Our cultural landscape is changing. That’s what we should expect. Culture is constantly shifting. It is easy to be alarmed by the changes that we see and feel around us and refuse to engage with the changing culture. But what is the proper Chirstian response to the shifting culture?
We may be tempted to avoid acknowledging or confronting the changes in our culture that we see happening each day, but as Christian leaders and communicators, we have the opportunity to engage culture with grace and boldness. We can allow fears and distractions to keep us from stepping into the opportunity, or we can engage with boldness. What we do with this opportunity matters.
Mark Jobe, the president of Moody Bible Institute and host of Bold Steps Radio, believes that we are living in a pivotal time in history—a defining moment in our generation. As the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll, political polarization rises, the fight around the definition of sexuality continues, and racial tensions increase, we find ourselves living at the intersection of challenging circumstances and tense relations.
“These are incredible times for churches and gospel-centered institutions to step into,” Jobe said.
Why? Because churches and gospel-centered institutions have hope despite the darkness and difficult circumstances evident throughout culture. Christian institutions have real answers to the challenging questions we face in culture each and every day.
Every Christian institution must decide how they will respond to the current cultural landscape. It would be easier to avoid the issues and challenges that arise, but as Christians, we should take advantage of the opportunity to step into these situations with the hope and light of the gospel.
“The influence of communicators, more than ever before, is vital to this generation,” Jobe said.
Today, our culture needs hope. It needs light. It needs truth. It needs Christian communicators.
“It is up to us to discern the times and cooperate with what God is doing,” Jobe said.
In this season and in these times, the Church, religious organizations, and gospel-centered institutions should speak up with love and grace, speaking light and truth into the values of this generation.
Living counter-culturally and communicating messages that confront the lies of culture may come with its own consequences. You may face opposition and backlash. But when you know with certainty that you are engaging the culture in which you live with the message that it needs to hear, you can have confidence to humbly engage with grace. Our call to engage is not a pass to tear others down or assert our own position over people. Rather, the call to engage is a call to humility and an opportunity to demonstrate grace to others.
“It is an extraordinary time to speak clearly and boldly but with grace and love,” Jobe said.
