It amazes me when I hear Christian’s talk about outsiders as if they are some foreign object, rather than real people. I think this often happens because statistics show that five years after someone converts to Christianity, they no longer have close friends who are not Christians. So, when they talk of outsiders it’s easy to objectify them since they don’t know many personally.

Matt Casper is an outsider. Jim Henderson invited Matt Casper to visit a bunch of churches with him and they wrote a book about it called, Jim and Casper Go to Church. Once you get to know Matt Casper you will think of outsiders differently. Matt has an infectious laugh and loves to make inflammatory comments. Read on and you’ll either be laughing or inflamed by what he has to say!

Elizabeth: What inspires you to participate in the Born Again Church Tour 2008?

Matt: Jim pays me. Naw, naw, it’s way more than that. JK, as the kids say…

I dig talking to people about their beliefs and my lack thereof. And I like teaming with Jim and his whole crew to show people that, yes, we can all get along.

Also, I like the chance to humanize the word atheist. I think that’s important…

Elizabeth: Why do you care what outsiders think about Christianity, Christians, The Church?

Matt: Because I am one…? The answer should be obvious: because the church/ the faith/the call-it-what-you-will is based on attracting outsiders. Jesus did not say, “Pssst… god is great. Now don’t tell anyone!”

Elizabeth: If you have a MySpace or Facebook account, how many not-yet-Christians would I find in your group of friends compared to Christians? (Obviously this number will be skewed by the number of people who ask to be your friend because you are a public figure, but this ratio is still of interest.)

Matt: You would find a robust mix of believers and non-believers. Until I started this project with Jim, I didn’t know which of my friends were which. Now, I have a pretty good idea. Of course, who actually walks the walk comprises a teeny, tiny amount of people.

Elizabeth: Tell me briefly about one significant relationship you have with someone who does not self-identify as a Christian?

Matt: Well, there’s my relationship with me (that’s a biggie). But Jim and Jason Evans are my significant faith-based friends. I have some Catholic friends, too, but they are much, much, much, much, much, much harder to talk to about their faith as “it’s not up for discussion.”

Elizabeth: In what ways do you think people who are not Christ-followers care about the work you are doing?

Matt: As a “not Christ-follower” myself, I can say that I enjoy what OTM and other “money/method/means where your mouth is” Christians are doing - it’s something the country needs to hear more about.

As I often say, if everyone in America who SAYS they’re Christian actually DID what Jesus said, we’d have no homeless, no poverty, no healthcare crisis, no income disparity, no “pre-emptive wars,” and on and on and on.

Elizabeth: Dan Kimball in They Like Jesus but Not the Church writes about life in the christian bubble, what are your thoughts on this concept and can you tell me about any experiences you have had with such a phenomena?

Matt: I think Dan himself is a bubble boy of sorts. After all, he hides what he does from his non-Christian friends (blowing his own bubble as it were). But I think most evangelical Christians I have met–Southern Baptists as a prime example–purposely live in a bubble.

Rather than exploring and enjoying our vast and varied culture, they segment and restrict it. It’s too bad because I find that you learn a boatload more from people who are different from you than from people who are exactly the same as you.

Analogy: GW Bush lived in a bubble–didn’t want to hear opinions he didn’t share, didn’t want to learn about other countries and their practices, didn’t explore all the options… and he made a HUGE mess of our economy, our military, and our status as a world leader.

Elizabeth: Please share some of your thoughts on diversity and tolerance in relation to Christianity, Christians, The Church?

Matt: Christians need to do so much work on tolerance and embracing diversity, I don’t know where to begin. Sexist and racist are accurate descriptions for many of the practices of today’s Christians and Christian organizations, and I think one guy had it right when he asked, “Is this what Jesus told you do?” (r) 2008, intellectual property of Matt Casper and Associates.

Elizabeth: Gregory Boyd in The Myth of a Christian Nation thinks the quest for a Christian nation undermines the kingdom of God, what are your thoughts on this?

Matt: Hell yeah. Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. Caesar was a nation builder; Jesus was a relationship builder.

Elizabeth: Describe some of your hopes and dreams for the local expression of the body of Christ that you are connected with as well as the body of Christ in America and the world?

Matt: I simply want to see Christians do what Jesus asked them to do. I know I cannot change anyone’s beliefs, so in the meantime, I’ll just continue to hold their feet to the fire.

Elizabeth: Is there anything else you’d like to say about The Born Again Church Tour 2008?

Matt: Everyone should go to it and buy that Casper guy a drink or two afterward.

Get your tickets today to The Born Again Church Tour 2008 nearest you!