This strategy isn’t working really. I know that I need to have boldness and reach out, and yet I don’t. My swaggar is winning no one to Christ. You see, when I start talking about how cool and relevant I am? That’s lame. Seriously it’s lame. I don’t think non Christians are looking for good alcohol or a great tobacco or single-origin coffee or tattoos or a great man bun or a mountain bike. They’ve got that in plentiful supply. So why do I keep selling that? Why do we keep selling our relevance, when it’s not what they need or even want?

Last week, Buzzfeed posted a video titled “I’m a Christian But I’m Not….” Give the video a look see if you haven’t already. The video is two minutes of your every-day millennials (just like me) talking about how they aren’t stereotypical Christians. Meaning they aren’t homophobic, they are feminists, they drink wine, and o my gosh, they even like Beyonce!!! What renegades. If you can’t hear the sarcasm, it’s thick.

I think it’s cool that there was something about Christians on Buzzfeed, and I’m sure the people producing and participating in it really meant well. I do not know them, so I cannot really get in there and comment on their service to Christ.

I take more of an issue with this tone that is going on right now in Christianity, and the video just puts that tone into life.

I think that many of us, not just millennials, but especially millennials — are more concerned with people liking us than liking Jesus. You know what? I’m not even going to talk about it as a “millennial,” issue. It’s a Sarah Jean VandaVeer issue. So can I just speak with you? Millennial to millennial?

Most of the time, I would rather talk about things that are cool and have people like me, than talk about someone as polarizing as Jesus Christ. I would rather be the funny girl than tell a serious story about Jesus. I would rather just hangout and “chill,” (I loathe that word) with non believers than tell them about the hope they could have in Christ. Talking about Jesus is awkward, and if I’m going to be awkward I want people to think it’s funny — not crazy. And if I’m going to be crazy, I want it to be something Instagrammable, like cliff jumping.

I mean well! I grew up next to Christians who seemed to think being cultural relevant was irreverent, and who hung out inside the church more than they did outside the church. I did not want to be that! So I banked hard the other way, and maybe I went too far? Maybe I’m no longer doing this for Christ, maybe it’s just for me. Ehem, I know it’s for me. I don’t think I’m alone in this.

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