Approachable Christianity

Overview

Does Christianity confuse you? 2000 years ago, when Jesus walked on earth, He invested three years with a handful of guys, and He confused them all the time! Since then, somehow, Christianity has survived, and sometimes thrived, but it’s also splintered and fractured into so many groups who seem to be at odds with each other. Do we all have the same basic beliefs, or are we as different as the different church architectures we see? What is going on? How can we be so vastly different? Are there any core beliefs where we can agree?

Do Jews and Muslims and Christians all worship the same God? If so, how can there be so much animosity amongst us? Are Catholics Christians? How about Mormans and Jehovah’s Witnesses? Seventh Day Adventists? Christian Scientists? With all this division and confusion, it is any surprise that Christianity is on the decline? Where does Scientology fit in?

One of the most confusing things of Christianity is that there’s not anywhere [obvious] a short list of the basics. There is almost an attitude of “you get to choose what matters.” If we all get to choose our own path, is it any wonder that there are so many different paths?

Maybe, just maybe, there are some good answers to be found. That’s certainly my hope.

If it were simple, would you be more inclined to believe more?

If there is a simple part of Christianity that disagrees with your personal long-held belief, are you willing to adjust your belief?

If it’s hard, are you willing to work for it?

Do you really accept that your eternity is at stake? If heaven and hell exist, then it matters where you end up, and despite popular media views, death is not an automatic ticket to heaven.

What can we do, together, to make Christianity more understandable, more inviting, more approachable?

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