GoodFaith

I recently read Good Faith:  Being a Christian When Society Thinks You're Irrelevant and Extreme by Kinnaman and Lyons (2016).  

In this work the authors examine the difficulties of living as Christians in a nation/world that has become increasingly secular and humanistic.  K&L also discuss some of the most challenging social issues of our time in relation to the Christian faith, such as dealing with racism and current views of sexuality.

My biggest takeaways:

• The Christian faith, lived with fidelity, may be the best hope for a our families, our neighbors, and society, in general.
• Modeling "good faith" means living by the "great commandment" - to love God completely and with all our hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
• How well we love + What we believe + How we live = Good Faith (p. 75)
• Asking the right questions, then listening more than talking, is a great recipe for meaningful engagement.
• We must allow "space" for disagreement.
• Our faith is played out in five arenas:  Theology, Ministry, Relationships, Politics, and the Public Square.

My favorite quote:  “We aren’t responsible for the outcome, but we are responsible to be faithful.” (p. 260)

A good read, which challenged my thinking and practice on several fronts.  Thanks for the recommendation, JK