WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT FAITH?
We know instances of Christians enduring persecution for their faith are well-established. The
Persecution is not new. For years our confirmands have re-enacted early Christian worship in what they call a “catacombs service.” Fearing for their lives, believers in Roman times had to literally go underground, into dark caves (cata-combs) containing tombs, to worship Christ. Many of our children consider that time of ancient worship to be a highlight of their 9-month class with Pastor Shane.
I recently asked middle school students from a collection of eight local public & private schools if being a Christian is dangerous today. The uniform answer: an astounding, “Yes.” One simple question & the room erupted with comments & stories. This talkative preacher had nothing to say. I just listened.
It’s not just Jesus, though, who creates the danger. Christian students wearing a cross, Jewish boys with their yarmulkes, & Muslim girls donning a head wrap, all endure deriding comments from peers. The message of religious prejudice they glean is that faith is not respected, is not to be expressed in any way, even non-verbally. They’ve seen their friends picked on. Some children have experienced it personally. That’s the situation in their public schools.
In contrast, the students from Roman Catholic, Quaker, & Mennnonite private schools note that their peers have a robust appreciation of & dialogue about all religions. Their experience was uniform in the group which spoke to me. None of those students was Roman Catholic, Quaker, or Mennonite. Despite their denominational difference from the school each attended, everyone felt valued by peers in their educational context.
A few caveats: Middle-school is an intense time of identity development & peer pressure, any day of the week. We know that fact. Second, the students were quick to point out that the problem was with fellow students, not teachers or administrators in our public schools. And, third, while the students did not report any acts of physical intimidation, the emotional message was clear: it is not safe to be a person of faith.
I found all of this to be most intriguing. Free speech & religious freedom – the two big first amendment issues – find safer expression in religious educational institutions, than in public ones where such things are constitutionally safeguarded. Again, the students are not addressing matters of curriculum or school programs, just everyday discourse & daily school life.
It also struck me that on Memorial Day Weekend we mark the courageous efforts of others who fought to secure religious freedoms & all freedoms. Is their brave, sacrificial work in danger of being trounced on our own soil & in our own institutions? I mean, why are religion in general, & the Christian faith, in particular, problems? What impressions do persons have that may be false or misinformed, & how can that prejudiced religious-bullying be countered?
Today, then, I want to use our two scripture lessons as springboards to talk about the blessings of faith & Christianity. I want to share the well-documented benefits of faithful spirituality that receive scant attention, as opposed to the media-ordained spokespersons at the extremes who receive inordinate attention. They falsely represent what Christianity is & who Christians are. Specifically, I cite media darlings who do not speak for most U.S. Christians, leaders like the Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for the Separation (United for Separation?) of Church & State, the Rev. Al Sharpton, & the Rev. Pat Robertson to name a few.
Judging by the press coverage, the majority of American Christians not only lack a voice in our society, but our existence doesn’t even merit acknow-ledgement. By regularly hearing from the extremists, persons learn what’s wrong with religion, so we know why persons possess their stereotypes & prejudices. Today, let’s talk about what’s right with religion, especially Christianity.
The essence of the researcher’s work is that faith is valuable -- extremely valuable -- in terms of personal happiness & a variety of other indicators of well-being & success. The Psalms tell us this, & so does Jesus in his admonition to not worry. Life may not always be good for the believer, but it’s definitely better, & often is the best. What does the research say & exactly how does it support scripture?
Three things make people happy: meaning in life, control over our environment, & success in creating value in the world. The professor notes that the way we achieve these items is not with money, power, or fame, but with values. Persons serious about healthy values in their lives, families, & communities are considerably happier than other folks.
Where do we get these values? Where do values originate? From this enterprise called faith. No surprise to us, faith is an “incredible predictor & cause of happiness,” Christian journalist Marvin Olasky reports in an interview with Prof. Brooks. On average, persons of all faiths are much happier than persons without faith -- the secularists. In fact, persons who attend a house of worship at least weekly are almost twice as likely to be “very happy,” than persons who seldom or never worship. Practicing Christians & Jews are more likely to be satisfied in life, than secularists.
These results hold, even when comparing wealthy & non-wealthy nations. 63% of adults in
Another important piece of data is giving. Christians are great givers to charity. Regular worshipers give 100 times more money, than persons who do not attend church. Have you seen that figure in the papers? When people give to others (all kinds of giving), they become happier, healthier, & even more financially prosperous. Not only does the Lord love a cheerful giver, but cheerful givers love others & their own lives more, too! The giving is not just financial, but includes things like giving blood & volunteering time. “The scientific evidence detailed in the book is quite incredible,” Olasky reports, “showing that people can create miraculous changes in their lives when they give.” And the practice extends to children who learn from parents’ Christian generosity. It perpetuates.
Even when comparing religious conservatives to secular conservatives, (not all liberals are Godless & not all conservatives are devout fundamentalists!) again, persons of faith come out ahead, with religious persons 28% more likely to give. They are not only more likely to give, but also give four times more money per year, & volunteer twice as much. And, they even give 50 times more to non-religious charities. They don’t confine their giving to faith-based enterprises.
Other established facts are often forgotten or remain unknown, too. Practicing Christians are healthier than the average person. When we do get ill or injured, we heal quicker.
Despite the mantra that church properties do not contribute to the tax rolls, our presence helps taxes in ways that often go unnoticed.
- More community groups meeting in churches mean less meetings in schools & municipal gathering rooms, which saves taxpayer money. (I wish someone would run the numbers for
- Healthier, safer persons of faith use the emergency medical system less (ambulances, communications systems, public health facilities).
- When “cleanliness is next to godliness,” as John Wesley famously quoted, better housekeeping means less chance of fire & less burden on the fire service.
- Better behaved Christian citizens have the police at their door less, & are less likely to become a part of the criminal justice system in the courts, prisons, probation & parole departments, & rehabilitation programs.
What a vast savings to public coffers! Why is no one running these metrics!?! *
Our members are more likely to be involved & serve the community as volunteers in sports leagues, home-school organizations, scouting, emergency services, clean-up operations, & all sorts of activities that promote sound & less expensive communities & increase the quality of life.
I don’t believe for a minute that the things I cite this morning should become debating points for middle schoolers to recite to angry, intimidating peers. When they express doubt & discouragement, though, we, the adults in their lives here & at home, can bolster them with some encouraging & practical good news. Their faith, our faith makes a huge positive difference in persons’ lives.
Mr. Obama’s campaign has captured the hearts & imaginations of so many persons because of his emphasis on hope & change. The largely unreported truth is: God truly provides, because Christians & persons of faith are changing our communities, our nation, & our world for the better everyday. The evidence is overwhelming. That’s as hope-filled as it gets.
In the Name…. Copyright 2008 by G.D.Knerr at
* - When municipalities claim that churches are a drag on the tax roles, shouldn’t the burden of proof be on them to substantiate that claim in terms of what savings congregations are providing the tax base?
Information for this sermon comes from the two books cited above, as well as three articles from World magazine: 1) “Money, Time, Blood” by Marvin Olasky, December 9, 2006, pp. 30-31; 2) “Church, Inc.” by Mark Bergin, June 9, 2007, pp. 53-54; & 3) “Building the Skyscraper Down” by Marvin Olasky, May 17/24, 2008, pp. 22-23.