culture

Ours is a day of declining commitment to evangelism, fueled in part by a growing belief that sharing the gospel is wrong in a culture that elevates tolerance above all other values. But the “passive congeniality” that is unwilling to speak of Jesus in everyday conversation is not enough.

When God is our strength, we stay humble. When we lean on his sufficient grace, we know that our self-indulgence never leads to peace and joy. It's one of the Bible's wonderful ironies – you can't be a great man until you know that only God is great. When you grapple with that and believe it from the heart, it builds a foundation that keeps you from falling.

For the Christian, there are immovable Biblical principles that should mark and form the structures of our lives. These should not be moved, edited, or altered by cultural shifts.

Because of globalization and the internet, as well as the marching zeitgeist of postmodernism, words and their definitions have become more and more slippery. To help, we've compiled a list of crucial ideas that the Denison Forum frequently comments on, along with brief definitions (though their connotation may change in mere years), and biblical responses.

Sometimes Christians think of “culture” as all the “bad” stuff “out there.” But culture is simply what humans do with the world. When God told Adam and Eve to fill the Earth and subdue it, He was telling them to make good culture. The result is that there are stories, art, music, and technological inventions that glorify God and build His Kingdom. Christian believers’ contributions to culture and the arts have been historically some of the most beautiful and influential in the world. But evil corrupts culture-making, too. That’s why humanity also makes art that spreads bad ideas, lifts up false idols, and hurts people. 

You may have noticed that I have not discussed a contested or controversial subject in today’s report. This is not for lack of opportunity. Rather, I thought we would take a day off to discuss the news itself.

A new Gallup poll showed a massive 20-year drop in church attendance in America. While some believers are worried about these findings, others see them not as the demise of true faith, but of “cultural Christianity.” And, they add, good riddance to it.

Adapted from the Crosswalk article "5 Christian Clichés You Should Stop Using"

Every day on BreakPoint, our goal is to equip believers to live out their faith in the public square with clarity, confidence, and courage. It’s the same mission Chuck was on when he launched this commentary decades ago.

My pastor recently told me that 25 years ago, the first person that people would contact when they faced a marriage crisis was their pastor. Ten years ago, he continued, it was their counselor or psychiatrist. Today, it’s their lawyers.