Living for Jesus in a secularizing world

[Jazman]

I notice here, as well as social media, a lot of fear and outrage etc, despite living in a country with more religious freedom and probably more christianize in the air than most countries on the planet. Yet, no doubt, the US is becoming more secular, post-Christian. Again lot's of fear and anxiety amongst christendom about this.

But, of course there's Hope and here's a series of podcasts I've been listening to, that are so informative and also really hopeful. I find hope (from Christ) in these guy's stories and discussion. Both seem fairly orthodox but not sheltered. Both live and pastor in some of the most secular cities in the world; yet -- they are unafraid, they are hopeful, they are optimistic, they are engaged with their communities and they are following Jesus and they are thriving.*

I recommend the whole series but the one I post here has a short shout-out to Anabaptism towards the end. (* around about the 28min mark)
Enjoy.

A podcast about following Jesus in the post-christian world. This Cultural Moment is a collaboration of Bridgetown Church in Portland, USA and Red Church in Melbourne, Australia.
Progressives as The New Pharisees and The Immorality of The Christian Sex Ethic

[Josh]

Anabaptists in particular should not fret about a “post-Christian culture”; their origins were recognising the culture around them was actually not Christian at all.

[Jazman]

Anabaptists in particular should not fret about a “post-Christian culture”; their origins were recognising the culture around them was actually not Christian at all.

Agreed. It's why I posted this particular episode, although I think they're all pretty good. I find hope in the fact that two pastors who I don't think come from Anabaptist background, are looking to Anabaptism as a light and hopeful way to live without fear in the world (as opposed to many other branches of so-called christianity)

[RZehr]

Anabaptists in particular should not fret about a “post-Christian culture”; their origins were recognising the culture around them was actually not Christian at all.

[temporal1]

Anabaptists in particular should not fret about a “post-Christian culture”; their origins were recognising the culture around them was actually not Christian at all.

i understand the phrase “post-Christian” is quite a popular one in the world.
as a Christian, it makes me squirm. i reject the phrase, i suspect it’s rooted in today’s presumption that “all becomes obsolete,” often sooner rather than later.

this is anathema to everlasting Jesus Christ.

coincidentally, this writer uses the phrase, “pre-Christian” to help describe his view on this:
i’ve sometimes used “pre-Christian,” not connected to this writer or essay, but in similar NT thought process.

“Do We Live in a Post-Christian Society?“
https://www.crossway.org/articles/do-we ... n-society/

What Does It Mean to Be Christian?

I do not believe that we're living in a post-Christian society if you define Christian the way that the New Testament does.

When people ask me that, I usually say we're living in, at best, a pre-Christian society.

I don't think there's a golden age in the past where there has ever been a nostalgic Christian society. ..

pagan is pagan.

for perspective,
Jesus was not born into a “Christian” world. the world was not “Christian” when He was crucified.
the word, “Christian” was not in immediate use. Jesus did not use the word, “Christian.”
the NT defines Christianity without using that particular word. “I Am The Way” .. John 14:6

i could not get the podcast to function. i tried.

[PeterG]

i understand the phrase “post-Christian” is quite a popular one in the world.
as a Christian, it makes me squirm. i reject the phrase, i suspect it’s rooted in today’s presumption that “all becomes obsolete,” often sooner rather than later.

For what it's worth, I've most often seen this phrase and concept used by Christians. Francis Schaeffer used it frequently, for example.

coincidentally, this writer uses the phrase, “pre-Christian” to help describe his view on this:
i’ve sometimes used “pre-Christian,” not connected to this writer or essay, but in similar NT thought process.

“Do We Live in a Post-Christian Society?“
https://www.crossway.org/articles/do-we ... n-society/

What Does It Mean to Be Christian?

I do not believe that we're living in a post-Christian society if you define Christian the way that the New Testament does.

When people ask me that, I usually say we're living in, at best, a pre-Christian society.

I don't think there's a golden age in the past where there has ever been a nostalgic Christian society. ..

Russell Moore strikes again! A very good article.

[temporal1]

Peter:
“Russell Moore strikes again! A very good article.”

it’s dated January 2018.
his basis aligns so closely with at least one former MD discussion, as i think about it, i have to wonder if Mr Moore reads this forum? or, read MD?

esp on busy MD, i would wonder how many topics were used in school papers, maybe even sermons?
i mean, it seems plausible. why would this not happen?

[Valerie]

Anabaptists in particular should not fret about a “post-Christian culture”; their origins were recognising the culture around them was actually not Christian at all.

I listened to the podcost- wow- It's interesting to hear a younger generation pastor's perspectives and observations- some of it I wasn't sure, at my age, if I would have analyzed it the same- I think I will have to listen again- I was more looking forward to the end when the American pastor brought up Anabaptists. I think that for the most part, most of mainstream Christianity was totally unaware of "Anabaptists" until more recently- they are 'the quiet in the land' so to speak. Wondering how people are increasingly more aware of them? Amish Romance Novels- hit the Christian bookstores- now you see myriads of them and their gaining popularity- throughout the nation- and it's peaked curiosity about the Anabaptists- until the movie "Witness" came out, I think most Christians were clueless about them unless you grew up in Ohio, PA, IN, for example- but- as I have shared, when I became interested- about 10 yrs ago I went into A Christian bookstore and asked for Anabaptist publications- and the owner said "Maam, I've owned this bookstore (approx.) 40 years & I never even heard of Anabaptists" (those were not his exact words, it's been awhile but you get my drift). With us being only a little over an hour from Holmes County OH- I found this quite perplexing!! I suppose if I had of said Amish or Mennonite instead of Anabaptist he may have known then- just was wondering the young pastor in the podcast- he apparently was studying the Reformation- most Evangelicals don't study the Reformation- they're aware- but look at it as 'long ago' and don't really get into it- (at least from my experience through the decades).

At any rate- referring to Josh's comments- I think the difference between how Evangelicals may view the surrounding culture and Anabaptists sects- is why they are called "Evangelicals"-
The Great Commission:

Matthew 28:19
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.



In other words, I believe that the viewpoint of the early Church and forward was to believe they were to somehow "Christianize" the nations, leading them out of paganism- wasn't that the Great Commission? Not to necessarily become the quiet in the land- if we were to be the quiet in the land, I doubt so many in the early Church would have been killed- I doubt millions in Russia (Orthodox Christians) would have been killed - if we aren't offending anyone with our Christianity- they will leave us alone, correct?

Just pondering all this-considering that before the man of lawlessness & the Return of Christ- it was prophesied that there would be a 'falling away' so whatever we see happening now- is in line with what was prophesied before the Second Advent of Christ

[EJM]

Temp says;
the NT defines Christianity without using that particular word. “I Am The Way” .. John 14:6

Don't like being disagreeable but..........
Check out
Acts 11:6 and
Acts 26:28 and,
I Pet 4:16

[Bootstrap]

i understand the phrase “post-Christian” is quite a popular one in the world.
as a Christian, it makes me squirm. i reject the phrase, i suspect it’s rooted in today’s presumption that “all becomes obsolete,” often sooner rather than later.

For what it's worth, I've most often seen this phrase and concept used by Christians. Francis Schaeffer used it frequently, for example.

I think there is a view among some Christians that Western culture is a Christian culture and we must win the culture wars because Christianity is the basis of our culture and we must fight to prevent our culture from changing and becoming less Christian. This is the world that talks about post-Christian society, as though American in the 1950s was an ideal for the Kingdom of God.

That's hard to reconcile with an Anabaptist theology that focuses on building the Kingdom of God and working primarily by being salt and light, loving fervently and sacrificially, and living for God. And America never was that Kingdom of God. Neither was any other country. At any time. America will become a Christian society when it is based on discipleship to Jesus Christ and holy living and rejects much of what most Americans live for.

We can't force the bread to rise. We can't shame the bread into rising. We can't debate the bread into rising. We can be yeast.