Hypocrisy and Housecleaning?
This past weekend my husband and I joined two other couples for a weekend away. We live in different cities now, but became friends a number of years ago when we all lived in Wheaton, Illinois. Our assignment for the weekend was to read Unchristian by David Kinnaman and be prepared to discuss the book during the weekend.
Kinnaman’s conclusions based on extensive research reveal how younger generations tend to perceive christians as judgmental, unloving and too involved in politics. These younger generations believe christians are hypocritical and inauthentic.
This past weekend my husband and I joined two other couples for a weekend away. We live in different cities now, but became friends a number of years ago when we all lived in Wheaton, Illinois. Our assignment for the weekend was to read Unchristian by David Kinnaman and be prepared to discuss the book during the weekend.
Kinnaman’s conclusions based on extensive research reveal how younger generations tend to perceive christians as judgmental, unloving and too involved in politics. These younger generations believe christians are hypocritical and inauthentic.
As our group discussed the book we acknowledged how painful those statistics are. We had to acknowledge that many of their conclusions are justified, though certainly unintended.
One root issue we were able to identify was how often we, as believers, expect those without the transforming work of the Holy Spirit to live as believers although we know they are spiritually dead. We have demanded they accept our worldview and live according to biblical morals even though they do not have the spiritual power to do so.
In addition, we have collectively failed to deal with sin within the church with the same vigor that we have attacked those on the outside. For instance, we have focused our criticism on homosexuality while often ignoring heterosexual sin within the church.
I Peter 4:17 exhorts us to let judgment begin with the house of God. If we were, as a community both owning and dealing with our own brokenness, it is likely that our lives would demonstrate greater grace and humility. What might that housecleaning look like? How might our lives reflect the grace and forgiveness of God with greater authenticity?
Gwynne Johnson
Gwynne Johnson currently serves on the Board of Entrust, Inc., an international education and training mission where she authored the Entrust curriculum, Developing a Discerning Heart. She recently served as Co-Chair of the training project, Christian Women in Partnership, Russia and as Senior Director of Women's Ministry at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Gwynne has a M.A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She currently lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband of 58 years, Don. She works part-time in her daughter and granddaughter's bakery "The Best Box Ever," where she gets paid in cookies.
