Finding A Reason - Latest Comments

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Tinker — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:13:42 -0000

It's actually pretty easy to identify the cause and effect relationship to WHY.

If preachers would preach what Jesus said we must learn, the house would be full.

BLOOD COVENANT, Moses, Psalms and the Prophets.

They all establish beyond conjecture the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.

Peter, in his first sermon said: "Until the Restitution of ALL things." Acts 3

Paul in 1 Tim 4:10 talks about: For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the
Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Not sure it can more clear than that.

Re: Trail Running

AshCharlwood — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:06:21 -0000

I really like this Chris, I totally agree

Re: Well Worth It Blisters

Elliot Kennel — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:43:36 -0000

Bass players always have friends, that's for sure.

Re: About This Guy

Candiceb — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:23:18 -0000

Lion or Lamb is my fav !

Re: The One Thing Theory

April O'Leary — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 07:04:10 -0000

Thanks Chris for linking up with my article on the One Thing. You have a great site here. I love the One Thing Theory and that is something I use regularly with my clients. Have a great 4th of July!

Re: Judgmental Danger

rebecca — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:13:39 -0000

A few weeks ago, Tim (during his message) shared the quoted, "The 'Church' is the only army that kills it's own wounded". It really struck a chord with me, how quick we are to take those we don't agree with (even if they aren't even Biblically 'wrong') and cast them out.

Re: 10 Reasons Why I Dislike Andy Stanley

Chris Nichols — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:22:43 -0000

Because he challenges me to improve my life...I hate it when people do that!

Re: 10 Reasons Why I Dislike Andy Stanley

Elliot Kennel — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:14:35 -0000

Wait a minute. Why do you say DISlike Andy Stanley??

Re: 10 Reasons Why I Dislike Andy Stanley

Chris Nichols — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:07:28 -0000

Thanks. Yeah, bottom line is that Andy Stanley is awesome!

Re: 10 Reasons Why I Dislike Andy Stanley

rich_chaffins — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:45:47 -0000

Good morning, Chris. Just wanted to comment on the misnomerosity of your title. :)
Nice post!

Re: Is the Bible Believable?

Joel — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:36:40 -0000

Def. believable. I feel that people get confused with the contradictions, because they dont seperate the disponsations, Law and Grace. For example, we dont have to make animal sacrifices to have forgiveness like they did under law, Once Jesus went to calvary His blood took over, Once the Apostle Paul recieved the revelation, Grace is now present and will be untill the 2nd coming! When studying the bible it is all for us but not all to us!

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Chris Nichols — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:50:50 -0000

Either and/or both.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Mary B. — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:14:22 -0000

I wanted to add this - read some of the comments at the end of the article, this will give you some ideas why people, especially those from the GLBT community would stay away from church.
http://www.heraldpalladium....

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Timothynelms — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:04:03 -0000

Illogic;belief in supernatural;"miracles";and its a cryin shame because the good stuff is really,really good......if only one needn't check the brain at the door....

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Kris N. — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:40:54 -0000

My family stopped going to church shortly after my parents separated. I think a lot of people went through similar experiences. There are a lot of reasons why people stay away from church. Some people think of God being the same as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. It is a nice story that was told to make you feel you need to be a good person but there is no reality based in it. There are some that are turned away by the ones that go to church and feel they have the right to judge everyone else, because obviously they are closer to God and know how everyone should be behaving. You see people who have not lived the best lives and decide to start going to church and think it is their Get Out of Jail Free Card. If you are one of the people that were hurt by one of those people, you just don’t understand how they can feel they have accepted God if they haven’t tried to fix what they did wrong in their past. There are churches that feel cult like and they give you the feeling that you are giving up your own thoughts and identity to join. Some focusing mainly on all those groups going through difficult things (divorce, death, etc.) in their life and it feels they try and suck you in when you are at your weakest.
I think most people who walk back into church don’t know for sure all their feelings and beliefs about God. They want to learn more. When they walk in the door of some churches, they are expected to believe in God completely. Also, most people think they are good people and they do not need to physically go to church to do the right thing and have a personal relationship with God. I think a lot of people start going back for their kids, because they want them to learn about God and have a strong moral compass. Hopefully parents do realize that the church has a lot to offer both their kids and themselves during this time, so you may keep them.
I also think that one of the main reasons why people stay away, because they think it is easier to live a superficial existence. Most people, when they are in church, do self evaluations that they might not want to do. What is my relationship with God and other people in my life? How can I be a better person? If you really start evaluating your behavior, you might have to really make some changes. You also have to be part of a community. And our current world has allowed us to not have to be a part of a community. We can live completely alone without any attachments to people. Some people feel it is safer than actually having attachments to others and feel an obligation to love and help others. They may have a fear they will not fit in and will be rejected also.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Buddynet02 — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:06:48 -0000

If I wasn't already a Christian, the Tea Party Movement would definitely do the trick. As it is, I often find myself wondering how long I can remain a liberal Christian and if maybe I should just call myself a follower of Christ or something. I see so much hatred coming out of the so-called Christian Right, and as far as I am concerned, they are neither.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Cogitergo — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:10:25 -0000

What do you mean?

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Cogitergo — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:04:23 -0000

Hi. Are you asking about people who have never been Christians? Or are you asking about people who were Christians but have lost their faith?

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Mary B. — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:00:48 -0000

Born and raised in the Christian Reformed faith, near mecca, Grand Rapids, MI. I was thoroughly entrenched from the time I was young through to college, it was Christianity almost 24/7. I no longer attend church on a regular basis, why? Because it's hard to 'get over' the misogyny, the hypocrisy and the dig our heels in, my belief is the best, yours isn't type thinking. In the late 60's, early 70's divorce was the big no-no, now it's being gay. It's hard to see people being used as a scapegoat for whatever interpretation of the Bible people in power have at the moment.

And it's depicting Jesus as a white male, when in fact he would probably look more like the people this country has been vilifying - Muslims. And anytime that religion is used to condone hate speech, makes me want to get as far away as possible. Rationally I know that not all people who attend church and have a christian based faith are like this, but the hurt runs deep, I guess.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Tris Mamone — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:47:52 -0000

Oops! That should read "The REAL reason."

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Tris Mamone — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:47:34 -0000

What Fundamentalists will tell you: Because their hearts are harden against the Lord and they don't want to face the fact that they're going to Hell!

The reason reason: (Points to the quote above) That guy!

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Alise Wright — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:22:40 -0000

Got this link from a Twitter follower. http://whygrudge.blogspot.c...

If you go to the linked blogs and search "the question" you'll find some thoughts. Some painfully honest answers there (at least in the half dozen I've clicked through & read).

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Jamie Poster — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:56:25 -0000

Its reluctance to recognize that scripture is just a story, misinterpreted and reinterpreted and symbolic. Not the absolute truth. Jesus was obviously a cool dude, it's not his fault what people have done with his ideals since his death, but their refusal to accept possible variations in history, lifestyle, and belief makes the religion infuriating instead of unifying.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

SoberJulie — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:53:17 -0000

I think there are many factors, often Religion gets in the way of a Relationship. Also for me it was difficult to see giving up my whole life and be someone I thought I had to be. It wasn't actually like that, once I understood that God loved me and would work with me it was simpler.

Re: What Keeps People Away From Christianity?

Alise Wright — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 16:19:45 -0000

I think the whole culture war thing is just really passe at this point and millennials in particular are just not interested in that. And as long as the church continues to play that game, young people will continue to leave. When you make everything a salvation issue (while at the same time saying that it's not REALLY a salvation issue), people just disengage.

Also, I would highly (highly!) recommend Hemant Mehta's book "I Sold My Soul on eBay." He's an atheist who spent a year visiting various churches and writing about it. It's a quick read, but if you want to know what keeps people who don't believe away from church, I think reading it from the horse's mouth is one of the best things you can do. I think it should be required reading for church leaders.