Comments on: “Thank You, and I Am Not A Christian.”

By: K.W. Leslie

K.W. Leslie — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:00:39 +0000

Loved the essay.

My biggest problem in trying to reach the non-Christians at the Christian school where I taught was the Christian kids. They were convinced that they could nag their classmates into the Kingdom. I had to keep telling them to lay off.

One of the better students I had in my bible classes was a non-Christian. At least, that’s what she called herself. I interviewed her halfway through the semester and discovered that, after sitting through enough of my classes, she had come to actually believe in Jesus and had accepted Him as Lord. But she refused accept the title Christian. Why? Because her classmates were “Christians,” and they were all jerks.

This isn’t the only time Christians behaving badly have got in the way of my trying to proclaim the Gospel. Sad to say, few of my fellow teachers were any help. I’m glad your fellow teachers are on board.

By: Indi

Indi — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:12:22 +0000

When you started off with the comment about removing references to where you work, I thought it was going to be an essay about something unsettling happening. I was really encouraged by reading it, however. I went to a christian high school and this was not my experience AT ALL. It’s taken years to work on the bitterness left over from that experience – none of this attitude that you are describing was prevelant where I attended school. It makes me happier than I could possibly say to hear this sort of description of Christ-like love in an educational institution. There was a time when I would have dismissed it as impossible. Thanks for sharing.

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:13:30 +0000

I want to keep my job

Not everyone finds my writing about our school positive. Even among those who work with our students, there is some ambiguity about saying this is what we do and who we do it for.

I got a phone call, and removal of all references to the school seemed the appropriate thing to do to see that even wasn’t repeated.

By: Sherri Bergman

Sherri Bergman — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:03:47 +0000

Michael,

I’m curious. Why did you remove all reference to the school where you work?

By: littleho

littleho — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:14:45 +0000

Thank you for sharing your doing of student ministry. God does not force people to believe in Him. And let us share our faith humbly.

By: Jeremiah

Jeremiah — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:26:16 +0000

understood*

By: Jeremiah

Jeremiah — Mon, 21 May 2007 19:47:02 +0000

I think altering the mindset of non-Christians, especially those from Islamic backgrounds, is in and of itself a boon to the Church. Too often missionaries must first deconstruct false notions of Christianity before the Gospel can be understand. If you have eliminated such a need for deconstruction in even one individual, then your efforts are profitable indeed.

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 21 May 2007 18:18:05 +0000

I am a pretty new reader and have been really encouraged/challenged by your blog, but I’ve never commented.

I came across an interesting article on this topic and thought I would share it:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070510/ts_csm/cbelief_1

By: Markk

Markk — Mon, 21 May 2007 14:17:38 +0000

Too often Christian schools tend to have lowest-common-denominator Christianity among the students, where it exists at all; and the introduction of non-Christian students only exacerbates this, to the point where being a Christian or being seen as one is associated with the school authorities and consciously avoided.

How refreshing to read of a Christian school that positively represents Christ to non-Christian students.

By: Loys

Loys — Mon, 21 May 2007 06:11:55 +0000

Michael: I have been reading your site for almost a year now and haven enjoyed your transpartent approach to life, especially Christian life, which is the only life worth living. My husband and I are missionaries to a Mu*lim group and we have the priviledge of making friends among the university students. What you wrote today is so true because we do truly love these young people but also so aware they may never believe. One of our misssionary friends said it’s ploughing concrete. So thank you for ploughing breaking down many barriers.