Good article that misses the point (and doesn't qualify ...)

Here is a very informative article on the next generation of Christian evangelicals that ultimately misses the point. Faith in Christ is about accepting his salvation and living out his teachings and not about crusading for political, social, or environmental causes, how ever worthy.

The New York Times article to which I refer is “Taking Their Faith, but Not Their Politics, to the People” and was written by Neela Banerjee. While the story starts in the right direction, it quickly gets distracted by presidential and environmental politics.

Banerjee writes:

ST. LOUIS — Southern Baptists, as a rule, do not drink. But once a month, young congregants of the Journey, a Baptist church here, and their friends get together in the back room of a sprawling brew pub called the Schlafly Bottleworks to talk about the big questions: President Bush, faith and war, the meaning of life, and “what’s wrong with religion.”

“We go where people are because we feel like Jesus went to the people,” said the Rev. Darrin Patrick, founder of the Journey.

“That’s where people are having their conversations about things that matter,” the Rev. Darrin Patrick, senior pastor and founder of the Journey, said about the talks in the bar. “We go where people are because we feel like Jesus went to the people.”
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The article does a solid job of identifying the political fracturing of young evangelical’s long-held political beliefs, which I beleive is allowing God’s message to transcend ideology.

What is missing is a mention of God's message of salvation and hope. One verse that came to mind while reading the piece is: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NIV)

This verse helps me, as a reader, understand that God does not intend for us to get tangled in the politics of this world and forget our number one priority, which is sharing the Good News of God’s saving work.

I did find the article encouraging, informative, and well written. I would have loved to read it as an Amy Writing Award entry, but with no scripture it doesn’t qualify.