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Keller, Stetzer Discuss Evangelism, Belief in an Age of Skepticism
By: Chris Turner
Media Relations Manager—LifeWay Christian Resources
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. -- A recently released
LifeWay Research study
reveals that more than 70 percent of unbelievers surveyed agree that
"Jesus makes a difference," but more
than 70 percent also affirmed that "the church is full of hypocrites."
One prominent author understands why both questions would elicit such
strong responses.
"They almost
have to feel that way because the view from the outside is that if you
aren’t living like Jesus Christ you won’t go to heaven," said Tim
Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and author
of the New York Times bestseller,
The Reason for God: Belief in an age of skepticism.
Keller’s comments came in a recent
Inside LifeWay
podcast with Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research. Both the
unchurched study and the podcast can be found at
LifeWayResearch.com.
"When they
see Christians saying they are born again and they don’t see an
incredibly changed life they assume you are a hypocrite," Keller said.
"They have to believe that, and the fact that they are critical of us we
have to say partly that’s our fault, but on the other hand, it’s partly
their inability to understand the gospel. We have to be patient with
that."
"Almost
everybody who doubts does so for personal reasons, mainly because they
have had bad experiences with the church, Christianity or Christians,"
Keller responded. "[As a Christian] you can’t just say, ‘I’m going to
give you the Gospel and you’re going to hear it.’ You have to embody a
different kind of Christianity than the one they have experienced in the
past or they are simply not going to hear it. It has to do with tone,
graciousness, consistency of your own behavior, it’s all stuff we know
but it is absolutely true.
"People are
not used to Christians being patient with them, sympathetic with them
and their doubts," he said. "They are not used to that. They are used to
propaganda, criticism, and being talked down to. Your demeanor, facial
expressions and tone of voice is way more important than you think in
evangelism."
Editor’s Note: Story courtesy of LifeWay Christian Resources |
