Church going atheists who write books for Christians
Posted on Friday 7 September 2007 by Greg @ 5:32 pm
Filed under: Rants
First it was Jim and Casper going to church. Now it’s I sold my soul on e-Bay. What will it be next? The Purpose Driven Atheist? Atheists are going to church and cranking out the critiques. Is it the end of the civilization as we know it? Was the Left Behind Video Game right after all?
What in the world is going on? Now we have church going atheists giving churches thumbs up and/or thumbs downs like pew sitting Eberts and Roepers? Holy Guacamole Batman.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Casper (author of book one) and Hemant (author of book two) have some ghostly good insights into some of the highs and lows of 21st Century church. (I perused Casper’s book and am just finishing Hemant’s). From what I can tell they did a good job of unveiling some of the "idiot"syncrisies we have in our church services. Among them? Boring sermons, weird practices, long music sets, lack of friendliness, etc, etc, etc. They also share some of the things that they liked, even loved, about some of the churches they attended. All in all, I think they were pretty fair in their assesment. The spirit of their writing seemed very cordial, funny and authentic (I actually wish more Christians wrote with their style and wit!)
My problem is not with these non-God-fearing dudes. My problem is with some of the pastors I’ve seen embrace their insights like they were the cure to cancer or something.
To be honest I don’ t know if I want an atheist fully at home in my church. I want him/her to be greeted, loved and truly accepted. But I hope and pray that the preaching of the Word gives him a little bit of the heebee jeebees (the greek words for "conviction" and "nervousness" and if you believe that I have some land in Iraq to sell you.)
What would happen if Casper and Hemant and friends went into any church in the early New Testament? 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 may give us a hint, "But if an unbeliever…comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’" or maybe they’d stop, drop, roll and run like an on fire Ricky Bobby or maybe they would write a book/scroll called "I sold my soul at the Parthenon".
Again, I’m not at all upset that these guys who wrote these books. Their books are well written, thoughtful, cogent and convincing. It’s a very healthy thing to get outside perspectives and insights. But maybe the work we should be scouring and devouring to discover how to do church is from the Author they think doesn’t exist.
It is not the end of the world for atheist to critique the church, after all they have been doing it for a couple of thousand years. As you (Greg) mentioned though, when we try to make the atheist all comfortable in their sin - that’s where the trouble begins. This also has been going on since the church began. Many pagan customs were adopted early on by some of the churches trying to please the people, to build up their membership numbers… Amazing how the more things change, the more they remain the same! "there is nothing new under the sun" This is why your work and the what should be the work of every christian is so very important. We must study to know God’s word, so that we can be bold, an approved workman of the LORD, ready to give an answer for the faith we have. Above all, as you stated we must tell everyone not to hold up the christian but Christ as the real example, the mark to strive for. Don’t put your trust man(kind), don’t try to be like other people, don’t put your faith man(kind). Set your sights on Jesus, the only one who has ever hit the mark dead on the bull’s eye! I think that for the most part, people who love the darkness of their sin more than the Light of Christ, use any and every excuse they can grasp at to make their darkness seem not so dark (bad). And while having said all that, I am not excusing christians (we are to be perfect as He is perfect). This sometimes is a paradox many of us, as we know we can not be perfect… Beloved it is the fight that you fight! To be right! But even that is of little effect if you do not have and accept Christ and the price He paid for you, kuz you and I could not, can not and will not be perfect till we go to be with Him. But because He has paid the price, He sees no debt or fault in us. All Glory, Honor and Praise be to God almighty, in Jesus Holy name. Amen! bro-j, servant at FullGrace.com
AMBER