Post This, Post That

In America we are noticing an obvious decline in Christian prominence in politics. There is a lot of people wondering what happened to our so-called "Christ country." As you well know, we are in a post-modern society. If you didn't know that, then you probably don't know what post-modern even means. So, basically, it is a philosophy with the mantra "To each his own." In other words, don't tell me how to live me life and I will do the same for you. Morality is relative, values are relative, faith is relative, and we are all gonna die anyways.

If you thought that was bad, we are also becoming post-Christian society. We are moving into an interesting transition. The baby-boomers (people who are roughly 50+) are a group of people who grew up in church. On Sunday, you went to church with your family. That is simply what you did. Those people still go to church every Sunday. Everyone in that generation at least knows of basic Bible stories. Specifically in the Bible belt it means that everybody is "Christian." Christian is more of a cultural norm that a religion around here. But now kids aren't growing up in church. Lot's of kids never have even been to church. Most kids know nothing about the Bible and know nothing about the face of true discipleship.

That seems really bleak, doesn't it? Maybe not. Maybe this is a good thing? It is fine to disagree with me, but I would like to propose that it is perhaps not a good thing, but it is okay.

Post-modernity, if lived even semi-consistently, is open to interpretation. That is apathetic and pretty lazy, but could be helpful. The modern era, which we have moved out of, was much more rigid. That was the era of science versus religion. That was the era of mocking religion. Post-modernity is the era of "we'll see." There is a lot more curiosity, openness, and hopefully more honesty. It is refreshing to hear more of the answer "I don't know." People are starting to break away from the rigid and look for answers. I believe, as I hope you do, that Christianity has the best, most adequate answers to all of the most important questions in life. So I am not afraid to of openness, if I am ready to go out and get the lost. Take courage from that. There is an opportunity here!

The fact that we are becoming post-Christian is a little rougher, but I still see the potential. I said that everybody was "Christian" for the longest time in America-- it was just what we did (similar to Jewish or Muslim traditions today). Christianity was more of a uniting cultural norm that a sanctifying corporate faith. Now people are being forced to be more honest. I had a friend tell me that in the northwest of America you are either a Christian or you aren't; there is no middle ground. I would posit that that's how it should be. I think that when we begin to become more post-Christian we will be forced to either give up a no-longer-convenient faith and cash it in for the humanism that we have been practicing all along, OR we will have to take a stand for the radical calling of Christ. I think it could be revolutionary to the American church. It would shrink massively, but I am convinced more and more that size is a very limited indicator of discipleship. God desires true disciples, not numbers.

Like coffee, we will have to go through a filter. That filter keeps all the distasteful grinds from falling down into your hot coffee. only the coffee, the good stuff that has stayed on the narrow road that leads to life, will remain after the strain. It will eliminate worthless lip-service churches. It will scatter those who go to church for a social gathering. I think the church would be forced to be genuine or die.

I think that Christianity has been taken for granted and abused by us Americans, at times. However, I am hopeful that we will continue to head the right direction. I think the landscapes and the strategies are going to evolve, but Christ will remain the cornerstone of the true church. I am excited to have the opportunity to deliver the Gospel to the open minds of our generation. I would like to invite you to join in with me. If you aren't sure if your faith is genuine, ask the mature Christian who knows you because it's time to find out. If you are true, let's do our job and go out to get people. We have a mission field everywhere we step.