Dr Watson, you’ve raised many questions about how we, the called out people of God should respond to our rapidly changing culture. I’m in agreement with all your recommendations. I’d like to offer a few additional ones of my own. First, and foremost we theologically conservative believers need to be clear that our allegiance is to Christ and his kingdom and not the Republican party. Secondly our primary message to the unbelieving world is that the Church is to embrace, display, and serve as a preview to the consummated Kingdom of God. And thirdly, like Allen Hirsch and other missiologists have suggested, we need to adjust our evangelistic outreach to reflect the demographic that is out there rather than the one we’d like it to be.
I think that Orthodox Jews do have something to teach us: they are an extremely tight knit community, and all their identity is derived from their community and faith. You will become like those whom you identify with, for better or for worse. If Christianity is going to survive in the west, we must form communities that eat together, play together, support each other, etc. The Christian school is a nice start. If your child’s three best friends aren’t dedicated Christians, they probably won’t be either. If sports trumps spending time with other believers, don’t be surprised if your children drift away. They want to belong, and we believe like the group we belong to in most cases. Furthermore, a thriving community is a great place to invite unbelievers into. Think of what an excellent job the LGTBQ folks have done at this. Almost all my students in that group started off as misfits, and that community gave them an identity (false, for sure, but an identity nonetheless) and a people to belong to. The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.
The concept is valid . It is difficult to ( in some cases) sort through especially when we find believers in the middle and on different sides. Thanks, Jim
“ Pleasing God …… pleasing people “ has allowed for monsters to overcome the faithful - Waco and Jim Jones come to mind. This bifurcated worldview tragically catches us, fosters tribalism, denies pluralism.
Dr Watson, you’ve raised many questions about how we, the called out people of God should respond to our rapidly changing culture. I’m in agreement with all your recommendations. I’d like to offer a few additional ones of my own. First, and foremost we theologically conservative believers need to be clear that our allegiance is to Christ and his kingdom and not the Republican party. Secondly our primary message to the unbelieving world is that the Church is to embrace, display, and serve as a preview to the consummated Kingdom of God. And thirdly, like Allen Hirsch and other missiologists have suggested, we need to adjust our evangelistic outreach to reflect the demographic that is out there rather than the one we’d like it to be.
Another excellent article
I think that Orthodox Jews do have something to teach us: they are an extremely tight knit community, and all their identity is derived from their community and faith. You will become like those whom you identify with, for better or for worse. If Christianity is going to survive in the west, we must form communities that eat together, play together, support each other, etc. The Christian school is a nice start. If your child’s three best friends aren’t dedicated Christians, they probably won’t be either. If sports trumps spending time with other believers, don’t be surprised if your children drift away. They want to belong, and we believe like the group we belong to in most cases. Furthermore, a thriving community is a great place to invite unbelievers into. Think of what an excellent job the LGTBQ folks have done at this. Almost all my students in that group started off as misfits, and that community gave them an identity (false, for sure, but an identity nonetheless) and a people to belong to. The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.
The concept is valid . It is difficult to ( in some cases) sort through especially when we find believers in the middle and on different sides. Thanks, Jim
Amen
“ Pleasing God …… pleasing people “ has allowed for monsters to overcome the faithful - Waco and Jim Jones come to mind. This bifurcated worldview tragically catches us, fosters tribalism, denies pluralism.
Misuse of a concept doesn’t mean that the concept is flawed. Basic logical mistake.