The world has rendered its verdict: Christianity is arrogant for claiming to be the only way to God. How do we respond, in order to win a hearing for the good news of Jesus? With humility, the kind of humility that is open to recognizing the truth and beauty discovered and demonstrated by other faith systems in our world, and the kind of humility that is respectful of the humanity and beliefs of others and is willing to engage in respectful, winsome dialogue about spiritual matters. It is only that kind of humility that truly reflects the person of Jesus and truly makes him attractive to our world!
1. If necessary, re-watch Chris' story from this Sunday as a group (or collectively recall it).
- How would you have responded to Chris' questions and concerns? Does anyone in your group share Chris' concerns? Why?
- Have you ever talked with someone who felt this way? Describe the conversation.
- Do you think Christians are arrogant for believing that Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life? Why or why not?
- Do you believe that Christians have been arrogant in the way that they insist that that is true? How?
2. It was asserted this Sunday that part of humility is being open to recognizing truth in other religious worldviews. Do you believe that there is truth in other faith perspectives? Why or why not?
- Read Matthew 7:12. Then read the Golden Rule again, as expressed in other religions. (You can find it here: http://southridge.cc/news/post/the-golden-rule-x13). Does it surprise you to find the same teachings in other religions? Why or why not? How does it impact your perspective on faith to discover such commonalities?
- Read Acts 17:26-27. How do you respond to Paul's assertion that God is close to all people, at all times, in all places, working to draw them to himself, even through their religious activities?
- Why do you think that Christians are so often reluctant to acknowledge that some truth is found in other religious viewpoints? Why do we act as though we have 100% of the truth and everyone else has 0%?
- How do you think it would change our conversations with people with other religious worldviews if our starting point was that kind of respect instead of disagreement?
3. It was asserted this Sunday that part of humility is being respectful in the way that we dialogue about faith with people with whom we disagree. Do you believe that people's issue with Christianity is THAT it claims to be the truth or the WAY it claims to be the truth? Why?
- What did you think about the ways to present the Gospel: 1) "You are a sinner destined for hell, if not for the death of Jesus," vs. 2) "You are made in the image of God, but only Jesus will help you experience all you were created to be"? Do you think there would be a difference to the listener? Why?
- Read Acts 17:22-23. Paul started his evangelistic speech in Athens by finding a point of religious connection and then building on it an honest presentation of the Gospel. What does that sound like in our day and age? Where could you start with the seekers in your life?
- Read Colossians 4:5-6. Why do you think that even as staunch an atheist as Penn Jillette is open to this kind of experience, provided the interaction is respectful? Is this how people would describe your interactions about faith? Why or why not?
4. Take some time as a group to pray that Jesus would change our attitudes in a way that changes our world's perception of him.
- Pray for a humility of openness that genuinely believes that God is already at work in those we talk to about Jesus and is willing to inquire about it and listen for it.
- Pray for a humility of respect that refuses to be combative or condescending, but instead respects people's humanity and beliefs, and is respectful in our dialogue.
- Pray for opportunities to talk to people about Jesus.
- Pray specifically for the names that we've been carrying with us since October 30 and for those with whom we will be sharing about Jesus.
As for Mike’s sermon…great stuff about the arrogance of being right, but then finished with we should still proselytize but let’s do it in a nice way. I would rather have heard the message, that we should simply be nonjudgmental unconditional love…live that way and people will ask you why you are so happy being you and the simple answer would be my belief and my faith and let them ask the rest of the questions…I always say, less is more.
A person who is truly one with his or her faith does not tell you about that faith. A person who is truly rich, does not tell you how much money they have or what they paid for what. And a person who is truly one with themselves does not have the “I” disease…”I” did this…”I” am that.
Finally I think it was Mike who used the word tolerate…instead as we talked…Accept…unconditionally and with love. The rest will follow.
Remember, we are all on the same lake, just in different boats and as long as one boat is not trying to sink the other, then we need to stop trying to get people in our boat. I know what some may be saying…what if we believe their boat is sinking would we not want to help? I think we need to come at it from another place, they need to believe that the boat is sinking and they need to ask for help, we again become arrogant when we are the ones to tell them that our boat is better than theirs.