Comments on: A conversation that bothered me

By: Jimmy Downs

Jimmy Downs — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:18:50 +0000

I agree

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:41:55 +0000

I would have to agree with you totally on this one… I too, have relationships with non-Christians… but like you, my life revolves around Christ and when I speak of Him, I get tuned out some or they tell me I am too much into Christ. Forgive me if you must; but I don’t believe there is any way a person can be TO MUCH into Christ…

I am a Christ follower.. He is my world.

By: Debra

Debra — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:55:02 +0000

Don’t misunderstand; Many of us have faith in God and Jesus. It is the christians and church organizations we reject. I have been to several churches and they rejected me because I am divorced. I will never be a part of their organizations because their interest is always “what can you give/do for us”. They have their inner circles and nembies are made to know right up front they are not wanted. One time I attended a service, alone, sat down, and a woman came up and told me I was in her seat, please move. I moved, right out the door. A baptist church sent me a letter demanding, not inviting but demanding, I take some workshop about baptist doctrine and threatened me if I didn’t I would not be considered for membership, and I had only gone to that church one time. I was looking to join God’s church, not the Baptist club. I also found that services are now a show, a rock concert, a vegas act. Sound systems so loud it was painful. I saw nothing nor heard anything about finding Jesus, and this was the same in every church I tried. I asked for an appointment with a minister and was told “he is too busy”. I found the hatred of those not like them sad and I will never want to be like them.

By: trefaulkner

trefaulkner — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:28:48 +0000

The fact that all humans need to repent to escape the eternal judgment of God is offensive and demands and decision. Most non-Christians don’t want to hear that. How do you go from “I’m your friend” to “You will go to hell if you don’t repent”? without being offensive. In other words, when have we gone to far in watering down the gospel to the point that it has no power at all? I have been wrestling with this one for a while…

By: trefaulkner

trefaulkner — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:23:48 +0000

It is true that Jesus spent most of His time rebuking religious people whose hearts were far from him. But remember the rich young ruler was not a pharisee, but a old time “Good Guy” who much like today thought his “good deeds” would make him acceptable to God. Jesus made it clear He needed to repent. Jesus was offensive to non-Christians who were unrepentant. Jesus was non-offensive to those who would repent. There is a fine line between being real with people and compromising the truths in Scripture that require biblical repentance. Some non-Christians will only be your friend if you don’t tell them they need to repent. All that being said, I don’t have it quite figured out …I had a transparent conversation with a non-Christian tonight who asked me, “What do you think about the fact that I am living with my girlfriend? Am I going to hell?” How am i supposed to respond?

By: Sinner's Church

Sinner's Church — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:40:40 +0000

I have very authentic and transparent relationships with a handful of non-Christians, but I am very quick to add that it is a credit to them!! Several are very spiritual and are as adamant in their faith as I am…and we enjoy the conversations.

I think the main thing that makes these relationships work is that neither side is pressing the other to convert. It’s not a competition…I don’t look at it as a challenge…it’s an opportunity to plant seeds and love them where they are.

Awesome post!!

By: Jim Henderson

Jim Henderson — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Debra
I m sorry for the treatment you received from us.

By: “If I don’t become a Christian, can we still be friends?” « The Official Buckhead Church Blog

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:02:10 +0000

[...] last month, I had a great conversation with Jim Henderson and the Buckhead Church leadership team. http://blog.buckheadchurch.org/2010/06/29/a-conversation-that-bothered-me/ Jim used a phrase that immediately stuck with me, especially after reading Kevin’s book. Jim [...]

By: debra

debra — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 01:01:13 +0000

I am a non believer. And I have yet to meet a christian willing to be in the same room with me. We may begin a friendship but the very second they hear I don’t believe, I am cut off forever. I attended two churches, and when asked to speak about myself, I mentioned that I am divorced, and those people literally stood up and moved away from me. I am a non believer because I never want to be like christians – self righteous, judgmental, haters of all things/people not like them. To us non believers, christians are the most bigoted haters on the planet. Deny it all you want. We experience your “love” and want nothing to do with it.

By: Isaac

Isaac — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:49:46 +0000

That statement bothers me as well, because it is what we see most often. However, I disagree that this is always the case. Christians CAN have transparent, authentic relationships with non-Christians. We simply need to check our egos and fears at the door.

I have a bigger problem with this whole conversation that that statement, though. When did it become a good idea to ask non-Christians to evaluate the church? That’s like asking a non-Christian to rightly interpret Scripture. There are things about church that are offensive (and should be) to the world. Its one thing to welcome all people to worship with the body with the hope that they will meet Jesus there. It is something else entirely to ask someone who is not part of the body to critique it.

Blessings…