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Change the World? Yes! But Not With This Strategy.
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Show Notes
Every Christian is called to be an agent of change.
Our Mandate
-the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) – Change the world by making disciples (Learn more by listening to the episode , “The Church’s One Thing”).
-the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:35-40) – Change the world through love.
Jesus’ Mission
-Luke 4:18,19
to proclaim good news to the poor…
to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus’ Message
Matthew 18:3
Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:17
If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!“
Jesus’ Method?
One strategy of some Christians to change American culture is that of INC Christianity. I found this fascinating article at www.fastcompany.com written by Brad Christerson and Richard Flory on March 17, 2017. It helped me gain a better understanding of what is happening in American politics today.
My purpose in this post though is not so much to be political but to look at the strategy these Christians are using.
INC Christianity
According to this article, INC Christianity is led by a “network of popular independent religious entrepreneurs” who have close ties to many conservative U.S. politicians, including President Donald Trump.
The strategy of this movement is different from that of most churches, denominations and Christian movements in several ways but the one that I am most interested in is their strategy to change American culture by putting Christians in positions of power. Seven areas of influence or “mountains of culture” are identified as: business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, family, and religion. The belief, according to the article is that “if Christians rise to the top of all seven “mountains,” society will be completely transformed”.
While I applaud the approach of engaging in culture rather than running from it as many Christians do, this strategy is doomed to fail for two reasons:
? the nature of the human heart
? the nature of politics
This approach is very human-centered. Any group wanting to change the culture would adopt this strategy, but it is not God’s way. It does not require relying on the spiritual resources available to Christians.
And, it was not Jesus’ approach.
If it was such a good idea, why didn’t Jesus use it? His approach is very different and He continues to change the world!
I believe Christians should be in places of influence but the examples we have in scripture of people like Esther, Joseph and Daniel (Listen to podcast episode Facing Present Crises By Looking to the Past) show that God put people in positions of power after they had been tested and learned to trust Him and His guidance. They rose to power in God’s time, not according to their ambitions and agenda.
What then is Jesus’ method for changing the world? Check in next week to find out!
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