Three Books that Changed Me

I began this journey quite a while back, so a couple of these books are part of a wistful "gee, I wish it were possible" journey at my former church. Church folk (Protestant, Catholic, etc.) have a tendency to talk to one another but not to outsiders (and we don't listen very well either). The authors of these books are attempting to start the listening process by replacing a seat-of-the-pants set of guesses with some genuine statistics. They are products of The Barna Group, a well-respected organization that does statistical surveys. Barna's main focus is the Evangelical Protestant wing of the church, but they are worth listening to.

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters
by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
We church folk see vivid differences between Baptists, Episcopalians and Catholics. Outsiders don't catch the nuances very well. When Billy Graham or Pat Robertson makes a public announcement, modern secular people tend to think they have heard the authoritative word from THE CHURCH. And the picture they get is intolerant, anti-intellectual, gay-bashing, and totally in love with right-wing politics.

The Next Christians: Seven Ways You Can Live the Gospel and Restore the World
by Gabe Lyons
To tell the truth, this book frustrated me because I was in a congregation that opposed change and was very satisfied with a Tea Party approach to the faith. I realized that I couldn't move them at all, so this excellent, transformative book simply made me sad. I need to go back and read it again.

You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith
by David Kinnaman
An incredibly high percentage of USA 15-year-olds have not only heard the Gospel, but have a very positive reaction to it. Something like 80% say their faith is extremely important to them. Something like 80% of USA 20-year-olds have left Christianity and describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." What's going on? (Hint: it has to do with feeding the teenagers on exciting experiences but no solid content.)