Reaching Out: Before We Speak, Let's Listen.

I found this on a blog I read regularly.  The guy's name is James Emery White.  In lots of ways he's kind of typical of the megachurch movement.  I don't agree with him on a lot of what he writes in his blogs. When it comes to baptism and Holy Communion, for instance, we are miles apart.  And those are not our only theological differences.  So, no, I am not theologically endorsing him and for a bunch of Scriptural reasons I would not be at home in his church.

That said, this is pretty good stuff.  It speaks well about the challenges we face in sharing God's Word with people who don't really know God - but are open to it.  It reminds us that before we talk it's good to listen.  And here's what lots of millennials are thinking about the Bible and Jesus and the Christian faith.  I know because I've heard them say it...   
"1.   I do not consider myself (nor do I feel like I am) a 'pagan.' I mean, really? A pagan? Not sure I like 'unchurched' or 'irreligious' either, though they’re a step up. Ideally, how about John, or Mark or Sandra? In other words, my name.
 
2.   I honestly don't mind it when you invite me to your church or talk to me about God. Just keep it… I don't know… natural. Like when we talk about sports or movies. I hate feeling like a project. Let's keep it a conversation between friends and as friends. I could see doing that.
 
3.   Please don't be threatened by my questions. They really are my questions, and I've had them for a long time. I hope that if Christianity is true, it can stand up under any amount of intellectual scrutiny. Anyway, I would feel a lot better if you were less threatened when I raise questions. I'm not trying to be a jerk by questioning you; I'm just trying to sort it all out. And that means asking you about all kinds of things. I know sometimes it seems combative or aggressive, but God's questions aren't exactly tame – much less safe. And for me, the answers are everything.
 
4.   Don't forget that a lot of my junk is emotional, not just intellectual. And it took a lot for me to say that. I almost don't know how to get into this, but I've been burned, disillusioned, hurt. You may win some of our verbal contests, but it doesn't usually move me forward. It still leaves me feeling cold, mostly because some of the time the intellectual stuff is just a smokescreen for what I'm really battling. Here's the last 5 percent: It's not just whether I can buy into this intellectually, but whether I can buy into it relationally. In other words, are you really safe?
 
5.   I would like to belong before I believe. What I mean is that I'd like to experience this a bit before signing on. Is that legal? I hope so. I think that if I could test the waters a bit it would be helpful.
 
6.   There's a lot I don't know, and I know it – like not knowing much about the Bible or Jesus or whatever. Don't make me feel stupid about it. If you could start at the beginning and explain it all to me, that would be great. Like starting with Genesis and moving forward.
 
7.   Can we agree that there's a lot of weird stuff attached to Christianity and the Bible? Okay, it may be true, or real, or whatever, but can we just agree that some of it is a bit… bizarre? For some strange reason, it would make me feel better to hear you acknowledge how it all looks and sounds to someone from the outside.
 
8.  I'm really open to it all. More than I let on. In fact, I want to feel good about myself spiritually. But I don't think I could ever measure up. When I really think about God, all I feel is guilt and shame, so I stay away. It would be nice if there were something in all of this that would make me feel like I could – I don't know – come home?"