Church and Culture

I enjoy reading the book reviews and other articles by Pastor Gary E. Gilley in Springfield, Ill. Once again, I wouldn't say that I agree with him on everything, but I do agree with him on a lot, especially concerning the Emergent Church. He does a thorough investigation and biblical analysis on their theology and books. Yesterday, I was reading this article that he had written last month on the Emergent Church and their Kingdom theology. He posted the following quote by Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Seminary, in regards to church and culture:


In rejecting the very real defects of fundamentalism during the past few decades, evangelicals have begun to take very seriously their responsibilities to the larger culture – and with some obvious signs of success. The questions we must face honestly are these: Have we sold a new policy to the culture – or has the culture sold us a policy (emphasis mine)


I believe this question is important to consider in light of what is taking place in the Western church. It is amazing to me how we watch Christianity trying to be so relevant and "cool" in our society today. We try the seeker-sensitive models where we try to get on their level and draw them in using any and all types of marketing schemes. We try to have the latest video productions and high-tech media, the coolest music that sounds just like (insert a popular secular band), as well as the coolest buildings loaded with video games and everything else to draw them in. It has even grown to the point where most of the Christian books written today are garnered towards seeing people come to the point of "self-actualization". Yes, of course I'm referring to Joel Osteen, but there are many others too. I'm not sure where we in Christendom have gotten this idea that if we water the Gospel down, make it look really cool and culturally saavy, then people are going to think that Christianity is worth trying. Hey, if you can have all of this and still fit into culture, who wouldn't want it? Of course, I think the latest group guilty of this type of Christianity (I use that term loosely here) is the Emergent Church. I am all for changing methods in the way the Gospel is presented to certain groups, but I am definitely not in favor of changing the message. The main problem with the Emergent Church is that they have molded and changed the Gospel message in order to reach a postmodern generation. Of course, Emergent theology is merely a re-packaging of 19th and 20th Century liberalism with a little Liberation Theology tossed in. I won't delve too deeply into that at this point, because that would take too much time. Pastor Gilley made the following quote in regards to the previous quote about the Church and culture:


This is a most thought-worthy question in light of the emergent church movement’s recent inroads into evangelicalism, and in some cases even fundamentalism. The emergent church is a movement deeply concerned with impacting the culture. But evidence is mounting to the effect that culture is having more impact on the emergent movement than the other way around. As a matter of fact emergent seems to be chasing culture, even imitating culture, rather than changing it. The reason this is true has to do with its understanding of the kingdom of God.


Here is my question: Has the Gospel lost its power? Why do we feel the need to alter its message or make it more culturally relevant in order for people to come to Christ? I am not only referring to the Emergent Church, but to Western Christianity as a whole, though the Emergent Church is the most guilty at this moment. It is almost as if we have taken on the "high school Christian" method of evangelism. When Christians in high school try to make it seem like, "Hey, we can be cool too!" and imitate the world in our music, clothes, and way we do church. I know I used to think like that in high school. I believe that we think the gospel message is not powerful enough to impact people or change their lives unless we make it better for them to receive. History has shown that the church grows the most under persecution. Now, don't get me wrong here. I am all for trying to impact the culture in every arena and area of our culture. Yet, I'm not for changing the message to make it better to swallow or not as demanding as it really is. The problem I believe is that we are breeding superficial churches that are feeding off spiritual milk instead of growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). We need to disciple our people in the fundamentals of the faith, building a strong foundation, and continuing to allow them to mature as Christians. Stop tailoring our messages and evangelism to people's "feelings" and give them the meat of the Gospel. Maybe then, our churches will stop chasing after everything that looks or sounds "spiritual" and be able to discern that which is right and wrong. Yet, we have people going out to buy the latest book promoted by Oprah and allowing it to be their "spiritual guide".


It is important for the Christian body to love our neighbors and reach out to them wherever they are. However, we need to reach them with the Gospel message that never changes, no matter whether the winds of culture are blowing back and forth. Our anchor needs to be in the Lord and not in some self-refuting claims that we have to doubt everything, which in turn puts us in the uncomfortable and self-refuting position of having to doubt even the idea of doubting everything. I pray that the church will continue to reach the culture, confront it, and change it. Not the other way around.