Reality Check
What a new generation really thinks
about Christianity
… and why it matters
Kevin Bowman, kevinb@cordovachurch.com
Dave Davis, daved@cordovachurch.com
PowerPoint download, www.cordovachurch.com/reality
Last week - hypocrisy
16-29 year olds
Unfavorable Image
Outsiders
Churchgoers
Hypocritical
85%
47%
• Current perception: Christians say one thing but live
something entirely different.
• Goal perception: Christians are transparent about their flaws
and act first, talk second.
• Recapping last week
– Hypocrisy may be seen as a means to an end
– Christian lives don’t match Christian beliefs
– We set ourselves up for failure by prioritizing “being good”
You can’t handle Jesus
• If lifestyle is the primary way we measure our
faithfulness, it’s easy to make the prideful
assumption than an inability to live virtuously is
what’s keeping people from Christ
• This attitude seems particularly arrogant given
last week’s data on how well Christian living
matches Christian beliefs
– John 8:2-11
• Nobody is capable of living “right enough” to not
rely on Christ
The Good-O-Meter
This is hard; let’s change the rules
• For a new generation of Christians, it may
seem easier to compromise morality than to
appear a hypocrite.
• Re-shaping the rules is a quick solution in an
increasingly morally relativistic society.
% morally acceptable
Unfavorable Image
Age 42+
Age 23-41
Gambling
38%
58%
Sexual thoughts or fantasies
35%
57%
Sex outside marriage
23%
44%
Having a homosexual relationship
13%
28%
Radical transparency
• Christian transparency can disarm an “image is
everything” generation
– Young people value authenticity: Don’t pretend to be
something you’re not; be open about your faults
• Being transparent about our own brokenness
reinforces our reliance on Christ
– Transparency simply means admitting what the bible says
about us: Romans 3:23-24
• Be transparent, but with boundaries & considerations
– Use details with caution; resist self-centered motivation;
focus on restoration; accept unconditionally
Hypocrisy – call to action
• Goal perception: Christians are transparent about
their flaws and act first, talk second.
1. Re-assess your priorities; don’t measure faith by
avoidance of sin
– Mark 12:29-31
2. Strive for real-time transparency about our
flaws, challenges & motivations
– Romans 7:21-25
3. Live your beliefs; Jesus is your role model
– Ephesians 4:22-24
Get saved!
Get saved!
Christians are too concerned with converting people.
They are insincere. All I ever hear is “Get saved!” I tried
that whole “Jesus thing” already. It didn’t work for me
before, and I’m not interested now.
Shawn, age 22
• Current perception
– Christians are insincere & concerned only with
converting others
• Goal perception
– Christians cultivate relationships & environments
where others can be deeply transformed by God
Always Be Closing
• Christians are seen as pushy salespeople, and
even our genuine interest in peoples’
wellbeing is seen as “fake”
– Just 1/3 of outsiders think Christians really care
about them; while 2/3 of Christians feel their
efforts would be perceived as caring
• Outsiders are skeptical & savvy; our interest in
them has to go farther than getting them to a
bible study
Next week
• Finishing up “Get saved!”
• Introduce anti-homosexual
• Feedback & resources
– Kevin Bowman, kevinb@cordovachurch.com
– Dave Davis, daved@cordovachurch.com
– PowerPoint download, www.cordovachurch.com/reality