Why Christian Peacemakers Matter Today
In December 2022, the first Jesus Now Summit was held in Dallas, Texas. Hosted by the Barna Group in partnership with several other influential organizations, about one hundred ministry leaders gathered to consider the why, how, and what behind the recently launched He Gets Us campaign.
As we learned, the campaign was created to address a single, sobering question: How did the world’s greatest love story become associated with hate? Or, to ask it differently, why do some people view Christians as part of a hate group?
At the gathering, David Kinnaman (Barna’s CEO) and Jason Vanderground (president of BrandHaven) shared findings from a study conducted between April and July 2021 that helped shape the campaign. The data revealed that 80 percent of US adults are “somewhat certain” or “completely certain” that Jesus existed about two thousand years ago.1 Even among “spiritually open” skeptics, 42 percent have a favorable view of him.2 Many believe that Jesus is
- inclusive: He’s for everyone.
- positive: His teachings are good for society as a whole.
- exemplary: He provides a worthy example by which to live . . . he loves us all.3
The research also revealed that most adults in the United States are familiar with Christianity, the Bible, and Jesus. Additionally, 50 percent of adults—especially those raising children—are open to learning more about Jesus and can be reached by meeting their felt or holistic needs.4 This was not only surprising but encouraging.
Christian Peacemakers Build Credible Witness
But when Kinnaman shared additional findings from October 2022, the tone in the room shifted. As he reported, nearly half of US adults—47 percent—say they’ve had experiences that led them to “deconstruct or take apart the faith of [their] youth.”5 Similarly, 48 percent of Gen Z report disillusionment with their experiences in Christian churches.6
Broadly speaking, the studies show that while many Americans have confidence in Jesus, they do not trust Christians or the church, which they perceive as failing to reflect the spirit of the biblical Christ.
This disconnect is especially evident among spiritually open skeptics, who reject the hypocrisy, judgmentalism, and discrimination they associate with scandals and controversies plaguing churches. As a result, many are unwilling to hear from Christians and tend to resist Christian messaging.
Many also struggle to recognize—or even outright reject—Jesus’ divinity and the concept of having a personal relationship with him. Therefore, statements that attempt to defend or promote Christianity often prove ineffective. That’s why He Gets Us was launched: to raise the respect for and relevance of Jesus—and to call Christians to best reflect his love in their interactions with others.
Christian Peacemakers Demonstrate the Gospel
Whether through perception or lived experience, many today believe Christians do not speak, act, or live like Jesus. Likewise, they tend to view Christians as self-serving—at odds with the apostle Paul’s instruction: “In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
These insights aren’t just interesting—they invite our full attention. Understanding the times in which we live helps us confront reality with honesty and respond with intentionality. If Christians are perceived by many as a hate group, our credibility and our witness is at risk. And if people don’t like or trust those who claim to follow Christ, why would they be open to the gospel at all?
In the twenty-first century, then, what we say about Jesus means very little to others apart from tangible action that represents him well. For this reason, I believe we’re living in a Matthew 5:16 century.
In this passage, Jesus does not say, “Let them hear your good words.” Instead, he says, “Let them see your good works. That’s what will compel them toward your Father in heaven” (paraphrase mine).
So it is today. People are drawn more to what they see Christians doing with joy, faithfulness, and authenticity than to what they hear us saying. Practical engagement through acts of kindness and generosity—rooted in empathy—are better starting points for eventual conversations with spiritually open skeptics about life, meaning, and their eternal future. Yes, there are many ways to speak about Jesus. Explanation is good; but these days, demonstration is better.
Christian Peacemakers Bring Hope Through Action
In order to reverse the decline of trust in Christians and the church, it’s wise to first engage non-Christians “at the bridge of Christ’s humanity”—meeting them where they are with kindness and good works—before attempting to speak of his divine nature. By quietly advancing the common good, we offer a credible witness to the gospel without needing to say a word. In doing so, we help shift negative perceptions, dismantle skepticism, and patiently lead others toward “the bridge of Christ’s divinity,” where they can encounter Jesus, explore biblical truth and ultimately, as we hope, choose to follow him.
Christian Peacemakers Live Like Jesus
In a world marked by conflict, violence, and hatred, it’s long past time for Christians to identify with Christ as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). Indeed, we are uniquely called, equipped, and expected by God to advance peace on earth rather than to hinder it.
Peace can be understood as a state of reconciliation, harmony, and wholeness—both within oneself and in relationships with others. It’s marked by the presence of love and justice, and the absence of conflict or division. Peace actively pursues unity and healing in the face of brokenness.
If it’s true—as research suggests—that the world’s greatest love story has become associated with hate, then we should ask ourselves:
- How can I become a more compelling witness of God’s grace, mercy, and compassion?
- What attitudes should I adopt or abandon to better reflect Jesus before others?
- How might I recognize others’ pain to help them experience healing and peace?
One day, while reflecting on such questions, I recalled a prayer that was introduced to me at an early age. The Prayer of St. Francis, also called the Peace Prayer, has been recited by people throughout the world for more than one hundred years. Published in the early twentieth century, the prayer provides petitioners with noble guidance, serving as both a moral and spiritual compass for interaction with others.
The Peace Prayer is a recipe for how to be identified with Jesus and become more like him. By applying its precepts, we can sow seeds of love, pardon, faith, hope, light, joy, and understanding in the lives of others we encounter on a daily basis. In so doing, we can align with Christ on a mission of peace (Matthew 5:9).
By practicing the Peace Prayer, we can become more like Jesus in these divisive times. If, as is often said, “we are his hands and feet” or “the only Jesus some will ever see,” then for each of us the question becomes: How can I best represent him in a world of chaos, conflict, and confusion?
Adapted from Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Becoming More like Jesus Through the Prayer of St. Francis by Mark DeYmaz, releasing in March 2026.
References
- BrandHaven, internal research findings for He Gets Us, April–July 2021.
- McQueen Analytics, presented at the Jesus Now Summit.
- BrandHaven, He Gets Us, April–July 2021.
- BrandHaven and McQueen Analytics research.
- Barna Group, October 21–31, 2022.
- Barna Group, October 21–31, 2022.
