Preface: In what follows I discuss the significance, connotations, and social and ministerial affects of the names that we assign to “liberal/mainline” Christians as opposed to what we popularly refer to as “evangelicals”. In the process of discussing the two terms it is necessary to use them. I use the term “evangelical” to mean the sects of Christianity which broke from the “liberal” or “mainstream” traditions at some point over the issues which define “liberal” or “mainstream” Christianity. I use the terms “liberal” and “mainstream” interchangeably to refer to members of the American Christian denominations of varying degrees of practice and church attendance, even clergy, who believe that Jesus is a nice teacher, but not the only begotten son of God, the propitiation for the sins of the world through his death on Calvary, who was conceived of the virgin Mary, and resurrected on the third day, defeating forever sin and death. If this is you, it is possible, though not my intention, that you may be offended for one reason or another in reading this piece. I have made every effort to be sure that this is not the case. Where I deemed necessary I enclosed relevant terms in quotations, used specific definitions, and used scriptural support. If I do offend, it is my prayer that you will accept my humble apologies. The following is the logical product of my world view which I believe to the product of rational thought on the truth that has been shared with me. I invite you to talk to me at length on what you believe about truth, who you believe Jesus Christ was, and even what you would like to be called. To everyone, I offer the following as what I hope will provoke you to thought about strategic ministry, the weight that words carry, and how to engage your neighbors about the gift of Christ which is eternal salvation.
Mainline versus Liberal: The terms mainline and liberal are both problematic in denoting the various sects of the American church who by-and-large take a non-literal or liberal reading of the Christian bible. Evangelical Christians (a term problematic in itself, but for another time) have done the right thing in light of 1 Corinthians 5 in casting out the unbelieving from fellowship with the body of Christ, which is His church. The problem is that their number has grown so large, and been so institutionalized as the evangelicals have allowed the “mainstream” to retain the traditional denominational nomenclature (i.e. Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal etc.), that there are great numbers among them who are not rebelling from the truth that they knew (as the founders of those sects certainly were), but who have never heard the full gospel (literally the whole good news). We must think of a strategic way of reaching these lost for the Lord.
Now consider the names by which we refer to this sizable percentage of the American population. As we call them “mainline,” we allow them to take the dominant place in the American church arrangement. The antonym of “mainline” is fringe, minority, or counter-cultural. This arrangement implicitly marginalizes the evangelical—hence diluting the power of the gospel presentation by them. This erects great hurdles that must be jumped before the “mainstream Christian” will ever listen to the rational “evangelical” without thinking him a “radical” or “extremist.” That is not to say that if we only changed this naming system evangelicals would not have to fight through this popular conception, but to say that the existence of this system of reference contributes to and perpetuates an already prevalent and false view of “evangelicals.”—a view that is hurtful to their ability to receive the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now consider the alternative. Many evangelicals refusing to give up the mainstream title have resorted to calling these folks, “liberal Christians” in reference to their “liberal” or non-literal reading of the bible. For many of these “liberal Christians,” being so called draws up an entirely different mindset which is a new hurdle to their salvation. Many recall, in my experience, times in which they have been told perhaps without prompting by evangelicals that they are not Christians, and that they are going to hell. While it is true that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (1 John 1:8), and that Jesus is, “the way the truth and the life, and no man comes to the father except through [Him]” (John 14:6) evangelicals who have taken this approach perhaps in a rough and seemingly uncaring way (there is a huge difference between saying, “you going to hell” with a smile on your face and saying in as though you love that individual, believe what you are saying and desperately want to offer the solution. Non-Christians can sense whether or not you “buy your own product”) have it seems to me, met with little success, and erected this barrier to the future conversion of these individuals.
How Then Do We Evangelize the “Liberal Christian?”
In my experience the intellectual “mainstream” Christian meets with and evangelical Christian carrying the baggage of both of these names, liberal and mainstream. She views the evangelical both as an extremist and a conservative who thinks she is going to hell and doesn’t much care. (because realistically, if they really believed that, wouldn’t they all be standing on every street corner telling us to turn around? Charles Piece, a prisoner on death row in England was being lead to his execution by the guard and a priest. The preacher solemnly and dry-eyed read to him from the bible, the eternal consequences of sin, and the saving sacrifice of Christ. Mr. Piece turned to him and asked him if he really believed the stuff he was reading. He said to him (I paraphrase), “If I believed what you and the church say you believe, if all of England were covered in crushed glass, I would think it not a waste of my life to travel coast to coast on my hands and knees if it would save just one person from the hell you’ve described to me.”—do we really believe what we preach?)
First, you must pay your “relational rent.” You must truly and genuinely care about the “mainstream” Christian. You must care about their family problems, their schoolwork, their relationships, and their soul. You must remember that though you have a new perspective of a simple pilgrim traveling through this world to get to your home which you have to this point only been told about, they have plopped down and erected a brick home on this earth. Their concerns are here, and so in the same way that our cares are God’s cares, their cares must be ours. There is not concern too small to bring to the Lord, so there is not concern to small for the evangelist to pray for.
Second, as a result of that care (or agape Love), you must truly listen to what they have to say. You must try to understand what they believe and why they believe. Most simply have not thought their theology through to its logical consequences. Others have simply never heard the gospel “assembled.” You must meet them where they are, understand their world view, probe it and question it. Only then have you earned the right to share what you believe.
Finally, share the gospel in truth, and in love. That means be genuine(Romans 12:9-16). You can’t introduce someone you don’t know, you can’t peddle a product you haven’t used, and you certainly can not preach salvation if you aren’t sure that you have it yourself. That does not mean don’t share your faith unless you have achieved some mystical level of spirituality, but it does mean that you must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit when delivering the gospel to an unbeliever, and you must yourself believe.
