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One reason doctrine is a dirty word to Millennials

Last week, during class discussions, two bright young male students helped me understand why many millennials are down on doctrine. The first student, a recent grad from a secular university, told our class about the pushback he experienced every time he attempted to communicate Christian doctrine to nonbelieving peers. These nonChristians see our faith as heady knowledge that reeks of arrogance and insincerity. They are more moved by experience and a faith that makes the world a better place. To them Christianity misses the mark because, in their eyes, it's more about head knowledge than loving people. His words have been swirling around in my mind since. Is there truth in their accusations, and if so, how do we reach people with these misconceptions about Christianity?

Last week, during class discussions, two bright young male students helped me understand why many millennials are down on doctrine. The first student, a recent grad from a secular university, told our class about the pushback he experienced every time he attempted to communicate Christian doctrine to nonbelieving peers. These nonChristians see our faith as heady knowledge that reeks of arrogance and insincerity. They are more moved by experience and a faith that makes the world a better place. To them Christianity misses the mark because, in their eyes, it's more about head knowledge than loving people. His words have been swirling around in my mind since. Is there truth in their accusations, and if so, how do we reach people with these misconceptions about Christianity?

      Then, on Saturday, in my weekend course, the second male student told our class that his nonChristian friends see churches as cold institutions, run by men who make church more like a school than a home. We were discussing the advantages of men and women partnering together in ministry, and his comments were an "Aha moment" for me, and I'll bet for some of the students in the course.
     I agree that too many ministries are like single-parent families. Healthy faith families, just like biological families, need both men's and women's ideas, gifts, and perspectives in order to thrive. Single parents will testify that it's tough being both mom and dad. Children need a mother's tender touch and a father's guidance and protection. But, again, many ministries today are like single parent families. The male presence is strong but the mother's touch is missing. And sadly, in some places, the female influence is so dominant that the father's guidance is absent, and that lack skews ministry decisions and effectiveness. Neither is healthy.
     But I wonder if the charge that church is a cold, doctrine-focused institution can be leveled more in ministries that allow only male voices and perspectives. In my experience, women tend to bring a caring and warmth that is often missing when their voices are silenced. They brighten up a home with beauty, color, and relational tenderness. They add these qualities to ministries where their ideas are sought and considered. Would ministries create an ethos that seemed as much like a home as a school if women were given more opportunities to participate and speak up? I expect they would.
      Certainly sound doctrine is vital to every truly Christian ministry, but so is love. Jesus referred to His Church as a family (Matthew 12:46-50) and Paul instructed Timothy to create a family ethos where ever he ministered. Do not address an older man harshly, but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters–with complete purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 NET Bible)
      These two thoughtful young men are wrestling with how to reach their generation–a group who are marking Christianity off their list, assuming that it cannot answer their search for a warm home-like community with answers to their big questions. Many of my young students are concerned about the lack of spiritual interest their peers exhibit toward the Christian faith, and they should be. It's no secret that we are losing young folk in record numbers. I wonder if we might reach more of them if men and women partnered together more in healthy ways, within biblical parameters, to make ministry more like both a home and a school, maybe "home-schooling"? Jesus' tender touch reached many who were looking for both love and truth. Either gender without the other is not a true representation of His Body on earth. Maybe we should consider how to emulate Him by creating ministries that look as much like homes as they do like schools, with as much emphasis on love as doctrine. Maybe then doctrine wouldn't be such a dirty word to Millennials.   
      
      

Dr. Edwards is Assistant Professor of Christian Education (Specialization: Women's Studies) at Dallas Theological Seminary and holds degrees from Trinity University, DTS, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is the author of New Doors in Ministry to Women, A Fresh Model for Transforming Your Church, Campus, or Mission Field and Women's Retreats, A Creative Planning Guide. She has 30 years experience in Bible teaching, directing women's ministry, retreat and conference speaking, training teams and teachers, and writing curriculum. Married to David for 34 years, she especially enjoys extended family gatherings and romping with her four grandchildren.

2 Comments

  • Hui

    This is an interesting topic

    I became a believer at the end of 2004. The first 2 years in the church was sweet. I guess it had something to do with the fact that I am “new”, “young”, and “green” and people (especially church officials) took an easy view on my points and behaviors. Then my feeling took a plunge when the legalistic views and requirements took hold of me. I limbed on for the next 6 years until I discovered “faith is all about living my life in a different way”, through my study and experience in DTS. That was tremendously liberating. As a matter of fact, I backed away from all my formal church ministries and decided to serve Christ at home and at my job with renewed focus and energy, and still in church but with a more casual approach.

     

    I think the issue is double-sided. Church ministries have their share of problems. The people (believer or non-believer) feeling miserable or angry also have their share of problem.

     

    For various reasons, Christians are very scared of exercising their freedoms to choose ministries, like the ones advocated in Galatians. That is why they get into deeper and deeper troubles in ministries they feel they do not fit and still refuse to quit. They do it because of peer pressure or a sense of guilt from wrong teachings. You can imagine how much love will flow out of them, if at all. They are victims of the situation and in turn they victimize others around them. On the other hand, ministry leaders are very afraid of losing people or losing “face”. They will try whatever “biblical truths” to hold people together. What a colossal collision of sins! It is ironic. It becomes more like “In sin, we serve Christ.” Added to this mess is the always ongoing superficial talks in those ministries.

     

    I think churches have to get the following things straight:

     

    1. Church is a volunteer organization. No matter how important churches are, churches are never more important than people's families and jobs.

    2. Church ministries are volunteer activities, except for professional ministers. Volunteer means people can choose and come-n-go when they feel the need. The decisions are strictly personal and no negative comments should be allowed on those decisions. There must be a balance. But negativity and guilt are purely evil.

    3. The focus of Christian faith is life, the daily ordinary life people are living. It is never about any specific work. If people are justified to sacrifice jobs for their family lives, the same should be constantly reminded in church ministries. We have to remove the artificial centerness of church ministries in Christian living.

    4. Too many under-qualified teachers are selling their own versions of Christianity in the churches. We really should take quality very seriously, instead of quantity.

    5. God's sovereignty should be reminded to the ministry leaders every day. This point has been weakened to a degree of near extinction.

    6. When grace flows, people are saved. Coercion should be discouraged.

     

    In my own recent casual ministries, I saw people were more delighted when they studied Bible with me. People were much more open to ask silly or heretic questions, sometimes even personal questions. Some of them actually told me that they felt attracted to the Bible studies I am currently organizing. I told them to enjoy their own time if any time they do not want to come. I kept on reminding them “never feel guilty”. In this way, I have near zero burden and they have no burden at all. And interestingly, they feel much more inclined to join me to study Bible whenever they have time. Oops, so much for letting people go! Now I am really encouraged to see my casual ministry become a serious blessing to their lives. God is good. He is always right. 

     

    Without knowingly, I wrote so much. I guess church topic is always complicated. Thank you, Sue, for bringing up this topic.

  • Sue Edwards

    Thanks Hui

    I can see that you think deeply about God and His Church, and have come to some important realizations. Grace woos just as Jesus did. Guilt repels and often causes people to sin more. This doesn't mean that we tolerate sin, but we confront it because of tender love for others, and we do so as a fellow struggler. As you continue to help people go deep into God's Word, I know He will bless others through you.