Unchurched Friend Interview # 3

This interview was with Jerry. Jerry is a highly intelligent man, was raised Pentecostal, went to a Christian school, states he used to believe, but is now an avowed atheist. He also grew up in an abusive home.

1) What do you think is the greatest need in your area?

"Personally, I think there should be less organized religion. People are looking to individuals to tell them what to believe. People should do their own research. When I started asking questions, people got very offended."

Jerry had difficulty with the concept of God as Father. He questioned, "How can a loving Father condemn ANY of His children to eternal damnation?" In asking difficult questions of those in spiritual authority over him, he found that they didn't know the answers and rather than admit they didn't know, they pretty much just shut him down.

2) Are you actively attending any church?

"I haven't been in any church in probably 6 years."

Jerry also said that he has a family member who is a missionary and that when they're around, it's almost like being in church. He has also admitted to writing several sermons that this family member still uses. His wife is a believer and has given up on (openly) trying to convince him to go to church.

3) What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?

"History. There's truth in history. History of religion. Mythology."

4) Why do you think most people don't attend church?

"Too difficult. There's hypocrisy between what a person professes on Sunday and how they act the rest of the week."

5) If you were to look for a church to attend, what kinds of things would you look for?

"A church where you can ask questions. Question religion period."

6) What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?

"To realize that faith is a constantly replenishing thing. People just need to question."

Jerry went on to say, "I understand intellectually, but just don't have anything to hold onto anymore (we were talking about faith). I don't understand what faith is anymore. Maybe I don't believe there is anything to have faith in."

He also told me that as he was driving in to work that morning that he was thinking that he wished that he could believe.


This interview was a little intimidating to me because Jerry has so much Biblical knowledge and is highly intelligent, but I also enjoyed it because I believe that underneath all his questions, doubts and "wisdom" there is a true desire to know Christ. To experience Christ from the heart rather than just through wisdom. Although he professes to be an atheist and told me that "this life is all there is", I believe that he still wants to believe. It felt to me as though he's just waiting for the person who can come along and convince him otherwise.

Perhaps a week or so after the interview had been done, I was rehashing some of the things Jerry had discussed. In my spirit, I felt as though there was something unsettled. Something that made me feel as though he really was searching and wanted to believe in God even though he professes otherwise. I believe I know what that is now. One of the things that I know about Jerry, that he didn't tell me in his interview, is that he has invested heavily in "ghost-hunting" equipment. He has gone on several ghost-hunting expeditions and is now trying to get a group together to go to a place in Tennessee that is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in America. The question that I would now like to ask Jerry is, "If you believe that this life is all there is, why do you search for ghosts?" Aren't ghosts supposed to be the spirits of dead people? I think, whether he realizes it or not, that Jerry wants to find ghosts because it would mean that this life isn't all there is.

Although Jerry has much head knowledge of the Bible and its history, I feel as though there has never been a heart connection. Perhaps some of the disconnect has to do with the abuse he suffered at home growing up and wanting to disprove that a loving God could allow that. The Bible verse that kept coming to mind is the one in Proverbs: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." I will be praying for life.