What Gospel Are Christians Hearing?

How One Violent Act Reveals a Huge Problem for Christianity

When we read through Acts, we encounter a movement of people whose way of life is completely transformed by what God has done in Jesus, whom they believe to be the crucified, resurrected, and exalted Lord and Messiah. As a baptized community of repentant believers, these Christians live in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Everything about their life, from what they believe to the values they embrace and the kingdom they seek, is different. The difference involves an unwavering courage and conviction centered in Jesus Christ and oriented towards the kingdom of God.

Fast forward nearly two thousand years to Christianity in the United States, and life for Christians seems remarkably different. Looking across the spectrum of Christianity in the United States, it seems like we’ve taken a different course, and the results are showing up in spades.

We know that Christianity has experienced a notable decline in the United States over the past fifty years. Once vibrant congregations are now struggling to remain; some have even closed, and more will close. Why?

There are many reasons why Christianity in the United States is struggling. Some of the reasons are beyond the control of Christians. Changes in demographics, social culture, and a more transient lifestyle among people make it more difficult for local churches. But other reasons, for which Christians are to blame, have contributed to the decline of Christianity in the United States. One of those reasons is the abandonment of the commitment that our baptism pledges us to live. Please allow me to illustrate with two brief examples, one of which was evident just a couple of weeks ago.

Years ago, I met a neighbor who told me that she belonged to a local church but then identified herself as an Episcopalian, Wiccan, and Taoist. Now I don’t know how to even parse that out, but I remember wondering what kind of gospel this neighbor had heard at her church that allowed her to believe she could mix the gospel with a pagan religion and Eastern philosophy. Of course, I could probably share this story with any group of Evangelical Christians, and most would wonder with me.

Now jump forward to June 14, 2025. While many of us were enjoying a cup of coffee and perhaps reading a book or getting ready to run some errands, news broke that a man by the name of Vance Boelter had shot four people in Minnesota. Sadly, two of those people, Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, both died. Since then, we have learned that these violent attacks were premeditated, motivated by partisan politics, and that Boelter also professes to be a Christian. Just think about the incongruity in that last sentence. Someone who professes to be a Christian but is so driven by partisan politics that they murder their political cause.

Just as I wondered about my neighbor from years ago, I found myself wondering again after hearing about the horrific crimes Vance Boetler committed. But beyond the tragedy of such violence, I wondered what kind of gospel Boelter heard at his church that allowed him to believe he could still seek a worldly kingdom first, rather than seeking the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (cf. Matt 6:33).

At a time when partisan politics is driving a deep wedge through American life and among Christians, the entire situation begs the question: What kind of gospel are Christians hearing in their churches that allows them to think it’s okay to pursue a kingdom of this world over the kingdom of God? What kind of gospel are Christians hearing in their church that allows them to think it’s okay to mix following Jesus with other religious and political ideologies?

The problem isn’t just that Boelter murdered people, but that he was a part of a church whose teaching allowed him to think he could seek after a kingdom of this world, pursuing a Christian Nationalist agenda that is remarkably different from the gospel. The problem with my neighbor years ago wasn’t just that she had adopted a syncretistic faith, but that she was part of a church whose teachings allowed her to think doing so was acceptable. But it’s not just their churches but every church. Even if churches are not explicitly encouraging members to pursue worldly kingdoms and adopt false ideas, any failure to explicitly proclaim the sort of particular beliefs, commitments, and kingdom that Christians seek is a failure.

When Christians are allowed to believe they can follow Jesus but still embrace other pursuits, the risk is giving their lives to a darkness that is different than the good news of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. The result is the decline of Christianity, and the reason is simple: Christians cannot run two races at the same time. One race is the race that Jesus and the great cloud of witnesses have run (cf. Heb 12:1-2), and then there are numerous other races to run. Christians living in the United States must decide which race they are going to continue running and run that race. But in the end, only one race wins. So choose wisely!

Now, please understand me. What I am discussing is not the only reason for the decline of Christianity in the United States but I do believe it’s a big reason. If we want to see Christianity thrive, then we have to return to living a life solely focused on Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. It’s what I call a testifying church —a church that lives exclusively in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The church we read of in Acts was a testifying church, whose business was investing in the future by living as faithful witnesses so that future generations would know the truth. When the powers that be told them to stop, they said no! Acts chapter 5 ends with Luke telling us, “Day after day, in the temple courts, and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” For those with eyes and ears to see and hear, therein lies the secret sauce to a renewed Christianity in America that lives on mission with God.