Topics
The Big Ideas that will be addressed in the Two Venues.
The people we call Non Christians think of themselves more as Outsiders. Many members of the Kinnaman Cohort (ages 16-29) have this sense that we are “in” and they are “out.”
In the Outsiders Interview we’ll hear directly from them. They’ll tell us how they feel about Christians, Church and Christianity.
You’ll discover insights that will help you relate to young people – Insiders and Outsiders.
In this excerpt taken from a recent Outsiders Interview, Mike (a non Christian Barista working in a coffee shop owned by a Christian) talks about the Christians who impact him and those who don’t.
Faith in a Dress – Kathy Escobar
let’s just be honest: christianity hasn’t had the best reputation when it comes to equality for women. women everywhere are using their voices, their hearts, their hands and feet, to expand the kingdom in wild and creative ways, but they are often overlooked, undervalued, underground, or even ignored. for this next generation, it’s a nonissue, but the current evangelical culture has a long way to go to catch up. as we become part of re-energizing & re-forming the next wave of christianity, we must acknowledge some of the barriers and do what we can to free up women to bring their voice, talents & vision to the table.
Just Watch Across The Room – Randy Siever
Real Evangelists cannot fathom why someone who truly loves Jesus wouldn’t “just walk across the room” on the mere chance that they might help get someone closer to Jesus. Like the naturally gifted pitcher, we evangelists (yes I am one) tell people “Just put your fingers here, like this and then throw, it’s easy!” Just Walk Across The Room.
Reality Check: For the majority of ordinary Christians (we estimate 90%) just thinking about walking across a room makes their stomach knot up. They’re not flakes; they’re immobilized. The amount of courage, memorization and social required makes it too risky, too frightening and frankly… too weird. “Just Watch across the room” – now that’s something you already know how to do. All you need to know is why it counts.
What Do Young Non Christians Want From Us? – David Kinnaman
As Christians we have little or no relevance to a new generation of young non-Christians. The gap between present-day Christianity and their world is deepening. How do we bridge that gap? How do we even think about the gap? What do they really want from us anyway? (Hint: it’s less than you think.) In this practical and challenging talk, learn how young non-Christians see the world, what they experience and want from churches, and what we could be doing right now to move toward deeper influence with a new generation of skeptics. (Hint: it’s easier than you think.)
Unchristian - how you shape and solve Christianity’s image crisis - David Kinnaman
Christianity has an image problem. Millions of young people say that Christianity has forgotten its heartbeat; it’s lost its mission to serve those outside the church. Christians are described as unChristian – as no longer like Jesus intended. Let’s examine the nature of the “image” problem as well as the real underlying issues, how Christians have contributed to the negative perceptions, and how to live as winsome, engaged, and biblical Christ followers in a skeptical culture.
The Fall of The Evangelical Nation – Christine Wicker
There never was an Evangelical Nation and there never will be. That’s the best news Christianity has had in our lifetime. Americans have been led to believe that one out of four voters is a Republican Theocrat. They believe fundamentalist evangelical churches are growing because they are demanding and doctrinally pure. None of that is true. None of it ever was or will be true, which means Christianity can once again become useful for many people instead of only a decreasing portion of the population.
It Was The Best of Times And The Worst of Times – Christine Wicker
Some scholars believe that great changeovers in democratic societies occur about every 40 years. We appear to be in one of those times. Salvation. Sin. Sexuality. Belief. They’re all being scrutinized. Evangelicals are faced with the same questions that Jesus faced again and again. It was a dangerous question then. It’s a dangerous question now. How Evangelicals respond will determine their relevancy to a culture that has lost its appetite for religion but is hungry for something real.
Big Church or Church Big – Rose Swetman
Four years ago our church community began a journey to understand why we exist as a congregation. We decided to create an environment where people could belong before they believe. We didn’t want to give our energy to growing a big church so we reversed our priorities from BIG church to church BIG. We continue to “have church” on Sundays (and play baseball and have picnics) but now we’re morphing from being a conventional church to a mission-focused community that seeks to serve others in our local community and around the world.
UnChristian Christianity - Why We Must Be Born Again – Todd Hunter
It used to be that people primarily listened their way into Christian faith. That made the Christian role talking: defending the faith, explaining the faith, doing apologetics, preaching, writing tracts, etc. While that reality is not entirely gone, these days outsiders are increasingly talking and observing their way into faith. They need to tell their story and see if Christianity is real. This major shift is difficult, because right when seekers are looking instead of listening, the church is at a high mark of un-Christian living. Transformation into Christlikeness has always been the goal of Christianity. Now it is utterly strategic—the future of the faith in the USA, humanly speaking, depends upon it.
A Christianity Beyond Beliefs – Todd Hunter
If you got the memo- Apparently when we get to the Pearly Gates, St Peter is going to open the top of our head, run a scanner over our brain and test whether or not we believe the right things. If so: enter bliss. If not: well…go to H-E-double toothpicks! Given a moment to think about it, no one would actually say it out loud, but I’ll bet you get my point that people could be forgiven for thinking that is actually what Christians believe. A Christianity Beyond Beliefs provides an alternative to this pervasive view and a practical tool for Christian living: Three is Enough Groups.
Somewhere along the line the Jesus Movement got into the religion business. This paradigm is so pervasive it’s rarely questioned even though Jesus never once indicated a desire for his movement to “get religion”. What are the historic ramifications of this reality? Why do we focus so much on right beliefs and so little on right actions? What if Jesus was seen as the founder of a movement that serves others - instead of one that judges others? What if we were able to free Jesus from religion and take him public?
Is This What Jesus Told You Guys To Do? - Jim Henderson and Matt Casper
In 2007 Matt Casper, who “happens to be an Atheist”, accompanied Jim Henderson on a whirlwind tour of some of the best and least known churches in America. After visiting the cream of the crop of churches Casper was confused. He turned to Jim and asked one simple question. Is this what Jesus told you guys to do? Jim leads Off The Map, which provides direct feedback from the people Jesus misses most (seekers, unchurched, lost, agnostics,atheists) to pastors, church leaders and ordinary Christians. Instead of assuming we know what people like Casper think of us and our attempts to connect with them, why not ask? Join Jim and Casper as they read from their book and take your questions. Maybe you can help Jim try and answer Casper’s Question.
