As followers of Jesus, Christians today live in a westernized society that can be described as being more post-Christian, as people are embracing different social constructs to describe issues such as marriage, sex, politics, and morality. The main challenge is that many of the people in society are embracing and promoting values that go against Christianity. Christians are fast losing their influence on society considering that the number of those opposed to Christian ideals is on a significant increase. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, in their book “ Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme ," explore some of the key issues that Christians are facing in society today in a society that does not embrace such ideals. Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) reflect on the importance of having to tackle some of the issues, in the world, with Christ-like love arguing that this would help establish a clear front through which people connect to Christian values and thoughts towards the world.
Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) engage in research to help build on sobering data that would show that the world is fast-changing and Christians need to change with as a way of ensuring their influence does not fade with such changes. The idea of God or morals does not seem to matter for many of the Gen Xers and Millennials, who do not embrace the church as part of their ideals and values (Skinner, 2018). David and Gabe take note of the fact that everything that does not fall the moral relativism of Gen Xers and Millennials is ‘bigoted,’ which serves as a clear indication of the fact that indeed the world has changed significantly. Data from the research conducted shows that the world we live in today is not the “grandparents’ church-loving' world” as was described in some of the early centuries.
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The book focuses on the idea of loving one another as the main thrust to help highlight failures by Christians in most parts of the world today. Many of the Christians today fail to embrace love in a manner that is expected of them, which becomes a key issue of concern when intending to change the world for the better (Kinnaman & Lyons, 2016). To love in the same way as Jesus loved cannot be overstated with the view being that this is a type of love that seeks to change the way people view others in the world (Kelly, 2017). David and Gabe spell out a formula that Christians can use as part of their self-evaluation, especially when intending to determine how good of a Christian one is. The formula is: How well we love + What we believe + How we live = Good Faith . The formula creates a clear front through which people learn the value of love as a key element of faith.
An overview of the book also shows the fact that the authors tread too close to issues surrounding liberal theology, especially on some of the notable social issues today of racism and homosexuality. Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) provide Christians with the encouragement of having to bake cakes that they would offer to gay couples as a way of showing them that God loves them and trying to make friends. The Bible indicates that Jesus wants every individual to show love with all of one's heart (even when dealing with gays and lesbians). However, the Bible does not advocate for one to advocate for sin as a way of trying to show love. By encouraging Christians to bake cakes for gay couples, David and Gabe suggest that Christians should, in a way, advocating for homosexuality, which goes against Christian values and beliefs.
It is understood that the issues of racism and homosexuality are some of the pressing issues in society today and Christians have an important role to curve a positive path that would help deal with the issues civilly and effectively. Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) explore the issue of racism without having to point to Caucasians as being racists, which is an attitude that has been projected in the society although many of them are not. Based on the way the issue is explored, indeed Christians have a key role in shaping the values, ideals, and attitudes that the society embraces. The expectation is that this would help create a new front for the world to shift its attention towards the impacts that these issues are having on society. David and Gabe highlight the need for Christians to help change the “accuse first, open up conversations with us later," which remains a key part of the fast-changing world.
Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) also highlight the need for Christians to avoid conformity to the world’s standards (or lack thereof) on matters of God’s plan for sexual intimacy through marriage. The analysis of the issue reflects on the fact that many of the Christians today are shifting their standards from Christianity to the world. The implication that this has on many Christians is that it impacts their faith and belief in God. Kelly (2017) establishes a clear argument on the implications that conformity is likely to have on Christianity arguing that it results in a situation where many of the Christians disown values and beliefs that guide their path in faith. Avoiding conformity means that Christians will live by what the Bible talks about on how one should work towards engaging in sexual intimacy and reflecting on how they should build up their household on the foundation of God's faithfulness.
To help in ensuring that they build on their effectiveness, David and Gabe divide the book into three notable sections, which are Understanding Our Times, Living Good Faith, and The Church and Our Future. Each of the sections has been written in a manner that reflects on the general perception that Christians ought to have as part of the lives that they lead in the world. Kinnaman and Lyons (2016) remind readers of the fact that “the vast majority of Americans are informed by faith in some way and Christianity is far and away from the dominant player on the U.S. religious scene" (p.221). The need to consider this is because it ensures that Christians remain hopeful of the fact that Christianity is likely to build on its influence in American society. David and Gabe understand the importance of faith as an aspect that people may connect with as part of their definition of an influence that the world expects from Christianity.
The book “ Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme ” is an interesting book that focuses on addressing an important subject that is relevant in the lives of Christians. The objective of the book was to provide adequate information regarding the biblical doctrines of being a Christian. Although David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons addressed the subject of the book effectively, through urging Christians not to conform to the world's standards, it would be more interesting to have someone else do the presentation of the subject. The ideologies perceived by the authors had a proper representation of important aspects that may help to enhance good faith in a Christian's life. However, they did not capitalize on the effective presentation of the ideas thus making it difficult for the readers to make an effective connection. The ability to engage readers and connect them with the subject helps to enhance the flow of ideas.
References
Kelly, H. A. (2017). Love of Neighbor as Great Commandment in the Time of Jesus: Grasping at Straws in the Hebrew Scriptures. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society , 60 (2), 265-281.
Kinnaman, D., & Lyons, G. (2016). Good faith: being a Christian when society thinks you're irrelevant and extreme . Baker Books.
Skinner, J. D. (2018). Deep and Wide: Reclaiming the Christian Identity of Generation X and Millennials . Trevecca Nazarene University.
