The more time marches on the more things stay the same. The church finds herself in a culture of consumerism. The temptation is ever the same: to appeal to the cultural mindset in the name of and in an effort to reach people. The problem lies in the fact that in attempting to do so, that is, in attempting to contextualize, there is always the danger of falling into compromise and therefore into irrelevance. In the race to be relevant, we can be tripped up, as it were, prior to crossing the finish line.

In addition, there is the notion that the culture is in a constant state of flux and indeed it is on many fronts and hence the drive to contextualize. At the same time, change is often merely apparent or surface. Philosophical underpinnings may be the same over time.

Further, still, there is the notion in the contemporary church that we cannot put forth propositional truth for at least two reasons. First, we’re not sure about the truth. Second, if we are sure, we must allow others their opinions. Each of these dynamics is set forth in terms of being humble. “How humble we are to admit that we don’t understand the truth or attempt to force it upon others!” Should such an idea be embraced? And, is such a dynamic really a new development or the same old response to the same old problem? Does it not amount to catering to the consumer?

On today’s edition of “Calling for Truth,” we’ll talk about Christians and contextualization in a consumerist culture.

We talk a lot about advancing the Kingdom of God in the culture in which we find ourselves by God’s providence. At issue is the church being the church and being salt and light. Of course, it is difficult to impact our world if we are missing some things vital to the invasion as it were.

A question was put before a number of evangelical leaders recently: what is the most crying need of the church in America today? The answers were pointed and striking. Consider part of D.A. Carson’s response: “But if the context of the question focuses on “in America today,” such that there is an implicit comparison with other places (e.g. Rwanda, France) or times (e.g. America in the nineteenth century), then one thinks of the sweep of challenges particularly characteristic in America at the beginning of the twenty-first century: rising biblical illiteracy, relativism steeped in the more extreme forms of postmodernism, formulaic forms of “evangelical” belief characterized by neither delight in God nor obedience to him, the seductive power of the strange mix of secularization and assorted “spiritualities,” the perennial invitation to live in fear or be snookered by visions of imperial strength, the world awash in an astonishing diversity of entertainments to fill up all the moments when we are not being seduced by either power or sex, and much more of the same.”

We will consider the issues raised by Carson as well as other issues from other thinkers. At the same time, we will ask the question of you.

On today’s edition of “Calling for Truth,” we’ll have a conversation about the most crying need of the church in America today.

Christians are concerned with living in the world in which God has placed us in a way that honors Him, attracts people to Christ, and effects change around us. So often it is difficult to know how to accomplish this. Additionally, we are confronted with conflicting ways to accomplish such a dynamic. What are we to do? Sometimes we need a very simple reminder: hold the truth.

While each one of us needs this reminder, I’m focused on this idea at the moment as I think about High School graduation this week. In fact, my own son graduates Thursday along with thousands of others. I can’t believe I have a son going to college as I’m really not old enough for that! Nevertheless, the time is here. What do I tell him? Maybe you’re facing the same prospect and asking the same question. Of course, your situation may be different. But, the same word God has for my son is the same word He has for me and indeed for you.

Richard Dawkins, the militant atheist asserts that those who believe in God have mental problems. The Kinks, while not popular today, sang about what is increasingly pervasive in our culture: the acceptance of homosexuality in one form or another. But, note their comment on the issue: “it’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world except for Lola,” the transvestite. What do we do in such a world where we are the ones viewed as mixed up and not Richard Dawkins or Lola?

On today’s edition of “Calling for Truth,” we’ll talk about “Holding the Truth.”

We ought to memorize 2 Chron. 12:32a: “the sons of Issachar…had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” If the church is to be effective in this rapidly changing world, we must understand the times and know what to do. We find ourselves with a mix of naturalistic and relativistic thought in the public square. At the same time, we are faced with a mix of dead orthodoxy and anti-intellectualism in the church. Does such a mix in the church bode well for our witness in the cultural mix God has given us in which to labor?

The Church is perishing today through a lack of thinking that leads to vitality. We have experience-oriented emotionalism which has no anchor for souls who face tough times; religion-centered liberalism which has no attraction for intellectual, cultural elites; and entertainment-mall-mega-churches which seem to have little real power to produce new converts in significant numbers. However, it’s no time to panic. The church has something the world does not have if we would only embrace it: a word from God. In light of such, it’s time to get serious about that word as we find ourselves in serious times. It’s time to be men of Issachar.

On today’s edition of “Calling for Truth,” we’ll talk about serious minded Christianity for serious times.