Cultural Literacy

Many Christians are culturally out of touch. I don't mean that they aren't up to date on their pop culture. I mean that they have little understanding of what culture is.

To these Christians, culture is all the stuff in the world that is different than "what Christians do." Here is an example of this mindset:

Redesigning the church to suit one's own cultural or generational preferences (as opposed to seeking a biblical approach to church order) is the very thing that caused the evangelical movement to run aground in the first place.

This implies that there is a neutral culture or, even worse, a "biblical culture" in which Christians can and should live. It says in so many words that there is only one way, "the biblical way," to structure a church.

And there are many other voices calling for a return to "traditional values." One news commentator styles himself as a cultural warrior.

There is no doubt that contemporary culture is growing increasingly hostile to organized religion. And there are many values of today's culture that are in direct conflict with the gospel. But this has always been so.

There has never been a time when society did not present a threat to the gospel.

• This was true in first-century Israel.
  
• It was true in fourth-century Constantinople.
  
• It was true in twentieth-century America.
  

When modern missionaries first started evangelizing the peoples of the world, they often were more focused on instilling western culture than in instilling biblical values.

Much of this seems obvious to us now. Few Christians would confuse these western values with biblical Christianity:

• Capitalism
  
• Democracy
  
• Western ideas of modesty
  
• American hymnody
  

But there are many aspects of contemporary Christianity that have no biblical foundation. Even though they've become a common part of Christian practice and culture, they are relatively recent additions.

Here's a list of elements found in churches and Christian observance:

• Altar calls
  
• Baptism
  
• Cathedrals
  
• Christmas
  
• Church buildings
  
• Clergy
  
• Easter
  
• Evangelism program
  
• Individual Bible study
  
• Jesus as personal Savior
  
• Ordination
  
• Organ music
  
• Pews
  
• Priests
  
• Public reading of Scripture
  
• Revival meetings
  
• Sacred music
  
• Sanctuaries
  
• Sermon
  
• Sunday Sabbath observance
  
• Sunday worship
  
• Weekly offering
  

Tell me which ones you think are essential to Christianity and the gospel.

Pastor Rod

"Helping you become the person God created you to be"