Does Christianity Still Make Sense?Muestra

Why Are So Many Christians Doubting These Days?

Does Christianity still make sense? Years after I became a Christian, this question haunted me. Even though by then I was the pastor of a large, thriving church and had developed a national reputation as a Christian apologist through my YouTube videos, The One Minute Apologist, it seemed as if my entire belief structure was being systematically dismantled. Had I been duped? For an agonizing season of life, it certainly felt that way.

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you find yourself questioning the sensibility of a faith that once made sense to you. To many, it feels as if the church, like the post-iceberg Titanic, is quickly sinking, and that many so-called followers of Jesus are jumping ship into a cultural lifeboat. Yet the promise Jesus made long ago still stands: “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” This is encouraging news for faithful Christians; but if we’re being honest, it sometimes appears as if the powers of hell are prevailing.

It's worth asking. Why are so many Christians struggling to make sense of Christianity right now?

Among several reasons we could list, many current cultural perspectives make it hard for believers to stand confident in their beliefs. Internally, the church has a serious credibility problem, as some high-profile scandals have damaged our perceived integrity. Combine that with a less-than-favorable reputation for being non-accepting and oppressive, especially to those who fail to conform to a particular moral paradigm, and it can start to feel as if God’s good news doesn’t have much appeal in our culture.

Certain external objections have also been amplified in our pluralistic society through the emergence of social media. For example, it can be difficult for Christians to maintain that Jesus is the only way to salvation when interacting daily with seemingly nice people, from different faith traditions, who don’t believe it. Add to this the claim from some in the scientific community that God is an unnecessary hypothesis, and the age-old problems of evil and suffering, and it’s no wonder some Christians feel overwhelmed by the onslaught of questions about their faith.

Maybe you’re wondering whether there are credible answers to these abundant objections. I believe there are, but that doesn’t mean the cultural critics don’t have some fair criticisms, especially as it pertains to the scandals of recent years. But their objections aren’t enough to sink the church. Sure, we’ve been battered by many self-inflicted wounds, but there’s still a way forward—which we will consider over the next several days in this devotional. Using a biblical compass aimed at true north, we will offer you a way to once again say with confidence, “Christianity still makes sense.”

Thought to Chew On: Doubt isn’t a Christian problem. It’s a human problem.