For the past 30 years the American Church has waged a hard fought battle against the progress (or decline?) of American Culture. Lobbying for elections, picketing for social reform, developing coalitions such as the Christian Right, producing ultra-conservative news shows like the 700 Club, rallying most Bible-believing Christians to one Grand Old Party, etc., etc., etc. The intent (I think good) was to keep the American cultural basically Christian in values and morality. There was probably another intent to use the American Government as a platform for spreading Christian ideas throughout the world (probably not so good!). Of course, all this has resulted in increasing polarization and hatred between the conservative Christians and the liberal Secularists. Thus, “Culture War.”
As a conservative Christian leader, several things are evident to me: (1) the Christian Right didn’t really fight the good fight; (2) the GOP wanted Christian votes but not so much Christian values; and (3) the Culture War is coming to an end and social entropy seems to be the victor.
Interestingly enough, the Bible never sanctions Christians as “Culture Warriors.” Instead God tells us to “Pray for kings and all those in authority so that you may live quiet lives,” in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. And more importantly commissioning us, not to affect elections, but to affect eternity for as many Souls as possible by making Disciples (Christ-followers) by “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you,” in Matthew 28:19-20.
Jud Wilhite of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas writes: “The perception of hypocrisy emerges when we start fighting the “culture war”—meaning we attack people’s behavioral patterns rather than love them as people. Or we lobby to legislate morality. In Las Vegas, where I live, the culture war is over. We lost. Let me repeat: we lost. Now our calling is to love and accept people one-on-one, caring for them where they are. Our role is subversive as we carry the light and love of Jesus into the casinos, clubs, and streets of our city. We’re trying to flip the perception of hypocrisy by being honest and straightforward about our faults and our hope for transformation in Jesus. And we’re joining our community in a different culture war—one that attacks poverty, crime, addiction, and pain. We are active in helping the homeless, we’ve declared war on child hunger in the Vegas valley, and we are showing our faith by our actions, even if imperfectly” (UnChristian, David Kinnaman, 61-62).
As I see our culture in decline I am agreeing more and more with Jud Wilhite. It seems the culture war is lost. Which I suppose is okay because we can finally get focused on the more important thing: recovering people for God!
