No religion in the world is lived perfectly, as we know from our own life experience and from history. Certainly, as we’ve already seen, Christianity is no different from any other belief system in this regard. For many reasons, some Protestant Christians may be Christian “in name only.” They might attend church services once in a while, perhaps go to the occasional wedding or funeral; they might even be what are sometimes called “C and E Christians” who go to worship only on Christmas and Easter. For some, this may be an expression of a cultural or family tie, such as going to church because one is “going home for the holidays” or because “it’ll make Grandma happy.”
Furthermore, many Protestants (especially in the US) in their private or “inner” life may pray only occasionally or perhaps not at all, and may also have a very underdeveloped understanding of even basic Christian teachings. This is not new, of course, but this kind of “lukewarmness” (for lack of a better term) has taken on a new and powerful meaning in contemporary society for the last several decades. It is made worse by increasing secularism and atheism that has infected our national life and, indeed, has become a new normal—especially among the Millennial generation and the Homeland generation.
“Gearing Down” to Basic Christianity
Perhaps one frequent characteristic found among the “lukewarm,” no matter their denominational background (whether “mainstream,” “Evangelical,” or “Pentecostal”), is a tendency to sort of “gear-down” to a form of “basic Christianity.” They are often not very interested in particular doctrines or specific ways of Christian living. They believe in God and will acknowledge Jesus as the “Son of God” (perhaps not really even knowing what that means). They might also take the more progressive cultural position that the only “sins” are violations of the Ten Commandments (especially numbers 4-10), if even these.
Such attitudes among Protestant adults often derive from the low level of formation they received in their youth and/or bad experiences of church or pastoral care. It doesn’t necessarily mean that such persons do not really believe; perhaps a more dynamic or committed experience somehow seems wrong to them, because much of their relationship to faith is summed up in a negative past experience.
There are others who, as we just mentioned, have only very thin connections to faith, but the connections are so weak that they are barely life-transforming or even life-sustaining. Many people like this cannot be presumed “wicked” or “evil” — they are perhaps just trying to find their way in their situation of life, and in our collective situation in an increasingly complex and troubled world. It should not be thought that such “lukewarm” persons are necessarily disinterested or lazy (though perhaps some really are), but perhaps no one has ever offered them a fresh look at the kind of Christianity that makes us free before God—the God who heals, redeems, sanctifies and gives us the reason for hope.
Refrain from Judgment
We should state from the outset that we must carefully discern making any judgments concerning such persons. There are a great many of these “lukewarm” believers, perhaps even a majority, who bear no ill-will or dislike toward the core of the Christian faith, yet for any number of reasons they will not or cannot make a more concerted effort to know and live it. This is true not just in Protestantism, but in all religions to one degree or another. We must also consider that so many people have endured tragedy and deep sorrows in the course of their lives. This is why our witness is so vitally important; some have just simply “dropped-out” and “tuned-out” because they “blame God” for something that has gone wrong in their lives. We can show them that despite what they have experienced, God is indeed good.
How to Approach
In establishing a dialogue with “lukewarm Protestants” of various kinds, we must be especially sensitive to their own experiences of faith (or lack of them) and perhaps engage them initially with the truth that our God loves them, specially and individually. We should stress the parts of the Christian message that build hope and a sense of freedom. They should be reminded of the eternal destiny offered to them by Christ who wants to show them His rich mercy and healing.
Example Dialogue
Here, our Evangelist (E) engages an individual (P) who was ostensibly raised as a Protestant believer, but has apparently given up his faith — or, at least, its active practice. He has a somewhat limited catechetical background, although what he does recall of it from childhood will provide a segue for a fruitful conversation. This “Passerby” will reveal, without going into detail, some great struggles and challenges in his life, and that his faith has also suffered as a result of these challenges. Our Evangelist will not only be sharing his own faith, but will (by God’s good favor) provide some sorely needed hope to a man who seemed to have little.
Evangelist Beth: Did you know that God loves you?
Passerby Bob: Well, I’m a Christian, if that’s what you mean.
E: Well, I am too! What church do you belong to?
P: My mom was a Presbyterian, and I went to church with her when I was young — when she even went to church — but I don’t go anymore.
E: So what comes to mind when I say that ‘God loves you?’
P: God loving me? Yeah, I hope it’s true.
E: You “hope it’s true”? You don’t sound so sure.
P: Because I’m not.
E: Why’s that?
P: Well, a lot of stuff has gone wrong in my life, bad relationships, awful childhood, did some time in prison for some stupid stuff. I used to go to Sunday School as a kid, but I pretty much forgot most of what I learned. I know Jesus died for my sins. The rest is kinda hazy.
E: Did you ever learn that old song, “Jesus loves me”?
P: Actually I do, from Sunday School. [P starts singing what he remembers of the first verse–”Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”]
E: It’s true, the Bible tells us that He loves us and he loves you and me, as we are. But there is another verse, too. It goes:
Jesus loves me still today/ walking with me on the way/
wanting as a friend to give/light and love to all who live.
Do you know that Jesus?
P: No, I don’t know that Jesus. I know the song, but…
E: Well, do you ever see those guys at sporting events holding a John 3:16 sign?
P: Yeah, I’ve seen those.
E: Do you know what that verse says?
P: For God so loved the world somethin’, somethin’… but I don’t feel God’s love, and I don’t even know why he would love me.
E: Well, it’s right in that verse. He sent his Son Jesus, and during his life Jesus had to suffer with a whole bunch of the same things that you and I do; at times he was tired, frustrated, sad, betrayed by his friends and even afraid. And he wanted us to have a right relationship with God — one that would last forever, even after death.
P: Right, that sounds familiar, but like I said, I haven’t had a good life. I’ve had to deal with abuse, addiction, depression, you name it. But what do you mean Jesus was afraid? How could that be? Isn’t He God?
E: He’s God, but he is also at the same time human, and this is where I found a good reason to believe in the love of God. On the night before his Crucifixion, the Bible tells us he was “sorrowful unto death” — in plain English, he felt so sad that he could have died because he knew what His Father was asking him to do: to suffer and die for us, as one of us and rise from the dead so that we can be free from death. So he understands where you are at, and wants to bring you into a new life.
P: That would be so great. Just to get a new life; man, I’ve had it with this one.
E: Listen, we have a Bible study every week at my church right up the street at St Anne’s. We just talk about some parts of the Bible and see how God is speaking to us. You’d be welcome — “no cost, no obligation.” [E laughs] Would you be open to coming?
P: Yeah, actually, when is it?
E: It’s Wednesday nights at 7 pm. Can you make that?
P: I’ll be there. What’s your name?
E: I’m Beth. What’s yours?
P: Bob.
E: It’s nice to meet you, Bob. I’ll see you Wednesday at 7, then. I’ll be looking for ya.
P: All right. Thanks, Beth. I’m glad I ran into ya. I’ll see ya Wednesday. See ya.
E: looking forward to it. Bye Bob.
Concluding Thoughts
The “lukewarm” Protestant provides a unique opportunity for evangelization. He or she may not be a particularly practicing Protestant, but might maintain some semblance of their faith. The Catholic evangelist should try to discern this while getting to know the person. Then, and if applicable, the one good reason method (whether you use the phrase or not) might be all that it takes to get the “lukewarm” Protestant to start thinking more deeply about matters of faith and religion. Don’t worry right away about “making them a Catholic.” That can come later; though you’d usually be inviting them to your Catholic Bible study or other Catholic gatherings.