Why do some people come to faith and not others?

In our mid-size missional customs, from time to time we reflect on some tough questions that others have asked us or that niggle at us ourselves. Last calendar week one of the members asked the question:

Why exercise some people find 'religion' (believing in God) easier than others?

There are several different dimensions to this question. The theological: is information technology reasonable that some notice religion easy, whilst others struggle? Philosophical: is information technology the case that nosotros actually have gratis will when factors of situation and personality appear to be and so significant? Apologetic: can we believe in a God of justice when contingent decisions might have eternal consequences? Ecclesial: are Christians distinct from others in terms of personality? Missional: what factors actually bring people to faith? But of course the one at the forefront of most people'south minds is the pastoral: why does my spouse/friend/family members discover the idea of faith so hard or unappealing? And is there anything I tin can do near it?

A quick bit of online research on differences betwixt those who believe and those who don't yielded nothing much more than atheist websites, who came to the conclusion (not surprisingly) that Christians were more than gullible and less rational, though they did also advise that those finding faith were more than sociable. This last point is interesting—though information technology is difficult to say whether this is crusade or result. Churches remain almost unique in modern society in offering an all-age, multi-cultural social infinite where at that place is serious see between people from different strata of social club. If there is some inquiry out in that location near why some detect faith easier and others harder, permit me know in the comments.

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To reflect on this consequence in the group, we did 3 things. The first was to reverberate on our own stories of finding organized religion, and on the factors involved, in two stages:

Think for a moment about the process by which you came to faith. What were the factors you were aware of at the time? As you look back, what other factors tin y'all see?

At present compare your story with someone else. How much is at that place in mutual, and how much divergence?

Doing the exercise for myself, I identified four of import factors which were at piece of work.

1. An immediate sense of welcome and acceptance by those I met. Equally a struggling teenage male child in a big all-boys public schoolhouse, where competition was everything (those in the school sports teams even had a unlike uniform!), this was probably the biggest factor—merely information technology was not something I could have articulated at the time. I only came to realise how important this was every bit I reflected on my journeying several years later in order to share my testimony during a mission week.
2. The risk to explore questions of organized religion and the deviation it makes to everyday life. This was the nearly important felt effect at the time; even though I had been brought up church building going, it was equally though someone had turned the lights on. I of the earliest experiences was watching Franco Zeffirelli'sJesus of Nazareth including the blue-eyed Robert Powell every bit Jesus ('plot keywords: resurrection; epic; religious sword and sandals…')—but there was plenty of exploration of every aspect of what it meant to be a Christian, and how that worked out in practice.
3. I at present wonder how of import information technology was for me to have had a groundwork experience of church and religion, even though that did non connect with my everyday life at all. It meant actually going to a church building service was not alien—though I recollect thinking how odd, sloppy, casual and unpredictable Anglican services were compared with the Roman Cosmic Mass that I was used to, and in which I was an chantry server.
4. My strongest reflection on looking dorsum is not really a human gene at all, just but a sense that God wanted me to know him, and so the series of encounters just happened without me seeking them specifically at all. A friend from primary schoolhouse, whom I kept in touch with, was struck by how many of our primary school class came to faith, and wondered whether one of our teachers was particularly praying for us every bit a group.

When we compared stories with one another to see similarities and differences, some interesting things emerged. Welcome and credence were of import for many in their religion journey, though not for all. Much more consistent was the importance of some sort of explanation: what did it really hateful to be a Christian, and what did yous have to practice to become i? I have a suspicion that, for well-nigh not-Christians, this is something of a mystery—it just seems to 'happen' to some people! (This feeling is expressed in the occasional wistful reflection 'I wish I had your faith…') Background understanding was very important for some, but non for others, and my 'sharing buddy' Mike came from a completely not-Christian background to faith very rapidly—though he was aware of an interest in the 'spiritual' in quite specific ways, which suggests factor 4 was at play.

Merely 2 additional factors consistently featured. The commencement was invitation; Mike starting going to church because his schoolfriend (who was bigger than he was!) said 'Are you coming to church then?'—and it turned out that his friend was simply going to get if Mike agreed to come with him! Invitation was important for me too; I only went to the CYFA group because the people I met invited me back to their 'coffee bar'. The second factor which featured often was noticing change in others (friends, family unit) who had come to faith, and their sharing of testimony of why being a Christian had made a difference.

Given the differences in experience, as well equally some common factors, it was not articulate that we had an answer to the pastoral question—but we appeared to accept been able to answer the missional 1. How can we help people find faith more easily?

1. Pray
2. Create a relational culture of welcome and acceptance
3. Offer clear explanations and explorations of faith and how to go a Christian
4. Invite people

(One of the striking things most many of the new Church of England church plants is how much more invitational they are than the average Anglican church.) In other words, exist spiritual, relational, rational and invitational.

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The second affair we did in the group was look at the stories of Nicodemus and the women of Samaria in John 3 and 4. (Actually, we ran out of time to do this, equally hearing ane another'south stories was and then interesting! Then individuals did it afterwards at dwelling.) John puts these two stories together in a mode which highlights the differences in two very different journeys of faith through encounter with Jesus. The contrasting factors are relatively easy to tabulate—yous might want to read the chapters and identify the differences you find before reading whatsoever farther…

Done that?

Bang-up—hither is my list.

	John 3	John iv
Who is involved?	A respectable named Jewish man	An outcast unnamed Samaritan adult female
Who initiates the encounter?	The person themselves	Jesus
When does the meeting occur?	In the evening	In the broad daylight
What is the literal significance of this?	In a hot climate, information technology would be natural to run across to discuss things in the evening—and Nicodemus might have been wanting to continue the meeting secret or at least discreet.	In a hot climate, you lot would normally collect water in the morning time or the evening. Only someone avoiding the company of others would come in the heat of the twenty-four hour period
What is the symbolic significance of the timing?	Despite his learning and high office, and even meeting the 'light of the world', Nicodemus is nevertheless dwelling house in the shadows of understanding	Despite being marginal in her social context and evasive in her chat, the adult female comes to see things as clear every bit daylight in recognising who Jesus is
Who asks the questions?	The give-and-take is led by Nicodemus' implied question in his opening statement, and is given movement past his two subsequent questions	Almsot every turn in this conversation is led by Jesus' questions or his challenging statements
What is the nature of the conversation?	It focuses on theological ideas and questions	It focuses generally on practical questions of thirst, worship and relationships
What is the immediate event of the encounter?	The conversation disappears into what seems to be John's ain reflection, and the narrative is never concluded. Nicodemus remains in his shadowy understanding	The woman comes to a startling realisation about both Jesus and herself
What is the longer term result of the come across?	Nicodemus is mentioned on two further occasions, both of which refer dorsum to this encounter. In John vii.50, he tentatively questions the opposition to Jesus, but by John xix.39 he accompanies the women to Jesus' grave	The woman is a model witness (a primal theme in John) in that she goes back to those in her hamlet who had shunned her, tells her story, and invites them to come up and see Jesus too

The contrasts here forbid us from offer whatsoever kind of formula for how and why people come to religion, and illustrate the diversity of situations and bug that are involved.

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The third thing we did in the group (and we did practice this!) was to lookout man some of the testimonies on the splendid EA website Great Commission. We picked several at random, and information technology was interesting and inspiring to hear the unlike perspectives; in most of the ones nosotros watched, modify was quite sudden, though that is not true for all of them, and the testimony of others featured quite strongly. The site also include reflections on sharing faith, also every bit testimonies of coming to religion.

So, what factors were important for you? What factors were of import for those yous know? And can you answer the question as to why some find religion easier, and others harder?

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