Christianity Isn’t Cafeteria-Style

I am very fortunate to share my life with a woman who cares about teaching her children theology. My youngest son spent the night with a friend not long ago and they watched an episode of “The Ghost Whisperer.” Not surprisingly, it kicked off an interesting discussion in the Johnston household about death, ghosts, heaven and hell, purgatory, reincarnation, and a whole lot more. My wife, Tammy, took the lead in this discussion and did a fantastic job comparing the Bible against TV theology for my son, the Big E.

My question for you is this: Do you have those same kind of theological discussions with young adults in your life and ministry?

A recent research study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life really got me thinking. Here are some highlights of the research:

1. 1 in 4 Americans believe in Eastern or New Age ideas, most notably reincarnation.
2. 16 percent of Americans believe that certain people can cast curses or spells
3. 3 in 10 Americans believe they have been in touch with someone who has died. 1 in 5 Protestants believe in ghosts.
4. 3 in 10 Protestants regularly attend multiple types of religious services outside of their primary belief system.

You can read the entire study HERE.

There’s nothing wrong with learning more about another world belief system. In fact, I think it helps us talk intelligently with people who need to know Christ. There’s nothing wrong with having a genuine hunger to know about what happens after our loved ones draw their last breaths.

The problem is, we as Christian leaders in our churches aren’t doing a great job teaching a new generation the basics of the faith. So, it’s not surprising these kind of beliefs pop up on the radar. I call it “Cafeteria Christianity,” when people pick up a variety of disparate theological views and put them on the one plate they use to navigate life.

What can we do to make sure the basics of the faith are firmly in the grasp of today’s young adult generation?

More Bible, less books. A book club is not the same thing as a Bible study. Make sure the content you’re studying is Bible-based and not opinion-based. That’s why Threads offers you strong scriptural studies like Blemished, The Tough Sayings of Jesus and The Tough Sayings of Jesus II, and new studies like Scouting the Divine and Abide (releasing in April). These studies are deeply rooted in the Word. There are many fine Christian books that work well for light reading, but if you’re building a strong belief system, you need something more.

More questions, less lecture. I have a nagging feeling the reason so many don’t understand what they say they believe is because teaching has been a monologue their entire lives. I’m not talking about preaching. I’m referring to classes and groups that don’t enable people to ask their leaders critical questions that help them understand doctrine.

Do leaders ask people in their study groups if they believe there are many paths to God? Do they wrestle together through doctrine so that everyone leaves with an understanding of the truth? It’s time to make dialogue a necessary aspect of Bible study.

More 1-1, less 40-1. I’m convinced one major reason people don’t understand their faith is because they wind up in groups too large and too intimidating to truly learn what Christ taught. We need to make sure new believers have personal mentors and disciplers who can handle their tough questions and help them shape their faith.

More study, less noise. We live in a culture of distractions where getting away daily for 30 minutes or an hour to truly study the Bible seems improbable. Yet if we’re going to make our faith real and solid, that’s precisely what it takes. Encourage and exhort the people you lead to get into the Word, no matter what sacrifices it takes.