For the Love of God - CPX

Is the church better or worse than most people think?
The Centre for Public Christianity has produced a massive resource on that topic. It's hours of good stuff, more than enough. 

• Here is the point in a 2 minute nutshell: it's not religion but humans that cause the wars, cruelty, etc. They - we - distort good things into bad by our selfishness, greed, fear, laziness, shame, brokenness, incapacity - all of which are aspects of what the Bible calls, "sin." 

You could spend a year going through the details CPX has provided - movies, documentaries, clips, group discussion sheets, school resources. So if you're wondering about it - get into it! You'll have your questions more than answered on this topic. 
But don't miss all the other material CPX has on other topics too. There's a search bar for libraries of articles, videos and podcasts on:

• Topics people ask about Christianity
• Training for Christians to handle ourselves better in public
• Foundations of the Christian faith. 

In my work I focus mostly on the Foundations. How we know that the basics of Christianity are true - that God exists, that the Bible is reliable, and that Jesus rose from the dead. And how these truths fit together to make a really solid and positive foundation for your life. Core Stuff and Boost. The bare minimum info, skills, and relationship that teens really need before they leave home. 
I believe if you keep this Core Stuff central to your life, you'll be far less likely to distort good things into bad. 

But then what comes next?

• CPX is there with such a wealth of answers to many perplexing questions (like "doesn't religion cause wars.") Besides sometimes people's faith doesn't start with the foundations, but with a curiosity about a topic, and CPX's good answers on those topics can then connect people to the core stuff. 
• I'd also add creation.com for a balance of answers around science & creation. 
• And of course churches are the real people who will share life with you as you live out the faith.

​Good answers are there. Go get 'em! 

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