Christianity Today

Friends,

In discussing socio-cultural issues in classes and with individuals, it has become apparent that the world we live in is (in some cases) rapidly changing around us...not a big revelation there, but a hard understanding for many to accept, perhaps. In sharing concerning evangelism, the people of our current culture view things differently than those who have gone before. While it is not the only area where we have struggled in our churches, it has become apparent that it is a prominent problem...even a crisis. We live in a socio-cultural time that theologians and sociologists label "postmodern." From the time of the end of the medieval period and the beginning of the "modern" era (about 400 to 500 years ago -- see Leonardo DaVinci, with the greatest changes occuring in the past 150 years) we humans have viewed matters from a "modern" perspective -- authority rules, the one story that matters is "His"story and..."just give me the facts (ma'am :-)," intellect has reigned supreme. And nowhere has intellect reigned more so than in our churches. As we have been transitioning from the "modern" era into a "postmodern" era over the past 20-30 years, we have seen some significant changes concerning how people relate to the world around them. (And this is interesting, since our Lord, Jesus and the apostle Paul immersed themselves in the culture that was contemporary to them, all the while not allowing culture to dictate their way). Where "authority" once ruled, now "tolerance" (and tolerance only) is king (except in relationship to how certain other social/religious groups view Christianity today...which, ironically, has become increasingly "intolerant" -- a reaction to the "authority" message of Christianity). We need to continue to respect authority and the authority of the Word of God all the while recognizing the place for certain tolerance...which, in our general understanding of spiritual principles, we would call grace or forbearance -- fundamental Christian principles. Also, there is no longer just "one story" that is acceptable to people in our "western" culture, now "any number of stories" have relevance, and we have seen this born out with the rise in the number of believers in eastern religions in our western society. People will believe what story will have the greatest (humanistic and "spiritual") meaning and impact on their lives. (Of course we believe His (Jesus') story is the message that everyone should hear and know)...but, the question is, how do we deliver it in and to a (postmodern) world where people value tolerance, multiple stories and finally...experience over intellect. For decades the "intellectual Christians and religionists" have decried and berated those who would desire and pursue "a more passionate Christian experience" as "out of touch" or "pentecostal", etc, etc. -- and, by the way, a more passionate pursuit of the Christian walk and worship has nothing to do with "pentecostalism" ;-). What is interesting is that "the out of touch" from one socio-cultural era, is now very much the "in touch" in the current culture we live in. Most younger people in this current culture (generation x or y or z, baby buster or whatever you want to call it :-) are no longer interested in the past 150 years of the purely intellectual pursuit of Christianity in life and worship, but now have become enlightened or emboldened (however it should be or is realized) to the necessity (and I believe that it's not just a cultural, but spiritual reality) of engaging not only the intellect, but the spirit and body as well. After all, this is the way that God made us, in order to exercise all three of these aspects of our human person...and why should it be any different concerning how we walk the Christian walk or worship(?). We have typically not had any problem with doing this at the football game or in the movie theater, but when it would come to "working out our faith in the Christian walk and worship," we have promoted the intellect, while diminishing the others. There has always been this incongruity (the word of the week :-) in my lifetime. I am so grateful that we are transitioning and beginning to be living in a time when people want to worship the Lord, not only with the mind, but in all areas of their humanity and in relationship to spirituality...there is a wholeness, a completeness about this. All of this, in turn, has a great impact on people today, who simply are not going to be content to continue to live and worship in a "modern" environment where only "intellect" is actualized, but where in the current society, individuals need to experience the Lord in multiple ways. When "religion" and culture clash, there is always a price to be paid...and we are seeing it all over the world. People are leaving "modern" environments by the hundreds, and even the thousands, in pursuit of a "greater" overall spiritual experience with the Lord and fellow believers. As stated in a previous posting, this does not mean that the message changes, only attitudes and methods in relationship to the changing environment. It is a difficult balance indeed, but one which we must undertake, or we cease to be relevant altogether and ultimately, disappear. Over the next few decades, it will be interesting in that we will continue to see the results of those groups who are able to make the necessary transitions and those who are not able to do so.

Don