One of the questions that I struggle with on a regular basis
has to do with sharing the Good News in a way that stays true to the gospel but
is also relevant within both the cultural context of my ministry field.
As I read Sam Williamson’s book, Is Sunday School Destroying our Kids? How Moralism Suffocates Grace
(Ann Arbor, MI: Beliefs of the Heart Press, 2013) I kept recognizing myself, and
some other pastors that I have known over the years. Sometimes, but not always, that’s a good
thing. Let’s just say that I wish I hadn’t
been so easily recognizable in this book, because most of those instances fell
into the “not always” category.
Williamson points out what I see as an all too frequent
problem: we dummy down the Bible in an attempt to make it more attractive. We
gloss over the unsavory parts, and focus on the parts that we think will make
us better people. Hello! The main reason Jesus died on the cross, is because human
beings aren't capable of making themselves good enough. Yet, as the author
points out, we tell the stories of bible heroes and then ask our kids to live
up to some impossibly high standard based on those stories. Be as faithful as Abraham;
be as good as Joseph, have a pure heart like David did, be obedient like Esther.
(And if you do all that, and still aren’t good, then Jesus saves.) I think, along with the author, that that’s putting
things backward.
Chapter 11 (We Read the Bible the Wrong Way) sums it all up
for me: “The Bible is not about us!” Williamson
writes about how people tend to read the bible, as doctrine, as rules for
behavior and for inspiration. Sometimes we just miss the point. Scripture has
doctrine and guidelines and can be very inspirational, but “it’s not about us; [it’s]
God's revelation about himself.” Try reading
it through those lenses.
As I read the first couple of chapters I was intrigued, I like
the way Williamson showed what he was talking about in the chapter on Esther, and
was looking forward to seeing how he applied his thesis to Joseph, Abraham, and
David. Then the whole tenor changed. He still writes about sharing the message that
is the Gospel, but suddenly it didn't seem like we were talking Sunday school
anymore.
That piece of the puzzle is solved in the afterword, “Despite
its title, this book is not about Sunday school or its teachers. It’s about our
daily need to remember grace.” If you’re
thinking about leaving your church, please read this book before you make your
decision. Read the book, apply it, and consider giving your copy to a member of
your churches leadership team. Who knows what kind of miracles God has in store
for you?
I requested this book from the author because I was intrigued
by the title. Based on what I expected from that title, I was disappointed,
based on the book itself, I was delighted. This is a short book, easy to read and
full of wisdom.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review.
