Achuckallen

Instigating Better

faith

What Went Wrong with American Christianity?

by

Living Our Faith: How to Practice Christianity in a Secular Society

Living our faith in a secular society can be challenging. With so many distractions and conflicting beliefs, it’s easy to get lost in the noise of the world. But as Professing Followers of Jesus, we are called to live out our convictions every day, no matter what obstacles we may face. In this week’s article, I will explore practical ways that you can practice Christianity in a wildly secular society and stay true to your convictions while also spreading love and light wherever you go.

The Current State of Christianity in America

In America, Christianity is in a state of decline. According to the Pew Research Center, “If recent trends in religious switching continue, Christians could make up less than half of the U.S. population within a few decades.” In a recent Pew study, the share of Americans who identify as Christians has fallen from 78% in 2007, and estimates that in 2020, about 64% of Americans, including children, were Christian. People who are religiously unaffiliated, sometimes called religious “nones,” accounted for 30% of the U.S. population. . This decline is especially evident among young adults. Just over half (51%) of Americans ages 18-29 say they are Christians, down from 64% in 2007.

Plenty of factors contribute to this decline, including the rise of secularism and the increasing acceptance of alternative lifestyles. But whatever the reasons, it’s clear that Christianity is no longer the dominant force in American culture that it once was. I truly believe that the challenge doesn’t place blame on society, but rather on Christians and Christian churches. Yes, society has slowly but surely moved from the days of Christianity as an “accepted faith of America,” but that isn’t solely a result of post-Christian secularism. Much of the blame must be squarely owned by individual Followers of Jesus and the churches that they attend and lead.

This doesn’t mean that we Followers of Jesus are powerless, however. Millions of us still practice our faith every day, living out our values in spite of an increasingly secular universe. God isn’t limited by our society, and we are limiting ourselves from His goodness and power by choosing daily not to take up our cross and walk with Him.

Why is Christianity Struggling?

Maybe Gandhi was ahead of his time when he said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

The Christian message is not always popular, and Christians are often seen as judgmental and old-fashioned. As a result, many people are turned off by Christianity and are reluctant to accept it. I’ve been attending church since I was an infant. I love the church. I lead a church. And I struggle with Christians daily. I’ll bet you do too.

We can quickly condemn others for their lifestyles or choices, creating an unnecessary barrier between them and us. The central message of Jesus is summed up in His own words; “Love One Another.” It is virtually impossible to love someone while condemning them, especially without knowing them. Jesus got criticized unmercifully for loving normal average everyday people that were just as messed up, or more so, than you and me. Why would someone struggling in their own life want to take on the faith system of someone mean, angry, and judgmental? The answer? The don’t.

But there is hope! As Followers of Jesus, we can reach out to those skeptical of our faith and show them that we are gracious, kind, and accepting people. We can also share our own stories of how Jesus has transformed our lives and offer resources that can help others learn more about the Christian faith. But doesn’t that point back to the central theme of Jesus? Love One Another requires that we hear, respond in grace, care for, and lovingly assist folks that might very well hate our guts.

What Can We Do as Christians to Improve our Communities?

Be more active and involved in the community. This means getting to know your neighbors and being a good neighbor yourself. It also means being involved in local organizations and activities. Another way Christians can improve their communities is by being witnesses for Christ. This means living your life in such a way that others can see Jesus and the attitudes of Jesus in you. It also means sharing your faith with others and being an example of what it means to follow Christ. Finally, Christians can improve their communities by serving others. This means giving of your time, talents, and resources to help meet the needs of others. When we serve others, we are showing them the love of Christ. Jesus once said that “if you want to be great, you must serve others.”

I fear that we have made church attendance the measuring stick of our faith in America. And the Bible says that we “should not neglect gathering to worship together.” But filling a room doesn’t always relate to loving one another. It can often set the stage for meaningful and purposeful relationships, but it is just one step in conveying how we should love one another. Let’s face it, one of the primary reasons that people do not attend church is that they’ve already been there. OUCH!

The Power of Prayer and Faith in Difficult Situations

Folks are hurting in every stratosphere in life. When we face difficult situations, it can be hard to know what to do. We may feel like we are all alone and that nobody understands us. This is where prayer and faith come in. Prayer is a way of communicating with God. It is a way of asking for help and guidance. Faith is believing in God even when things are tough. It is believing that He will help us through our difficulties. When we exercise our available option to speak with our Creator, He embraces us and gives us strength and courage. Pray for your neighbors, and especially for folks that don’t know Jesus from apple sauce. One of the single best ways to love one another is to pray for one another. It’s difficult to pray while watching Fox News or CNN non-stop.

Prayer and faith are powerful tools that help us endure tough times. They give us strength and hope. They remind us that we are not alone. When we pray, we are reminded that God is with us always. And when we have faith, we know He will never leave or forsake us. God is bigger than present days and secularization. He is bigger than politics and pundits. Trust Him to do the work of your faith. He can handle it!

How to Share the Message of Jesus with Others

When it comes to sharing the message of Jesus with others, it’s important to be gracious and understanding. Folks in our ever changing, secular society have unique immediately beliefs, and it’s important to remember that not everyone is going to be receptive to the message of Christianity. That being said, there are still ways to share the message of Jesus in ways that are respectful and likely to be well-received.

Here are Three Rules to Help You as You Attempt to Share Your Faith in Our Everyday World.

  1. Always start and stay with grace. Nobody needs us to tell them how bad they are. Let’s face it; we are just as messed up. Be gracious – Sharing Jesus is never an argument! And for goodness’ sake, allow people to disagree with you. It’s okay!
  2. Don’t make politics your faith system. Jesus is more significant than donkeys, elephants, and climate change. So keep Jesus the main thing. Let’s face it. If the world acted and reacted more like Jesus, even from a historical perspective, the world would be far better. While it’s hard to avoid political and social divisions, you can rise above that, can’t you?
  3. Don’t take the other person’s response personally. I know that this one is challenging. Jesus Himself had people not choose Him. What on earth would make you think that folks won’t accept you? Remember your role. You share, and God takes it from there. When you share Jesus, it’s critical to understand that you need thick skin and a soft heart.

Here are Three Ways you Can Share Jesus in a Secular, Post-Christian Society

  1. Invite people to sit with you in church. It may seem simple because it is. Invite people to join you. Invite people if your church regularly shares the message of Jesus in love and with grace. Often it’s not about how hip or slick the service flow is but whether anyone cares enough to invite another person to sit with them. Recent research proves this fact. Far beyond the music style, the pastor’s preaching ability, or location of the building, people know when they are wanted, welcomed, and received in love. You cannot fake that with technology or talent!
  2. Be honest and admit that you need some work on your prayer life. I say that because it is true of every human that I know. Then ask someone, “since I am working on myself, can I pray for you?” But please read this in bold letters. If you say you will pray for someone, you are on the hook before God that you will actually pray for them.
  3. Intentionally build a relationship simply because you like or admire someone. Do so, especially if you think they might have a different faith system than yours. Don’t build a relationship for any other reason than building a relationship. Let God do what God can do, and you love others, period. When the time is right, ask your friend what they believe. I’ve learned that a simple way to have that conversation is to ask what role faith or church played in their growing up. and let them chat. Compare stories and get to see why they may not share your Christian faith. Then have an ongoing dialogue about your and their faith. Here’s a huge rule: When you openly speak of the things of God, Good things happen. Let God do His part, you just love and share. Remember, it’s not on you. You cannot save anyone, you can share. Stay in your lane and let God do His thing. It’s hard to love someone without letting them talk.

One way to share the message of Jesus is by simply living out your faith. People are far more receptive to hearing about Jesus when they see it lived out in front of them. This could mean anything from being kind and compassionate to others, living a life of integrity, or sharing your testimony of how Jesus has changed your life. If you want others to share your faith, you must be conduits of grace and love, rather than megaphones of anger and division.

Making a Positive Change Together

In conclusion, we must work together to change our increasingly secular society positively. We can do this by genuinely living our faith in action, reaction, and attitude and being an example to those around us. We can also support churches that are making a difference in the world. Finally, we can pray for our country and its leaders that they would seek God’s wisdom and guidance.

I urge you to lay down some of your rhetoric, orthodoxy, and preferences and grab hold of your cross daily. Love one another in the way of Jesus, and watch how your world and the world change for the better.

Go in Peace, Chuck

Three Ways to Eliminate Worry

by

AChuckAllen.com July 19, 2022

We all have moments in our life when we are worried, even fretful. But we live at such light speed that worry has become our national pastime.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

Corrie ten Boom

From the resurgence of COVID (which I am experiencing as I write this) to the vast unrest in the world, there’s a lot to worry about right now. The truth is that worrying does nothing to change the outcome. Absolutely nothing! It just keeps you stuck in a feeling of helplessness, hopelessness and stress. But negative thoughts are part of our biology and while you may not be able to stop them from happening, you can learn to stop them in their tracks. Some solutions help you deal with them.

1. STATE THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO

We have heard so much about simply changing our mindset about stress and worry, but I’d like to offer what I believe to be a better alternative. What if we shift the context to deal with the fear, or worry in another way. It’s a new term I learned last month – recontextualization, which is the skill of describing a condition and circumstances in a way that gives you an empowering reality.

Worry often occurs when we are trying something new, and the stakes feel really big. As a result, this worry we feel is founded in the fear of running the show. And the way to get back to positivity and away from negative emotions is through extreme negativity– yikes!

Many, maybe most of us have been taught about the modern positivity movement, including me. I’ve discovered that positivity alone is not sustainable. Instead, we can implement an aspect of realism and deal with things logically and sensibly. The process is super-simple and wildly empowering to your soul.

Matthew Ferry, the author of Quiet Mind, Epic Life, gives a name to the negative voice in your head, your “drunk monkey” mind. “It thinks it’s psychic and can predict the future,” he explains. “Turns out, the drunk monkey only predicts negative futures.”

So, we need to confront this so-called drunk monkey. But how? Well, thanks for asking. Start by writing out the negative future you’re afraid of. Then create a plan of what to do if worst happens. Most folks write out the worried about situation and then make a plan to avoid it. But this only keeps the worry in place. Instead, be completely negative and make a plan for the worst. Don’t give up on me just yet! By doing this, You’ll create a neutral perspective and a sense of peace. If the worst happens, you’ll know what do. This takes the drunk monkey out of consideration and opens your mental state for less worry. BOOM!

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

Proverbs 12:25

2. PRAY OUTLOUD

No, I’m not kidding! I’m a pastor for goodness sake. I have seen prayer work thousands of times. I’ve seen it work physically, mentally and emotionally. I’ve seen storms calmed, people healed, and children return home. I’ve seen marriages restored and relationships recovered. Yes, PRAY!

But here is the key. Pray and pray more. As the Bible teaches, “pray without ceasing.” pray specifically and pray with faith. The Divine promises to hear you, and He will respond in such a way that is for your good and His glory.

But please remember this. The Divine does not keep time as we do. He is not motivated by the same clock that we are. There is a reason that His ways are higher than ours. But you can trust Him in all ways, on all days. Pray, then pray some more.

But you might ask, “why should I pray out loud?” Here are two great reasons to pray out loud.

1. External declarations can change your internal dialogue. When we pray for things out loud, we change our inner dialogue and perspective. Praying things like, “Jesus, I know that You are enough” or “God, I know that You are greater than my grief” will build your faith and help change how you view things. I know this is true in my life.

2. Keeps you focused. Jesus reminds us, “Our spirit might be willing, but our flesh is weak.” If you’re prone to wandering during prayer, like me, praying out loud will help you remain focused. You’re more likely to stay in your zone with God through prayer when your brain listens to what your mouth is saying.

Then, ask others to pray for you. I genuinely feel like the simple act of humility of asking people to pray for you is one step in the right direction, no matter the scenario. PRAY!

3. Practice Gratitude and Generosity

Gratitude is something that we should practice daily, worry or no worry. Gratitude makes us aware of all the good things in our lives that we usually take for granted. I’ve written and said this at least 1,000 times – here’s to 1,001 – When you are grateful for what you have, what you have is more than enough!

Worry can make you feel sad. Things may seem amiss. How can you practice gratitude when you’re upset with everything that’s going on in your life? When you stop focusing on the things that are haywire and start looking at the little things that make your life worth living, you slowly experience a shift in attitude. Your general outlook towards life changes, making you a happier human. This happiness, in turn, helps relieve worry and eventually improves your overall mental health.

If you’re suffering from worry, you’re not alone. Worry and anxiety affect more than 18% of the United States population yearly. When you are fretful, it isn’t easy to find things you are thankful for. But trust me, they’re there.

Study after study has proven that gratitude increases neural modulation in the brain, in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates negative emotions. It also activates dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel good. The result is instant happiness, prompting you to engage in this practice repeatedly. Get grateful – get less worried.

By acknowledging that there are things in your life to be grateful for, you realize that your worries are irrational, and don’t deserve so much of your attention. This will ease worry and allow you to do the things you had been holding yourself back from doing. It seems like it’s worth a shot, right – dealing with worry and becoming a better human at the same time?

I’m convinced that if you write down three things you are grateful for every day, you will chase worry away!

Then activate generosity. Generosity is the natural response to gratitude. It might be time, money, service, or kindness. It might be a better attitude or offering a benefit of the doubt. Generosity can take on many different forms.

It sounds so simple. And it is, really. Generosity is good for our souls. It’s good for our mental, spiritual and physical health. According to an article in Medical News Today, “Humans thrive off social connections and benefit when they act in the service of others’ well-being.” Studying the brain, they discovered a direct correlation to targeted giving that impacts health. The study shows how the brain creates a neural pathway between the septal area and amygdala when support-giving to specific people we know who are in need. The article concluded: “Giving targeted support to an identifiable individual or organization in need is uniquely associated with reduced amygdala activity thereby may lead to health.” In short, when we give time or money to charitable causes, it activates regions of the brain connected to pleasure and trust, which creates that “less-worried” feeling.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

—John Holmes

There will always be less worry in living more like Jesus the Christ. Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full-pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

There, now go work on that worry and turn your life into a grateful, prayerful, servant-hearted leader. That’s the life your Creator made to live.

Go in Peace, Chuck

Happy People Don’t Do These 4 Things

by

AChuckAllen

It seems odd to suggest that in this world, you can accelerate happiness in your life. But you actually can create a sense of peace and genuine happiness within your soul if you so desire. If that’s the case, then why are so many people unhappy?

In a recent article from Discovery Magazine, I read the following; “The richest countries are not happiest, the healthiest countries are not always the happiest. The happiest countries are the ones who do have the highest levels of a whole range of things,” says John Helliwell, an editor of The World Happiness Report and professor emeritus of the Vancouver School of Economics. “They include, especially, a willingness to trust each other to work for each other and to come together in times of difficulty.”

From that and our everyday life experiences, we know this to be true. I’ve heard from countless people that “money can’t buy happiness.” Or my favorite, “stuff can only make you temporarily happy.”

I’ve written plenty of things you can do to increase your happiness, but here are four things that genuinely happy people DON’T DO.

  1. Genuinely Happy People Don’t Compare Themselves to Others. Eckhart Tolle once said, “Stop looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfillment, for validation, security, or love — you have a treasure within that is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.” Staying in comparison mode will rob you of the lovely soul that the Divine created to be you. God made no mistake when you were created. Every molecule that helps make you the incredible, fantastic you are unique, and wonderful has a purpose that only you can deliver into this world. To compare your awesomeness is a discredit to both you and God. You know what you’re worth, right? Happy folks do because they don’t seek validation outside of themselves. Happy people understand that it comes from a sense of self-awareness — in their way.
  2. Genuinely Happy People Aren’t Selfish, They Serve Others. Every study on the planet proves this to be true. Give a bit of your time, your skill, your kindness, and yourself, and watch happiness wash into your soul. A Chinese saying goes: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” Our passion should be the foundation for our serving others. It is not how much we give away but how much love we put into giving it. It should not be simply a matter of choosing the right thing, but also the importance of deciding what is suitable for us. God said that He loves a cheerful giver. Like all of life…it’s a matter of our hearts.
  3. Genuinely Happy People Aren’t Rigid. Every time I meet a happy person, I seem to discover this truth – they are naturally flexible. If I could add one piece of scripture to the New Testament, I’d add another Beatitude to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When we remain flexible, we remain less stressed and less anxious. Hence, we are happier. Staying fixed in our certainty can steal the happiness from our soul. Discover the joy and margin found in your flexibility. My addition? Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
  4. Genuinely Happy People Guard Their Yes and No. Happiness is often connected to having a margin in our calendar and schedule. When we say yes to everyone and everything, we might be fueling an addiction to please people. I’ve discovered that this addiction is as powerful as alcohol, cocaine, or nicotine. Without guarding our yes and no answers, we give away our margin, grow frustrated with others, and punish both ourselves and those we love. If you want to choose happiness, guard your yes, and no’s.

Don’t settle for temporal happiness when you were created for meaningful, purposeful, and eternal happiness. Get grounded in your faith, your family, and your community. Then stop comparing yourself to anybody, give yourself away, get flexible, and guard your yes and no.

Peace, Chuck

A Simple Conversation that Matters

by

AChuckAllen

I realize that I’m a bit odd. I mean, I know that I’m weird. First, I’m a pastor that works hard at attempting to be normal. Second, I am allergic to chit-chat. No, really! I would never say that I like chatting in the sense of getting together for no purpose other than a chat.

However, I greatly appreciate a conversation grounded in purpose. Purpose feels like an accomplishment, reasoning, debating, sharpening, or resolving.

That’s why I know that the following conversation is a double win for you and your friend, child, parent, or spouse. Maybe even all the above!

Build these three questions into your daily routine and watch how your relationships improve with each day that you engage your person (s) of choice.

1. Start with YOUR BEST: What’s the best thing that happened yesterday?

2. Then Tackle the Worst. What’s the worst that’s happened (or is happening) today?

3. Then Add Prayer. What can I specifically pray for you today?

Please be sure to keep it simple. Keep it very real. Keep it truthful. Once you commit to asking, be equally committed to answering. Here’s the essential element in this brief, personal, purposeful conversation – actually pray for them!

If you don’t have anyone to have this conversation with, let your prayer be that you’ll discover them this week. In the meantime, feel free to send me an email and answer these questions. I’ll reply with my answers and pray earnestly for you.

Go In Peace, Chuck

Need help? At Clear Path Counseling, we believe that reaching out for help is hard enough; finding it should be straightforward and simple. Just CLICK HERE and start your free assessment. You can finish your complimentary assessment in less than 10-minutes!

ClearPathCounseling.org

How’s Your MOB?

by

AChuckAllen

I’m not writing about an unruly mob. I’m referring to an acrostic for M-O-B.

  • MARGIN IN YOUR LIFE
  • OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE
  • BOUNDARIES AROUND YOUR LIFE

Oh, how I wish that I had learned the value of margin in my life 30 years ago! One of the most significant elements of a peace-filled, highly successful life is margin. We all need margin. We need margin emotionally, relationally, financially, professionally, physically, and spiritually. Margin allows us to be in sync with our families, realities, bodies, and possibilities. The only person that can build an appropriate margin for you is you. You know what you need. It would be best if you slowed down long enough to determine what adjustments are required to give you a helpful margin in every facet of your life.

We all must take ownership of all things that we can control. Owning what we can control requires two huge issues. Stop convincing yourself that you are a victim and surrendering your heart to your Creator. Ownership includes claiming what you can and should do to order your life. Surrendering is allowing the Spirit of God to give you direction and correction as you live each day to the fullest.

Margin, ownership, and then boundaries. Without boundaries, we don’t own our calendars, finances, or decisions. Without borders, other people own us and our dreams. Without limitations, we surrender our potential to others. Boundaries are critical to both margin and ownership. When we do not define our boundaries, we say yes to everything. Without boundaries, we overcommit, underdeliver, and stay frustrated with our schedules and ourselves. Boundaries protect us relationally and financially. Boundaries keep our feet out of our mouths. Boundaries keep our focus in the right place.

Without MOB, we all have the power to spin out of control, make poor decisions, and destroy relationships. It’s worth a few hours of your life to invest in creating your margin, ownership, and boundaries.

Peace, Chuck

Integrating Faith and Psychology through Prayerful Meditation

by

with Pastor Chuck Allen and Julie Homrich, MS, LPC

I trust that you will enjoy this podcast from Positive Talk Podcast.

Have you ever been stuck and you don’t know what to do next? Take a few minutes to listen in to this week’s podcast to determine your next best steps. Enjoy!

positivetalkpodcast.com
Peaceful – Prayerful Meditation with Julie Homrich, MS, LPC & Pastor Chuck Allen