Point of Difference

We are called to be the difference, to be a light in a crooked and depraved world. Are we making that impression, that impact? A recent study conducted by The Barna group, interviewed thousands of born-again Christians and found that they failed much attitudinal or behavioral evidence of transformed evidence. In 2007, The Barna Group found that most of the lifestyle activities of born-again Christians were statistically equivalent to those of non-believers. When asked to identify their activities over the last 30 days, born-again believers were just as likely to bet or gamble, to visit a pornographic website, to take something that didn't belong to them, consult a psychic, physically fight or abuse someone, to have consumed enough alcohol to be considered legally drunk.
One study conducted examined American's engagement in some type of sexually inappropriate behavior, including looking at online pornography, viewing sexually explicit magazines or movies, or having an intimate sexual encounter outside of marriage. In all, the study showed that 30% of born-again Christians admitted to at least one of these activities in the past 30 days, compared with 35% of other Americans. In statistical and practical terms, this means that non-born-agains and born-again Christians shared very little difference.
Among young non-believers, 84% say they personally know at least one committed Christian. Only 15% thought the lifestyles of those Christ followers were significantly different from the norm.
The Barna group conducted a survey on Christian adults. When asked to identify the priorities Christians pursue in terms of presonal faith. The answers were: being good, doing the right thing, not sinning. The "lifestyle" priority was more frequently mentioned than discipleship-learning about the Bible and about Christ. Serving others and others was identified as a main concern by just one-fifth of believers. Thoughts of stewardship or nurturing family faith were almost nonexistent as faith priorities.

"You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self-indulgence."
-Matthew 23:25


Our focus as the Church shouldn't be focused on doctrinal beliefs. It should be focused on sharing our own personal relationship with Christ, and making an impact in our communities, and in the world. I'm ashamed to say that much of my life, I have spent trying to do right, not sin, be a good person. I have preached so much about a lifestyle of faith, about what I think is right according to scripture, and not as much time making an impact with my life. I have spent more time preaching than showing love to people (feeding the poor, feeding a friend, being a friend, donating funds for disaster relief, breast cancer/aids research, serving others.) Coming towards the end of 2007, I really felt like it was time to let go of my car. A desire in my heart started to grow stronger, and that was to be a continual blessing in people's lives. I told God I wanted to bless people on a daily basis in big ways; helping them pay for rent, for their mortage, for food, etc. His response was, "you can start by giving your car away." And so this past Christmas I drove up to modesto to spend time with a friend and her three sons. I gave her the keys to my car and she broke into tears. She told me how hard it has been for the past couple of years losing her car and being so limited to do things for her three sons, to take them to places, and getting to work was so difficult on top of running errands for work. I had no idea the impact of giving her my car would make. It helped strengthen her faith that was weakening, and bringing hope to her friends who were struggling through hard times and more. I realized in that moment that you make an impact by blessing others, serving others, giving and sacrificing. Sermons on sin management do not set a person free as much as loving someone to the point you would help them meet their needs and their family's needs. It starts with letting God love us, and being transformed by that, not by sin management, not by looking good or trying to be good. and then sharing God's love in more than words. If we love God, we should feed His sheep. It's not enough to proclaim we are Christians. Our love for God should be seen in our actions. Christians are notoriously known by the world for what we are against, I believe it's time for them to know us by what we should be known for, Loving people with God's love."


"If I have the gift of speaking God's Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."

-Apostle Paul, 1 corinthians 13:2