I think some of the "embarrassment" comes from understanding that you can easily become the "elephant" in the room with your statement. However, Christ made it very clear that our proclamation or denial of himself to others has consequences such as being denied to the Father. I think nobody wants to be the "weird" one, but if we can discuss silly things such as super heroes (Spiderman, Batman, etc) we can discuss the way, the truth and the life. God help us!

I think this is due to our evangelical code-talk where "saved" means hell avoidance. To say I am "saved" is as even an 8 year old now recognizes making a statement about an entire worldview, one that likely for an 8 year old is tied to bunches of things, practices, communities, etc.

"The fireman saved the cat" means something different from "I am saved". The brevity of the sentence assumes an insider language. Even an 8 year old gets this. Missiologically that should make us pause.

I'm not embarrassed by my faith, and I'll openly talk about it. But I do hesitate to put it on display, with loud exclamations, or by inserting a reference to God where it doesn't actually need to be. There is something about that which feels like showing off, like Pharisees praying in public where they may be seen of men. Perhaps that is also because I know my faith is full of questions, doubts, conundrums, that using a few simple phrases may mean one thing to me and another to my listener, and not wanting to blow myself up in a false picture of virtue.

I grew up in a family of university academics. I didn't inherit the same intelligence genes, and when I became a Christian I wondered how that would affect my family's view of my new faith. Sure enough, every time I mention Christianity, they look at me with pity in their eyes, as if I became a Christian because I'm too simple to understand "real life." So, yes, at times I have been embarrassed to mention it. There are times when I don't want to be told that "intelligent" people don't believe in fairy tales. The truth is so clear to me, though, and I wonder how they don't see it--intelligence and high IQs obviously don't mean much!

I have really mixed feelings about this one.

On the one hand, I find it really awkward if a Christian hijacks the conversation with a statement which doesn't match the rest of the conversation - e.g.
'The goalkeeper made a good save'
'Jesus's save of me was even better'

But I agree, I almost always assume that Christian conversation isn't welcome, even if I have no evidence. Some of my colleagues have no problem regaling me with their drunken exploits - why shouldn't they listen to me talk about God?

I think I need to get my spiritual life into the normal arena, and not think that it stays in the personal domain.

Great post. I have to admit, a lot of my hesitance in being more vocal about my faith is being associated with some of the more radical and/or political views that come with the label "Christian." I'm passionate for Jesus, but the so-called "gospel" presented on most Christian TV stations makes me cringe. And the interconnectedness of American Christianity and the Republican party also makes it difficult at times, too. (And I lean Republican!)

Those shouldn't be excuses, but and I know I shouldn't be ashamed of my fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. But honestly, it's tough.

I'm not embarrassed by the cross, or the blood or the name of Jesus, but I am embarrassed by what passes as the Church. As disciples we are students and followers of Christ, I see little of that in the health and wealth Gospel and what passes for Christianity on TV. I'm embarrassed when people look at young people who drink to excess, smoke weed, attend violent and sexual entertainment and then say they are followers of Christ. Or pastors who feel they must use coarse language to relate to the peasants . . . how insulting. All of that embarrasses me. So, when people ask me if I'm a Christian or am "saved", I rather answer with qualification and explanation. There is the "club" called Christianity, open to whomever wants to hang around; and there's a Christianity that follows Christ, including dying to self.

I'm thinking about just exactly how honest I'm willing to be in this comment ... Embarrassed? Too many times. Missed opportunities? I don't want to know the exact number. The big question is, "Why is this true in my life?" A thousand reasons are running through my mind: my church doesn't emphasize evangelism like it once did ... others will think I'm weird ... that's just not what people talk about in society today ... I'm scared (ah, we're getting closer to the truth) ... I think for me personally, the question of why there is embarrassment and, consequently, missed witnessing opportunities is because my focus is on the wrong person in the relationship. It should be on the Person of Christ, not on my own fears and inadequacies. This may not be true for any other person who reads your post, but that's how I would have to answer your questions, Jerod, honestly speaking.

Hey Jerod, once again, you have some software or other displaying comments on the same post in two or three discrete columns, so everybody doesn't get to read everybody else's comments. Please twist the programmer's ears or something.

A few years ago a friend asked me if I would like to help her staff a small booth at our city’s Rose Festival Fun Center. The booth was a tiny trailer with a goofy sign on top that read, “Are you saved?”. I am a business owner, part of the advertising industry in our city with many professional connections. I was eager to talk to people about Jesus but dreading running into someone I know. I realized though (at least intellectually), that Jesus hung naked on a cross before his entire family and community for me. In some sense it must have been a very embarrassing spectacle. He preferred not going to the cross, but said, “not my will, but thy will be done”. Despite the shame, embarrassment and pain, He did it for me. How can I do anything less?

I think that when we give our testimony or talk about being “saved”, we too, are getting naked. We show a very intimate, vulnerable part of ourself. The world considers the cross foolishness. I am currently reading a volume on Church history and the Roman intellectuals during the first century considered Christians ignorant bumpkins, intellectual midgets. Things haven’t changed much.

I wouldn’t denigrate the word “saved” to mean “Hell avoidance”. That’s ridiculous and a charge that theologians and non-believers level at new believers. When I was saved in 1970 I knew that my selfish life was over, I was no longer lord and it was the first day of my birth into a new Kingdom. I didn’t aquire a new “faith” or mentally assent to the Bible’s doctrines, I put my whole future into the hands of the savior. (And, yes, I know that I was saved, I am being saved and I will be saved...Sozo is a process, but it has a birthdate). I’m not being religious here, that was how I felt and really how I feel today.

As it turned out, no business acquaintances came by and we were actually able to pray and counsel with many who wanted to meet Jesus. It was really outside my comfort zone, but I love those adventures that stretch us. My best friend today is somebody I prayed with at 19. So I think embarrassment could be a natural response to revealing the most personal things about yourself to another. I wish it wasn’t, but Jesus overcame it for our sake and we need to get over it for our brother’s sake too.