Chuck Colson went on the air today pleading with Christians to enter the public square and speak out. This is a bold move on his part to engage
directly with listeners and to get your take on things. It is a challenge to the church. He says he will read all the comments and reply to selected ones -- either online or on the air.
From talking with Chuck about this, I know he is not just looking for people who agree with him to comment. It is time for vigorous, open discourse. Too many of us have been passive. We believe what we believe, but we haven't felt free or bold enough to get out and start talking publicly about it. Maybe it is shyness -- maybe fear of stirring up controversy -- or maybe, as Chuck sometimes says, we simply don't feel prepared to defend our faith.
What do you think? Most of you who will read this post are faithful Point readers. Are Christians too passive? Are we retreating from public confrontation? Feel free to comment here or
comment on Chuck's new blog -- or both! We want to hear from YOU.
Comments:
I've been reading and passing on Breakpoint (most recently on facebook) for years. This is the first time I've participated in a blog. I feel compelled to respond to today's post because I want to encourage you and your ministry. I've told many that I believe you seem to be a modern day prophet in the sense that you have a gift to know the times in which we live and are able to look into the future, saying, "If, as a people, we continue down this road we will end up in places of pain, misery, death and destruction." You say what you say very well and you put it on a shelf that most of us can reach.
Your faithfulness to the Word of God and your love and respect for the whole of the Bride of Christ draws my heart close to yours. I am concerned that many members of the body have succumbed to self-mutilation as they tear at the fabric of the church.
For those who would argue that a Christian's response to the aggreesive enemies of truth should be more passive...well, frankly, as a student of the word, their arguements just don't make sense to me and their tactics don't seem to be effective. We can certainly discuss appropriate biblical strategies, but to offer no aggressive defense and no aggressive offense to those who wish to destroy things of God...?
God bless you my brother. I pray that the good Lord will honor you with many more years to fight the good fight. The Lord has blessed my life, my family, my church family, my community, my nation and my world through your humble and faithful voice. And although it often may seem like you are crying forth in a wilderness - please know that there is an oasis in Baraboo, Wisconsin the the Lord is watering through you...and we are one of many and growing.
In Christ's Love,
Your fellow servant,
Pastor Dave Hutchens
I read the article in CT with the author of the book in question, and even though there are valid points, I would disagree with his conclusion that trying to influence culture is pointless. I bet reading the book is needed to understand the point in more detail.
One area where I agree with that author is that Christians abdicated their roles in many culture influencing areas, including the media, arts and entertainment, science and education, and politics. We need to realize, as Chuck has often mentioned, that being called into any of these areas and working with a redemptive outlook through Jesus is as holy a calling as any "ministry" position.
I do think we need to be very careful how we walk in areas such as politics. I was often disappointed in Religious Right leaders in the 90's who succumbed to the old "Crossfire" model of shouting down and tearing down their enemies. I may not like Nancy Pelosi at all, but ridiculing her is not the Spirit of Christ. We have to be careful not to take on the spirit of the age while trying to walk in the Holy Spirit's leading.
As to the impact Breakpoint has had - I've written letters to the editor for issues through the years, and I lead a Worldview study from Mr. Colson in our church. I've stressed in the past the importance of seeing our culture with a Biblical worldview. Our current pastor isn't one to speak out forcefully on issues due to his temperment more than being opposed to it.
We should not be ashamed of the gospel, but we can use wisdom in using methods in presenting it. If, as post-modern believers feel, story is king, then we have the best story to tell. I don't think we avoid propositional truth either, but see where the culture meets with God's truth, and show people how that flows together. We are different - we should act different.