A Tourist in Your Own Hometown

When we described, with excitement, the benefits of following the Christian faith, we often focus on one or more of the following:

  • We serve/have a risen Savior! 
  • Our God is alive! 
  • We are saved from hell! 
  • We will benefit, in the end, by "earning" heaven!
We focus on these things, because they have been the focus.

This is, to me, like when a tourist comes to visit my local area. If the tourist was to ask, "what should I see here?" we might tell them about the local things we like or the local things that we know are intended for tourists.

We seldom seek to find out what the tourist values, wants, needs, or desires.

Sure, we have internationally famous chocolate and bologna. But, if the tourist is allergic to chocolate or is a vegan, why are we trying to sell it to them?

People who are not immersed in the Christian traditions that many of us were dragged though might not:
  • Have any fear of death.
  • Care about an after-life.
  • See a "sinful nature" as anything more than biology.
I would challenge everyone to spend some time OUT of the rituals and trappings of religious life for a time to experience life from ANY other perspective.  Find out what your faith means to you without the dogma.

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