into the Bible with them.
2. We can tell them to stop asking questions and to just take it on faith…just believe. We could scold them as class disruptors. We could ridicule them and make them feel silly or stupid for asking questions. We could even punish them for having the audacity to question the teacher or to question God or the Bible.

Now, I hope you are equally shocked by even the possibility of responding the 2nd way as I am. You may even be saying, “Does that really happen? Are you serious?” I am.

I’ve encountered MANY atheists, agnostics, or non-believers who started out as children of Christians…going to Sunday School, Catholic school, or a private Christian school of some sort. They had questions…lots of them. How questions were answered, in many ways, determined their lack of belief.

There are people who can hear a simple truth and believe it without needing to dig much deeper. Jesus referred to this as the faith of a child in Mark 10:15.

Mark 10:13-15 (NIV)
¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
¹⁵ I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Then there are people, much like me, who require more intellectual responses. We don’t just WANT to understand…we NEED to understand.

So, how do you deal with intellectually leaning children…especially when they are young, confused, questioning…and yet still open?

Again, two choices. I  urge you to choose #1. Treat them like true seekers that are important enough for us to give a reasoned response….regardless of their age. If you don’t know the answer, tell them so. Work WITH them to find the answers.

Here is what happens when you rebuke a child with questions:

Here is a quote from author Stephanie D. Norris about her book called “Crisis of Religion” . “I could distinctly remember that as a little child (1st or 2nd grade), I instigated some probing questions into a couple Biblical issues that hoisted conflicting contradictions in my head. Instead of my Sunday school teacher answering my questions, and addressing my deep concerns, he conversely scolded me, hauling my rational queries over the coal. He then admonished me to desist from asking such probing questions anymore, but to just believe and accept whatever the church told me.”

Here is another quote from a conversation I had with another Atheist: “When I was 12, the nun who was my teacher grabbed me and shook me while telling me I would go to hell if I didn’t stop making trouble by asking questions in catechism class.”

The result is skepticism and disbelief…not faith. The result, more often than not, is a lost soul.

Here is the bottom line: We don’t need to fear questions. We don’t need to be ashamed or embarrassed when we don’t know the answer. There ARE answers for many of these questions…you must find the answers.

• We MUST NOT reject the person asking the questions (regardless of age).
• We MUST NOT ask these types of students to believe on faith…when they need more.
• We MUST NOT tell them to be quiet and just behave.

These children require special attention…yes MORE than you may have bargained for. It might require you finding answers yourself to questions you’ve never thought to ask. It might require a greater sacrifice of your time to invest in the lives of these special children (who God loves) to truly Disciple them…and teach them.

Being a teacher of children is serious business. How you respond to difficult questions can lead to a lost soul, or to an eternal blessing for generations to come. It’s your choice. Choose wisely.

Where to find answers? Google “Christian or Bible answers” and you will find many sources. Here is one source I found: http://www.rbc.org/bible-study/answers-to-tough-questions/home.aspx

Lastly, I invite you to share your stories with me. If you have a positive story about an inquisitive student who’s faith was strengthened after a teacher took the time to disciple them through their questions, please share it with me. If you have a story where questions were rebuked with negative consequences, I’d like to hear those as well. Email me at: brad@deeperbiblestudies.com.

Not subscribed to this blog/e-newsletter? Subscribe Now.

Article re-printed with permission from Changing the Face of Christianity.

A few months ago, I picked up a religious “Tract” that was left by a person with very good intentions…to “save” a soul.

For those of you who’ve never heard of “Tracts” or never seen one, it’s a small pamphlet that talks about Jesus and why we should confess our sins and accept His free gift of salvation and eternal life. Sounds harmless…and I think some are.

In this case, the tract was “over the top”. It was Scare tactics 101 – basically “you are a SINNER! and you WILL burn in a torturous and fiery eternal hell unless you repent right now!” It only gets worse from there.

After I read the Tract, I was seized by the question “Is this Good or Bad for Christianity’s reputation?” And, “Isn’t there a better way?”

Since stumbling upon that tract, I’ve discussed it on Facebook, chatted with friends, and tweeted about it. What I’ve heard is that YES…it does occasionally save people…no doubt about it.

However, the overwhelming majority of people I’ve talked to are repelled by such Tracts. As I’ve discussed such things with non-believers, it’s Tracts such as these that give Christianity a bad name, and a bad stereotype. It positions US as if we are in the judgment seat.

Instead of coming across as loving, we come across as judgmental…even hateful. Instead of showing God for the loving God that He his, we position Him as exclusively wrathful and angry. Non-believers are repulsed by such attempts to “save their soul”.

My opinion is these Tracts do more harm than good. Remember, it’s not about our “intent”. Non-believers are turned OFF by these…not turned ON. So much better is to relate to people in your circles of influence in a personal and real way…and show the Love of Christ.

But hey, we want to hear what you think!

• Comment about this below
• Send this to your friends and ask them what THEY think?
• Talk about this in your church community groups, life groups, small groups etc…

Article re-printed with permission from Changing the Face of Christianity.

You’ve heard the phrase. You may have even seen it on a billboard: WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do”.

It’s a great way of saying, “I don’t know what I should do in this situation…but no matter, I should do what Jesus would do…so WWJD.”

So, we see a car stranded. Or we see a person in need. Or we have a conflict with a friend or family member. And we ask WWJD.

It’s great advice. Jesus is our role model…and it IS HE that we should emulate.

How many of us acknowledge what Jesus would do…but then don’t do it? It’s a BIG reason why non-Christians look at Christians and label us hypocrites.

We must not SAY one thing (talk the talk) and then NOT do it (not walking the walk).

So, I propose a NEW catch phrase: WIDWJWD – “Will I Do What Jesus Would Do?”

1 John 3:18 says “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, we must take action. Until we do this consistently, outsiders will continue to look at us as all talk, and no action.

So in the coming weeks, start asking yourself: WIDWJWD! And let me know how it works out.

To learn more about how you can LIVE your faith and walk the walk, visit Changing the Face of Christianity.

I like to visit the “other” side from time to time and read comments from non-believers on various sites.

One thing I keep seeing is situations where the person (the non-believer) finally tells their parents or friends…and BAM…rejection. Parents and friends stop talking to them (presumably because they are so hurt)..they are shunned.

It leaves me scratching my head in disbelief. I know it happens, but WHY?

God calls us to love each other. God calls us to take care of one another.

How do you think non-believers feel when us Christians, who are supposed to show unconditional love, about face and walk away from the relationship?

From reading the comments, it’s clear that it’s incredibly damaging…not just to the person who’s at a very vulnerable time (spiritual low you might say)…but also damaging to Christianity.

Our reputation should be one of loving people THROUGH a hard time in their life…not walking away. People should know us as the people who didn’t judge, didn’t condemn, didn’t shun.

So, I’ll ask the pink elephant in the room question here: Is there anyone in your family that you have severed relations with because they fell away from the church? Ask yourself…is that what God wants, or is this just my imperfect human way of dealing with difficult situations?

Reach out in love and rebuild the relationship. Don’t try to drag them to church, don’t have your pastor chat with them, don’t try to fix them…just love them and spend time with them. Show them God’s unconditional love and mercy by how you treat them.

Who knows…LIVING the Christian faith may be just the witness they need to someday return to the faith.

To learn more about how you can help reverse negative Christian stereotypes, visit Changing the Face of Christianity. When you get there, JOIN the cause.

Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt like Mr. Cellophane from the musical Chicago? I have felt this way more often than I care to admit. In other cultures, it might be the norm, but in America, not looking someone in the eye sends a message: ”You aren’t very important to me”. Forget about trying to remember someone’s name; the eyes come first.

God commands us to love one another (1 John 3:23). Love can be communicated in many different ways… by listening, by helping, through words of encouragement and hope, and through acts of selfless service. But love always starts with ”hello”. When you first meet someone, do you give them undivided attention, or are you looking for the next person to meet?

I can count on one hand the times in my life when I have witnessed someone giving consistent focused attention to a group of new people; treating each person as uniquely important. How about you?

We meet new people at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, standing in line for tickets to a show, waiting for a table at a restaurant, at a power-lunch or networking event, and even at church. How do you make people feel when you first meet them? My suggestion is to first make them feel important to you with your eyes. There are other suggestions, but this is a good first step.

In my church, there is a small time set aside at the beginning of service to ”go shake some hands”. This is where I have most often felt invisible to those new people I’m meeting. For some visualization, imagine you are in a dense fog and all you see coming at you is a hand. So, you start to extend your hand to meet theirs. Now, if you are like me, the next thing you do is look up and see whose hand it is.

This is the moment of truth. Will the person be looking at you as they shake your hand, or will they be looking left, right, or past you for the next hand? The goal is not to ”shake as many hands in the next 30 seconds as possible” and the winner gets a prize. It’s about connecting briefly with another human being.

I’m calling you to be the type of person who looks the other person in the eye. When they look up, they should see you looking at them and only them. While you say hello, continue to look at them. In that brief moment, make them feel important with your eyes.

Jesus Christ was quoted as saying ”If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20) The practical application today is this: How can you love others if you aren’t even willing to give them your brief undivided attention? If it’s tough to do this in church with fellow believers, how are you possibly going to make non-believers feel important when you meet them?

When it comes to evangelism and connecting with non-believers, I won’t suggest I have it all figured out. But I do know this: true evangelism starts with a loving relationship where the other person feels as important to you as they are to our heavenly Father. The first and possibly only chance you will get to develop such a relationship depends on your eyes. Where are they focused?

My plea is that you let the whole world turn into a thick fog where the only thing you see is the other person’s eyes. In that moment, choose to love them as our Father has commanded, through focused attention. Who knows? The next time you meet them they might actually remember your name and you might remember theirs.

Sometimes, I don’t feel like being loving. People aren’t being nice to me, I’m feeling unappreciated, and no one seems to notice me in a positive way. Ever feel like that?

I felt that way last night with my family. Then I was reminded by God that It’s in these times that we are called to Love anyway.

We can change the face of Christianity by loving others…ESPECIALLY when we aren’t feeling loved ourselves. Give it a try, and let me know about your experience.

I was recently on the radio sharing my faith story from Atheist to Christian. During the interview, the host asked a question I wasn’t completely prepared for. She said “Given that you were an atheist, how do you suggest Christians should approach an atheist”?

Now, I knew how NOT too…but how to? I thought for a second and answered… you simply much SHOW God’s love to them. You can’t quote scripture (they don’t believe in the Book), you can’t say “I’ll pray for you” because that’s like telling an Atheist you are from Mars and your name is Shraaaak-neebo-alkkksitar”. It just doesn’t resonate with them. So, the only way to truly win them over is to show them genuine Christianity. The kind where you actually DO love your neighbor in words and actions. The kind where you don’t look and act like every other person in the world.

In my words, you show them the true FACE of christianity….the kind they can’t resist.

So, a quick topic to discuss as a group. What REAL, practical, do-able, genuine acts of Christian Love are you doing for Christians and non-christians alike? Share your best tips!!!

I recently read a blog article about Holy Ostracism. It was asking the question if we should isolate ourselves…or otherwise refuse fellowship with homosexuals. There are biblical references to not fellowshipping with “sinners” that people rely on to support this view. However, here is my response.

I think we Christians, to our discredit, place much too much importance on the issue of homesexual sin. Outsiders view us a haters, high and mighty, pompous, etc…  Is homosexuality a sin? yes. But remember that ANY sin is just as sinful as homosexuality to God. God teaches us to take the plank out of our own eye before we look to take the speck out of another person’s eye.

Should we practice holy ostracism because someone is homosexual? absolutely not. That only feeds the negative perception…that “we won’t associate with those sinners”..and that we are somehow better than them.

The fact is that we are NOT better than them. Even if we are Christian, and they are not…we are still NOT better than them. God is better…and it is Him who redeems us.

Would you ostracize someone who drank excessively? How about someone who was prideful. How about someone who lusts after someone who is not our spouse? How about someone who (insert any other sin you’ve ever heard of)?

Unless you are going to ostracise everyone (for all sins), I wouldn’t recommend ostracizing anyone for simply being homosexual.

Instead, associate with them. Share your love with them. Engage with them and let your life influence them positively. Let them know that even though God considers their behavior a sin…that we ALL sin, and God still loves us. Then encourage them to seek God and ask him into their life. Homosexuals don’t need to be “fixed”…they need to be loved. God will take it from there.

By the way, I’m very passionate about this negative perception of Christianity. I’ve started a movement to counter those negative perceptions…but it starts with YOU..and how you interface with the world. If you are interested, join our facebook group called “Chaning the Face of Christianity“: