- Flood Church
- creating environments where people are transformed by the living God
The New to Faith Group meets for three weeks and focuses on the foundational principles of the Christian faith. We explore what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and dialog about questions and doubts concerning faith. For more information or to RSVP for the group, email NewtoFaith@DIVEintoFLOOD.com.
Looking for some answers to some of the questions you might have about faith? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page!
This track is designed for those that are still exploring what Christianity is all about. The classes are set up to be conversational with a comfortable atmosphere to ask questions. The track will include the following:
* A clear presentation of what the Christian faith believes. Is it more than just being a moral person?
* A discussion on the validity and the reliability of the Bible. Why should we view the Bible as having more authority than any other book?
* A forum to ask any questions that are holding you back from accepting what Christianity claims. How is Christianity different than other religions? Why would a loving God allow pain and suffering?
* A discussion on ways to pursue God in the midst of doubts. Do I have to have it all figured out before I approach God?
This track is designed for those who are new in their faith and desire to learn about how to grow in their relationship with God. It will focus on topics such as:
* Your identity in Christ. How does God view you after you decide to trust Him?
* How to read the Bible. Where do I even start? How do I apply it to my life?
* How to connect with God through prayer, journaling, and other avenues.
* How to grow in your relationship with God. What is my responsibility in the growth process?
* The role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How does God help me in my growth?
* What is baptism and should I consider being baptized
“Before New to Faith, I thought I knew what “typical Christians” looked like, believed in, and [how they] acted. New to Faith helped me break down that stereotype, as well as clear up some misconceptions I had about core Christian beliefs. I recommend this class to anyone -- Christian and non-Christian -- who is ready to have an intelligent, open conversation about religion.”
“I have shared the story of how I came to walk with Christ with many people. I hope to share it with many more. I always make sure I tell those I am speaking with that I came to Flood (and faith) as a skeptic! I had too many questions not to be skeptical. New to Faith, more than anything, taught me that Jesus was the one to answer my questions and He will stick with me until I gain understanding. Without that class, I don’t know that I would have stayed at Flood.”
Everyone has questions about the Christian faith, whether we consider ourselves a follower of Jesus Christ or not. A majority of questions can be grouped under some major themes. Our goal is to continually compile the most frequently asked questions about Christianity within this portion of the New to Faith page. The "answers" found here are not meant to be the end of a journey, but hopefully a good launching point in your quest to understand God more fully. We would love to continue a dialogue with you, whether through email or over coffee. If your question is not addressed here, or if you want further clarification about what is written, please email FAQ@DIVEintoFLOOD.com and someone will respond to you shortly. Our hope is that we can come alongside of you, regardless of where you are in your journey, and use our own experience of wrestling with God to help you grasp His love and character.
1. Why does Christianity make an exclusive claim to truth?
2. How do you explain a church history full of oppression and violence?
WHY DOES CHRISTIANITY MAKE AN EXCLUSIVE CLAIM TO TRUTH?
There is a widespread belief in today’s culture, often referred to as relativism or postmodernism, which says that there is no absolute truth and that everything is relative. However, this view does not hold up once one realizes that such a claim is itself an assertion to absolute truth. You cannot claim that there is no absolute truth by making an absolute claim; it is a self-defeating argument. The fact of the matter is that every major world religion and belief system, including relativism, makes very exclusive truth claims. While Christianity makes the exclusive claim that Jesus is the only way to God, Islam claims that you attain salvation through the works that you accomplish during this life. The very nature of holding a belief about what you see as truth insists that you believe the competing options of your stance are false. Pastor and author Tim Keller writes, “We are all exclusive in our beliefs about religion, but just in different ways.” Therefore, the Christian claim that Jesus is the only way to salvation is no more exclusive than the paths to salvation found in any other religion. In fact, the atheist claim that there is no god is just as exclusive as the claims of Christianity!
Also, if we really look at what each world religion believes, we observe the following reality: Buddhists don’t believe in a God; Islam and Judaism believe in one God, while Christianity believes in a Triune version of that one God; and Hinduism believes in a pantheon of gods. A non-exclusive religious viewpoint would therefore require one to simultaneously not believe in a God, to believe in only one God, and to believe in many gods. This viewpoint is clearly self contradictory and illogical. Believing in a specific religion therefore requires that you believe the other religions are false because each holds very distinct and contradictory beliefs about God.
Although we must admit that Christianity makes exclusive claims, when you look into Christian teachings, the faith is actually quite inclusive. Jesus teaches His followers to share the good news of their faith with everyone, without exception. Christianity freely offers salvation to anyone who is willing to trust what Christ has done for them and to follow Him. Christianity does not believe in a God who places limits on salvation, but rather a God “who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 tNIV). Christianity makes exclusive truth claims, just like any other belief system, but it differs in how one achieves “salvation.” Christianity teaches that “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 tNIV). Therefore the exclusive claims of Christianity must never be separated from the reality that Jesus desires everyone to know and trust Him and has gone to extreme measures to make that possible. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we can do to cause God to love us less. We just need to acknowledge Him as Lord, and understand He is the only way.
For Further Reading we would recommend The Reasons for God by Timothy Keller; What’s So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza; Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis; The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.
For further questions, comments, for clarification on this answer, or to meet with someone to discuss this or other questions please e-mail FAQ@DIVEintoFLOOD.com
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN A CHURCH HISTORY FULL OF OPPRESSION AND VIOLENCE?
We are always told that the Bible teaches that you should love your neighbor, but then we go to school and hear about all of the terrible wars and violent acts that have been fought in the name of Christ. With the Thirty Years War, the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Crusades, among others, it may be incredibly hard to believe that the Christian Church actually believes in “loving your neighbor.” You may be more convinced that organized religion is mainly about power and control, which is understandable.
First, we must recognize the truth that the Bible does teach that you should love your neighbor. In fact, Jesus says that it is part of the greatest commandment! (Matt. 22:37-40). However, we must also acknowledge the reality that many people who have called themselves Christians have done terrible things in the world. These atrocities were not in line with the heart of God. This is what Christianity refers to as sin. These things were done outside of the teachings and proper practices of the Christian faith: Jesus never says that one should force their beliefs on another person, and then kill those that disagree! What He actually teaches is just the opposite. Jesus teaches his followers to love their enemies (Matt. 5:44), showing them kindness and praying for them. Every Christian is going to fall short of living the way Jesus taught. He modeled a perfect life to an imperfect people, fully knowing we are incapable of ever living by that standard. We need His help to continually become more like Christ.
Yes, people calling themselves Christians have done terrible things in the world, and their actions should not be excused or rationalized. But their actions also should not define Christianity, or be applied to the teaching of Christ. Similarly, Christianity should not be evaluated based on any of our lives, because we are all selfish, judgmental, and prideful at times, which does not represent Christ. The value of Christianity should be determined by the life of Jesus, not by the lives of those who fall short of its teaching.
Beyond that, we cannot judge all Christians based on the actions of a few. If one professional athlete (or even a small percentage of them for that matter) comes forward and admits to the use of performance enhancing drugs during their career, this does not thereby necessitate that every professional athlete has used performance enhancing drugs or even condones their use. In the same way, the atrocities committed by a small group of Christians cannot therefore be attributed to everyone who has ever called themselves a Christian. Though no one is perfect, not all are murderous. I would venture to say that practically all Christians would agree that the atrocities of church history were horrible, and would be apologetic about them.
Finally, we should view the atrocities committed in the name of Christ in contrast to the atrocities committed in the name of atheism. Leaders like Hitler and Stalin murdered millions in the name of no god. If we take an objective look, Christianity has done way more good in this world than it has done evil. Christians have been on the forefront of many movements that are highly regarded throughout the world. Just to name a few, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, the abolitionist movement, and the construction of hospitals and orphanages across the world have all been spearheaded by Christians. The message of Jesus is one that calls people to work directly against oppression and violence, not participate in it.
For Further Reading we would recommend The Reasons for God by Timothy Keller; What’s So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza; Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis; The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.
For further questions, comments, for clarification on this answer, or to meet with someone to discuss this or other questions please e-mail FAQ@DIVEintoFLOOD.com
