Does Christianity have a future ? Part 3

How can we start a dialogue with a culture that has become foreign and resistant to Christian concepts?

We need a strategy. We can apply the concepts presented in the parable recorded in Matthew 13:3-23. It is the story of a farmer who scatters seed among the fields. Jesus talks about seed falling on many places that fail to take root, but in verse 8, some of the seeds fall on fertile soil that produces a crop that is 60 to 100 times what has been planted.

A harvest does not magically appear. It requires preparation and strategic planning. It must be put in the right soil, one that is broken up and moist so that it will grow. It must also be nurtured and watered before it will produce a harvest.

We are throwing seeds in many places with little or no return. The key to reaching this generation for Christ is determining what fertile soil is. Today’s fertile soil is the media, and it can be used to reseed the culture with a Biblical message. The media can only be part of the solution, along with many other things, including the power of prayer, unity in the Body of Christ, and racial reconciliation, as well as teaching that emphasizes the Bible as the source of all truth.

What we do in the next ten years will affect what Christianity and society will look like in America for the remainder of the 21st Century. Christianity has always been a moving target. God’s Word never changes. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. But Christianity has evolved over the centuries. It has constantly been a work-in-progress. Christians have therefore interpreted the Bible differently for each generation according to the current cultural perspective. Today’s media culture presents a unique challenge to the Christian faith. No one can accurately predict what Christianity may look like in the next 20 or 50 years. A significant amount of truth has been added back to the faith over the last couple of centuries. We believe Christ is the only way to obtain salvation and that salvation is only available through grace. Is it possible these teachings could be lost again to future generations?

The market-driven church and the emergent church, along with the media culture, is changing the face of Christianity. If we don’t respond and maximize our opportunities to reach out to this current generation, we could very well see a different Gospel preached in the future. Perhaps it will be one in which there are many pathways to heaven. The Ten Commandments could become the Ten Suggestions. Other religions may be elevated to the same level as Christianity. We could very well teach a philosophy that all religions are equal and contain the same truth that will lead all of us to a transcendent heaven. We must act fast. Our window of opportunity is closing.

Friday Part 4