 Dan
Kimball's new book, They Like Jesus But Not the Church should
really be called They Like (Another) Jesus But Not the Church,
the Bible, Morality, or the Truth. Kimball interviews several
young people (one is a lesbian) who tell him they "like and respect
Jesus" but they don't want anything to do with going to church
or with those Christians who take the Bible literally. Kimball
says these are "exciting times" we live in "when Jesus is becoming
more and more respected in our culture by non-churchgoing people
(p. 12). He says we should "be out listening to what non-Christians,
especially those in their late teens to thirties, are saying and
thinking about the church and Christianity" (p. 12).
According
to Kimball, it is vitally important that we as Christians be accepted
by non-Christians and not thought of as abnormal or strange. But
in order to do that, he says we must change the way we live and
behave. He says things like Christian bumper stickers (p. 40)
and Christian words like "fellowship," (p. 41) are "corny" and
might offend a non-believer or seeker. Kimball insists (p. 19)
that "those who are rejecting faith in Jesus" do so because of
their views of Christians and the church. But he makes it clear
throughout the book that these distorted views are not the fault
of the unbeliever but are the fault of Christians, but not all
Christians, just those fundamentalist ones who take the Bible
literally, believe that homosexuality is a sin and think certain
things are wrong and harmful to society ... and actually speak
up about these things. Click
here to read this entire book review.
Which
Christ Do They Like?
An excerpt from They Like Jesus But Not the Church:
"Most
people today, whether in the church or outside the church, believe
Jesus is a good person who has some sort of spiritual insight.
When Pamela Anderson explained why she gives money to the homeless,
she answered: 'If I refuse one of them, I'd be like, 'Oh my God.
What if that was Jesus?'' I have no idea what she believes, but
even if she isn't following Jesus, she still has some respect
for him." (p. 53)—Dan Kimball
Kimball, on using the term "pastor"—"Most
church leaders now actually feel embarrassed to tell people they
are pastors. Some even choose titles other than pastor so they aren't
dismissed by people outside the church. Some people aren't even
comfortable saying they are a Christian but come up with new terms
such as "Christ follower" to avoid negative and distorted
associations." (p. 15, They
Like Jesus But Not the Church)
Josh
McDowell endorses
They Like Jesus But Not the Church
"My
father taught me that a problem well defined is half solved. It
would be foolish to be in ministry to emerging generations without
carefully studying this book." —Josh McDowell, author and
speaker
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