I’m working though a chapter in my book called Good Questions. It’s born out of spending years with young people, as well parents within the church walls and finding a consistent fear that is deep within us of asking questions when it comes to matters of faith, spirituality and following Jesus. It’s almost as if there is an unsaid agreement in our Christian culture that everything is already figured out or nailed down, so we just need to get down to applying it. It pervades our Christian discipleship programs, teaching series and best sellers that we should listen to our teachers, acknowledge our need to change and then download the given information. I’m not sure this is a good exercise, I’m not sure this leads to genuine transformation. It seems potentially we’ve been asking young people to take their genuine questions and sweep them under the carpet until there is a mound in the living room of their life, that ends up creating a disillusionment they don’t know how to get around. The predicament we are in is one of ownership; ownership of the bond, the interaction, the bumpiness, the mystery, humility and joy in having a relationship with a Glorious God we cannot physically see and touch. This is why I am drawn to the writings of C.S Lewis and more recently David Dark. Both of these authors blast through clichés in order to lay hold of a deeper more saturated trust in Christ. Trust me; young people have questions they just don’t know if they are allowed to ask them. What do you think?
"Good Questions" is a chapter in my forthcoming book "Do or Die: Surviving the Faith."
more saturated trust in Christ, I want some of that! what a great statement. Thanks for the lift this morning I needed it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Susan; it's not just young people who have questions they aren't allowed to ask.
ReplyDeleteWhat's so interesting is that I've found it's often IN the genuine questions that my faith is strained, unsettled, and then strengthened, not the reverse.
I don't think it's always the case; sometimes my questions are arrogant and rebellious, and I'm not seeking an answer as much as an excuse. However, I think it's alot more likely that young people (and all of us) will struggle through the questions and come out knowing, loving, and trusting God more if we're surrounded by believers who encourage us to wrestle with our questions instead of ones who encourage us to release them and call it faith.