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Articles

One reason we’re not sharing the gospel

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December 10, 2015

Most Christians believe God has called them to tell others of forgiveness and new life in Jesus. Most Christians want others to have the hope and joy they have found in God’s rescue. But research shows Christians aren’t actively, regularly sharing their faith. When Christians were asked if they had shared the gospel in the past six to twelve months, just 39 percent and 52 percent said they had.

If these statistics are true, then many Christians (48 percent to 61 percent) are disengaged from evangelistic efforts, despite feeling the need to do so. You might think it’s a lack of training or the discomfort of personal conversation or the fear of rejection. But LifeWay’s research shows that Christians actually feel comfortable (75 percent) sharing and few have anxiety (eight percent) about faith conversations.

So what gives?

A contemporary empathy crisis

One clue can be found in Sherry Turkle’s research. Turkle—who is a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT and author of Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age—connects our busy lives and overuse of technology with eroding our ability to have conversations that count. This is, as Turkle claims, “a contemporary crisis in empathy” that can be traced back to a decrease in face-to-face exchanges. Our near-constant screen time—phones, tablets, computers, TV— has dire consequences in our ability to relate to and communicate with others:

“In the past 20 years, there is a 40 percent decline in empathic capacity among college students, with most of it taking place in the past 10 years.”

This is significant because empathy is a key motivator for sharing the gospel. Empathy allows us to enter into the life of another person. Only in meaningful, heartfelt conversation do we begin to understand the joys and sorrows another person bears. Screen time steals away the connections that prompt us to share God’s Story. As face-to-face conversations decline, we miss opportunities to enter into others’ lives and see their great need for the gospel. Screen time steals away opportunities to see firsthand the hurt, fear, loneliness and emptiness people face without Jesus. We miss out on hearing stories of loss, betrayal and abuse that have left people confused about God’s love and mercy.

Without face-to-face conversations, we simply lack the empathy and motivation to share the gospel. Without empathy, our wonder of God’s Story grows dim; we forget the beauty of rescue and redemption. We don’t share the Good News.

Entering others’ empathy

If we are to combat this empathy crisis, we must purposefully, intentionally enter into the lives of others. We must renew our own wonder at the gospel, of God’s coming near in Jesus, and how it changes everything. We must seek out meaningful conversation that opens space for people to share what’s really happening in their lives.

At Spread Truth, we address two crises: the crisis of communication that hinders us from effectively sharing the gospel and the crisis of community that limits our interaction with those who need the hope of rescue in Jesus. Our community-building initiatives promote empathy through meaningful conversations and give Christians opportunities to display God’s love and share God’s Story with people in their midst.

Both empathy-driven community and effective gospel witness should be foundational to Christians today. To that end, Spread Truth designs creative and innovative gospel-sharing tools and resources, including our latest release, The Story Short Film:

This film purposefully places the beauty of God’s Story on display. For when Christians are in awe of the gospel, they will be motivated to share it with everyone, everywhere. When Christians cultivate meaningful community where empathy thrives, the love of Christ will be made manifest. In all, God will be magnified.

So how can you turn those Barna Group and LifeWay research numbers around in your own life? Here are a few things to consider.

Push back against the crisis of communicating the gospel by cultivating your awe of God’s Story. Recognize God’s great mercy in Jesus, for you. Increased awe naturally leads to increased sharing. Have gospel-sharing tools at-the-ready—for example, our free mobile app gives you 24/7 access to The Story in film, booklet and conversation tool formats.

Push back against the crisis of community by cultivating deeper friendships with non-Christian friends. Break out of your Christian friendship bubble, and build true, solid friendships with people who think differently from you. Don’t treat them as projects; learn from them, care for them, let them care for you. Sow gospel seeds and honor God as you care for people who may have no other connection to him.

Both of these efforts, sustained over time, will make all the difference in the regularity and effectiveness of your gospel engagement.

Erin Straza

Erin Straza is a contemplative writer, heartfelt speaker, and redeemed dreamer. She is managing editor of Christ and Pop Culture Magazine and co-host of the Persuasion podcast. As a freelance communications consultant, Erin helps organizations tell their stories in authentic and compelling ways. She lives in Illinois with her husband, … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24