Is Our Gospel Strong Enough to Transform a Culture this Broken?
by Rev. Mark Tidsworth
The one belief Americans agree on more than others is that this is a divided and fractured nation. Even more, most of us are grieved about the rampant breakdown of civility in public discourse, the antagonism in local communities, and the active efforts of too many towards dividing us further. This is the context wherein we are church these days. In this context, sometimes we wonder where the hope has gone. Is the gospel of Jesus Christ we preach, teach, and live strong enough to transform a culture this broken?
Recently, one of our clergy cohorts engaged in an activity that provides hope. First we invited these pastors from various Christian denominations to identify popular cultural beliefs in our society. After developing an extensive list, here’s the edited-down version for you.
Difference breaks relationship and community. When your perspective is different than mine, then we are opponents or perhaps even enemies. When your perspective is different than mine, then we cannot be friends, colleagues, or even church together.
Uniformity and conformity are necessary ingredients of unity.
Fear is a legitimate and primary driver for how we relate to our communities and larger world.
Being angry at most everyone is a legitimate way to be in relationship.
Then we moved on to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a culture like ours, wherein division and hate seem to be ruling the day, what’s the good news of the gospel sound like? Here’s the list generated by these pastors.
Our identity is centered on someone outside of ourselves, rather than ourselves.
Doing something new doesn’t repudiate the former thing we were doing, it simply points to a God who’s innovating.
Fear says what we are against, the gospel says what we are for.
Our community transcends individual differences.
People can be reconciled to one another through the reconciliation of Jesus Christ in each of us.
Love is more important than the bottom line – financially, and otherwise.
We don’t have to be afraid.
Faith in Jesus is not an alternative fact.
The story of God is past, present, and future… Truth lasts while cultural myths come and go.
Church works when everyone finds a place rather than being on the same page – harmony is better than singing in unison.
We suspend judgment on one another.
God so loves the world, God will go to extreme lengths to demonstrate that love.
Every person is made in the image of God and is valued.
Since God forgives each of us, we also forgive one another.
Differences don’t break us; we can be in relationship with each other regardless of differences.
Unity is the result of oneness in Jesus Christ; everything else is lower level.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, so we will not be afraid.
We are God’s demonstration plot; an example of what it looks like when God creates a community.
So here’s the primary question for churches living in the crazy, Postmodern context: Do we have a better alternative story to the prevailing myths of our day? Or put another way, how good, strong, or transformational is the gospel we are sharing? The gospel has always been counter-cultural (that’s partly why Jesus was crucified). Here in 2024, the gospel is more counter-cultural than ever in American society. Passivity, more than ever, is even more damaging than before. So just how strong is the Jesus we teach? Can our church’s version of Jesus transform this world toward the better, even though it’s more of a counter-cultural message than ever before in our lifetimes? (Or is our church’s story nearly identical to the prevailing cultural myths, with religious language sprinkled on top?)
It’s Time
Now, more than ever, this world needs living demonstrations of what it is to be in relationship with others who are different. When church breaks out among us, human differences recede in importance. Those longing for a new and better way dare to practice radical hospitality with each other, embodying the love of Jesus Christ in a culture which has no idea how to be in relationship with those who don’t agree on most everything. During the twentieth century in this USA the church was often a companion and even purveyor of popular culture. Now, the Church is becoming more counter-cultural than ever, living into its identity as a contrast community. Christ-followers on this side of the Postmodern transition are not afraid of appearing counter-cultural or even unconventional, embracing their identity as a contrast community of Christian disciples.
Yes, our gospel of Jesus Christ is strong enough for a world like this.