~What Turns People Off About Church~ pt.1

I always hear Christians talk about how they want to reach the youth and everyone else,but they don't seem to realize that it wouldn't take much to reach them if they would just stop placing pressure on people.Their intentions are usually good,but they can not approach someone my age (22 years old) and immediately start talking to them about scripture or Jesus in general.Because we (my generation) have grown up with computers and social networking, we have been exposed to soo many ideas,ways of thinking and other religions,all with out having to travel very far.We tend to have a more "know it all" mentality which shields us from the truth.All it takes is for Christians to just talk to them like "normal" as if you were talking to a girlfriend or guy friend.In other words,don't make it complicated.

Another turn off is how they are approached.We have seen so many people who claim to be Christian going out and protesting outside gay weddings-parades,outside abortion clinics and at military funerals.Christians have to understand that they aren't going to win souls for Christ that way instead they are pushing them even further away...

I was originally turned off from the church because it seemed like I would have to change myself into something I wouldn't be happy with,that I would have to follow rules that would limit me from being able to "live life". Of course it didn't help that at one point it seemed that every other week a new preacher-televangelist was coming "out of the closet" or admitting to having an affair with another woman and so on.These are the images that MOST non Christians have,therefore we have to show them that it isn't that way and that of course people make mistakes,but it doesn't mean that we aren't "good" Christians.

Approach non Christians with LOVE and KINDNESS because those are the biggest factors that are missing in my generation.There are WAY to many people out there that don't know what it means to be loved and how to tell if you are looking in the right places.It also takes patience...you can't assume that every non Christian are going to immediately give their life to God just because you shared some scripture with them and/or told them what they are doing is wrong...Instead you just have to make yourself available to them,allow them to ask questions, and most importantly make sure to tell them that Jesus loves them and is long suffering...

-Lauren