Princeton Seminary Professor Kendra Creasy Dean shares what she considers some depressing news in her new book, Almost Christian. As a researcher in the National Study for Youth and Religion, she helped conduct in depth interviews with more than 3300 teenagers who call themselves Christians.  Her findings show that most “Christian” kids are indifferent and inarticulate about their faith. The faith they do discuss often boils down to what has been labeled “moralistic therapeutic deism” – a belief in a generally good God who exists primarily to help make people happy.   This “imposter” faith contributes to the massive departure of so many young people from the church during their high school and college years.  Too often parents and churches have low expectations for teenagers.  Too many youth groups are designed to keep students out of trouble and simply being nice – not truly exploring the faith.  However, she did find some who had a passion for their faith and an ability to talk about it in a meaningful way.  These committed teenagers most often came from Mormon or evangelical backgrounds.  She identified four common traits among this group: They have a personal story about God they can share, a deep connection to a faith community, a sense of purpose and a sense of hope about their future (CNN August 27, 2010)

© 2010, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

© 2010, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

1. published in the Ivy Jungle Network Newsletter, August 2010

© 2010, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

© 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

© 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

1. Cullen Hightower

The songs of yesterday were hymns about blood, victory and battle put to the beer drinking tunes of the day. Manly stuff that makes me want to go pee in the woods just writing about. Today we sing about love, peace and joy put to music that sounds like The Wiggles. Excuse me while I go watch Oprah and hug myself. To top it off, most preachers seem to get their topical message ideas from watching one episode of The View. May God have mercy on our soul.

This is not an “I’ve-lost-touch-with-today-because-I’m-an-old-fart” or pro “Wild-At-Heart” cultural thing. I’ve heard these same views expressed by many unchurched, artistic 20-something men. Musically they want AC/DC and we give them Celine Dion. Lyrically they want Tom Clancy and we give them Danielle Steel. Spiritually they want Braveheart and we give them Sleepless In Seattle. Everywhere I turn there’s this…estrogen…feel to church. It’s all so safe, sappy and sad.

If the church is going to be relevant in the coming generations we’ve got to get back to reaching men…and helping them become Godly husbands and fathers. In order for the church to reach men we’ve got to have music on Sundays that has the lyrical depth of John Newton, the musical kick of Guns N’ Roses and led by a man that looks like Ted Nugent. In order for the church to reach men we’ve got to have sermons that hit like a NFL linebacker, spoken in a voice as bold as a WCW wrestler and led by a man that acts like…John The Baptist. If there’s one thing that today’s society of broken marriages and children with no father figure has taught us…it’s that we need more manly churches!!!

Happy Resurrection Sunday.

© 2007 – 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Fox News reports:

The Church For Men meets one Saturday evening a month, drawing about 70 guys dressed in everything but straight-laced shirts and neckties. The service features a rock band, a shot clock to time the preacher’s message and a one-hour in-and-out guarantee.

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Read the article, then let me know what you think. Biblically, we’re commanded to love everyone, but we’re also commanded to repent of our sin (including practicing homosexuality).

Homosexuality is one of the sins that is clearly identified as sin. The old addage, “Hate the sin, love the sinner,” applies.

© 2006 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

We recently changed primary care physicians. We probably should have left the old one before we evens saw him, but I guess we just thought things would get better.

We were greeted with a frown, given some paperwork to fill out, then “ordered” to take a seat. While we were filling out the paperwork, the head office person came out into the waiting area and began rearranging the chairs that folks had moved, slamming them back into place and grumbling about the inconsiderate patients who had the gall to move the furniture around.

After a considerable wait, we got in to see the doctor. Somehow he seemed unconnected with the moment. He seemed to just go through the motions and only explained what he was doing when my wife insisted he reply to her questions. He ordered some lab work for me, but none for my wife.

Checking out was an adventure. The counter is about four people wide and one has a complete view of the six folks working in the office, of which five never even acknowledged our presence. The sixth, having caught the contageous frown from the head administrator, grumbled through the payment process never looking up.

It doesn’t stop there. It took them three tries to get the insurance paperwork in properly so it was about 8 months before we finally got our final bill. In the mean time, we acquired secondary insurance, which they mistook for primary for visits after that, further complicating the billing process.

The straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back was when I needed to reschedule a lab visit and was kept on hold twice for 15 minutes each time. I didn’t even get the chance to explain what I wanted. It went something like this: Ring, Ring, Ring, (about 10 times). “XYZ Famlily Medicine, please hold.” Click.

The new doctors office experience was a complete 180 from the last. We were sent the paperwork in andvance so we could fill it out at our leisure before we came in. We were able to mail a couple of things in early so we were in the computer when we arrived.

We were greeted with smiles, and the two who worked in the office seemed genuinely glad to see us. The window was one person wide so you knew who was going to wait on you and who would be waited on next.

We were in the examining rooms within five minutes of our arrival, and within a few minutes after that, the nurse was asking questions and taking vitals, <– And entering them in the computer that was in the exam room –>. The nurse was friendly and helpful, and explained everything that was going to happen.

The doctor came in shortly after the nurse left, introduced himself, and reviewed and verified the info that we had sent in and that the nurse had just entered. He did this from a small electronic tablet that he carries around with him. After a thorough exam, while he was explaining everything, he summarized his findings and what he wanted us to do. (By the way we were not in the same room for the exam).

When we got to the office to check out, our prescriptions and lab orders were already printed out and he had signed them while we were dressing.

It was a pleasant experience all around.

I wonder if we’re like the former doctor or like the new doctor when we relate to newcomers at our church. Do we do more than just shake their hand at the door and jerk them into the building? Do we genuinely love them? Do we really want them to be there? Do we really show it? I wonder.

© 2006 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.