Good Faith

David Kinnaman

Description

Many Christians today feel overwhelmed as they try to live faithfully in a culture that seems increasingly hostile to their beliefs. Politics, marriage, sexuality, religious freedom--with an ever-growing list of contentious issues, believers find it harder than ever to hold on to their convictions while treating their friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even family members who disagree with respect and compassion. This isn't just a problem that affects individual Christians; if left unaddressed, the growing gap between the faithful and society's tolerance for public faith will have lasting consequences for the church in America.Now the bestselling authors of unChristian turn their data-driven insights toward the thorny question of how Christians talk with people they know and love about the most toxic issues of our day. They help today's disciples understand what they believe and why, and how to keep believing it without being judgmental and defensive. Readers will discover the most significant trends that offer both obstacles and opportunities to God's people, and how not only to challenge culture but to create and renew it for the common good. Perhaps most importantly, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons invite fellow Christians to understand the heart behind opposing views and show them how to be loving, life-giving friends despite profound differences. This will be the go-to book for young adult and older believers who don't want to hide from culture but to engage and restore it.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 23 février 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493401482
• Langue: English

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2016 by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-0148-2
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Authors are represented by Christopher Ferebee, Attorney and Literary Agent, www.christopherferebee.com .
Endorsements
“ Good Faith is a wise and accessible guide to ‘being a Christian in the public square’ today. For nearly a generation there have been voices calling the church to rethink its mission and life in the post-Christian West, but David and Gabe’s volume brings those more general and academic discussions down to earth and up to date.”
— Tim Keller , Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
“When the landscape changes, you look for pioneers to mark a fresh, meaningful, and thoughtful way forward. Kinnaman and Lyons are second to none. Unrelenting in its research, compelling in its humility, powerful in its approach, Good Faith is a landmark and thought-provoking read—that could become literal good faith through us to further a humble and winsome common good. A highly anticipated and needed must-read for every engaged thinker.”
— Ann Voskamp , author of One Thousand Gifts and A Holy Experience
“The signs of the times signal fear and confusion for many orthodox Christians—but not for David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. They are trustworthy guides through the emerging post-Christian order because they neither deny the urgent reality of the bad news nor downplay the radical hope of the Good News. What stands out about Good Faith is its unflinching realism, a quality that challenges the false but emotionally satisfying narratives of happy-clappy optimists and sky-is-falling pessimists. This prophetic book inspired me to rethink my own assumptions about how to live faithfully in our American exile.”
— Rod Dreher , journalist and author of the forthcoming The Benedict Option
“I love this book. It is a timely reminder that Christians don’t have to conform in order to survive. It encourages those of us with deep convictions not to cower but to boldly speak truth with wisdom and love. Radical followers of Jesus can be relevant.”
— Francis Chan , pastor, teacher, and author of You and Me Forever
“David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons have a deep understanding of the challenges facing Christians in a post-Christian world, with solid research to back it up. If you have a desire to truly love your neighbor without compromising your principles, this book is for you.”
— Jim Daly , president, Focus on the Family
“ Good Faith speaks prophetically to the church by diagnosing our condition and prescribing a course of powerful treatment. God’s people must practice Spirit-filled faithfulness in a culture defined by allegiance to self. This book is a trustworthy guide for that practice.”
— Christine Caine , author and founder of A21 Campaign
“Pastors are feeling the heat of our new cultural reality. How should we engage? How can we equip our congregations to respond? Kinnaman and Lyons turn down the temp and offer leaders a box of cultural engagement tools to use and pass on to our churches. Every pastor and leadership team should read Good Faith .”
— Mark Batterson , New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker
“As agents of redemption, our biblical metric of kingdom effectiveness lies not in our rhetoric but in our actions. We are redeemed to redeem the world. Good Faith equips us with the necessary tools to share Christ with grace and love.”
— Rev. Samuel Rodriguez , National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
“ Good Faith will equip you to live in a courageous, intelligent, loving, and faithful way in our changing culture that has grown less friendly to followers of Jesus.”
— Derwin Gray , pastor of Transformation Church and author of The HD Leader
“This book will prove to be most helpful to young Christians who are confused about their values and how to interface with a culturally tumultuous world. It will provide a biblical rationale for many moderately conservative believers to engage in new ways of practicing good faith.”
— Jim Henderson , Jim Henderson Presents
“Deep inside every Christian is a desire to make an impact on the world around them. But too often there is a large divide between such desire and the actual impact. Believers can feel powerless in a culture that is pushing hard against what they stand for. The church has believed lies regarding our involvement in culture, and we have withdrawn into our Christian communities, taking our influence with us. Good Faith is a much-needed book for this hour because it slams into that powerless feeling and calls us not to retreat but to engage. Gabe Lyons and David Kinnaman call Christians to use their faith to make society a better place, and more importantly, they equip us to walk in courage and hope. ”
— Banning Liebscher , founding pastor, Jesus Culture
“Most of us know Christians who are strong on convictions, but you would not want them to represent you as a fellow believer to the broader culture. On the other hand, there are many Christians who are so strong on civility you have no idea what they believe. In Good Faith we have practical tools for living out our faith in a rapidly changing culture.”
— Mark A. Yarhouse , PsyD, Rosemarie S. Hughes Endowed Chair and professor of psychology at Regent University
“This book is an act of leadership that Christians need to follow. Because it gets right to the guts of the botched conversation between churched and unchurched people, Good Faith is a must-read for pastors, students, and everyday Christians who want to have better conversations about faith.”
— Dr. Todd Hunter , founding bishop of Churches for the Sake of Others and founding pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church
“How do we live out our faith in America today in a way that is both true to God’s Word and culturally relevant? In a way that turns people to God rather than away from him? This is a tough question that Willie and I grapple with daily and one that all Christians should be asking themselves. God calls us to be salt and light to this world. He asks us to live in it but not be of it. Boldly and with love, Good Faith lays out how we just might do that. It’s an important book for all believers to read.”
— Korie Robertson , Duck Dynasty
“Jesus’s first followers were on fire with a world-changing mission, and they transformed their culture. Gabe Lyons and David Kinnaman give clarity to the challenges Christians face while inspiring us to recognize the power we have to rekindle a flame that will transform our world.”
—Richard Stearns , president, World Vision US and author of The Hole in Our Gospel
“When the issues of our day threaten to divide the Church, we must lean in with wisdom and truth while loving with abandon and grace. For any generation, living in this tension is no easy task. Gabe and David are leading the way for the Church and help us faithfully navigate the new terrain.”
—Jennie Allen , founder and visionary, IF:Gathering, and author of Restless and Anything
Dedication
We dedicate this book to our children
Emily, Annika, and Zachary Kinnaman
and
Kennedy, Pierce, and Cade Lyons
with the prayer that it serves you well as a small guide to following Jesus in the days ahead
Contents
Cover 1
Title Page 2
Copyright Page 3
Endorsements 4
Dedication 5
Part I: Understanding Our Times 9
Chapter 1 Bad Faith, Good Faith 11
Chapter 2 Irrelevant 25
Chapter 3 Extreme 39
Chapter 4 The Tension We Feel and Why 49
Part II: Living Good Faith 65
Chapter 5 Love, Believe, Live 67
Chapter 6 The Right Questions 79
Chapter 7 Who Will Lead? 93
Chapter 8 Assimilate or Accommodate 107
Chapter 9 After the Revolution 119
Chapter 10 Marriage, Family, and Friendships 129
Chapter 11 Life, Death, and Disability 141
Chapter 12 Race and Prejudice 153
Chapter 13 The Gay Conversation 167
Chapter 14 We Can’t Live without Intimacy 181
Chapter 15 Five Ways to Be Faithful 199
Part III: The Church and Our Future 217
Chapter 16 Firm Center, Soft Edges 219
Chapter 17 Church in a New World 235
Chapter 18 Faithful in Exile 253
Acknowledgments 263
Notes 267
Glossary 277
About the Research 281
About the Authors 283
Back Ads 284
Back Cover 289
Part I Understanding Our Times
1 Bad Faith, Good Faith
Extremist . In our part of the world these days, this word is about as aggressive an insult as you can throw down in polite company, instantly associating the recipient with rifle-brandishing ISIS militants, Paris bombers, or Boko Haram kidnappers.
In some people’s eyes, if you are a devoted Christian today, this label now describes you.
Do you believe Jesus is the only way to heaven? Extremist. Prayed for someone you don’t know? Extremist. Believe marriage is meant to be between one man and one woman? Extremist. Would you give up