Three Trends to Love

Last updated on: September 22, 2015 at 9:50 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

Three Trends to Love 2015-09-22T09:50:48-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

So the news is bad and for the Christians of the Middle East, their world is becoming a new Dark Age. American culture seems determined to test whether one nation can amuse itself to death. Russia, China, India, and other rivals wait to see what comes of the massive social experiments we have undertaken. Will Vegas morality leave us with a Vegas mentality?

So there is much to make us sad and yet not all the trends are bad. Here are three bits of good news to provide some jollification in hard times . . . recalling the times are always hard, we sometimes just do not notice. As for hope, hope is with us always because Jesus is Lord. Here are three outer signs of that inner reality.

Christianity is booming globally.

We look like the world. Unlike secularism, Christians are younger, more diverse, and having children. The future is in nations like China, India, and Nigeria not in Sweden or Norway. Always amusing, if it were not so sad, is to point this out to a secularist and watch them fall into the racism or ethnocentrism that comes from being part of a movement that is not diverse at all.

You can anticipate stagnation in the parts of the world becoming secular, due in part to the declining birth rates that come with hedonism, and a rise in the newly Christian areas. Look to China to move from the aging communist tyranny toward a republic shaped by Christian values. Sub-Saharan Africa has a chance to create a cultural life independent from former colonial masters if she will ignore the bribery that leads to decadence. If a great Christian movie is to be made, I would look toward Nigeria or Kenya, not Hollywood.

Christianity in America is shedding its consumerism.

You may not notice, but spend some time with younger adults. They hate product driven Christianity. They are not going to the cheesy movies, buying the fatuous books, or listening to the Nashville controlled music. Instead, they are demanding quality. Sheldon Vanauken was right: “what is up-to-date is forever dated” and all things proclaimed contemporary in my generation are now for oldsters. Since not all of us oldsters rejected the timeless for the trendy (my parents certainly did not), traditional services are full of the older and the very young. We will survive without the forty and fifty somethings until my generation sees the light!

We know God loves the poor and hates oppression. More young people are faithful to Christian practice, but also reject double standards slapped on women by a vile “purity” culture. Instead, of “purity” they long for chastity and charity. They know that chastity is defined by what a man does, not what he does not do and that charity is the mark of a Christian. There is a growing emphasis on justice issues, such as the new abolitionism. Conservation is a good word.

Media is improving.

The worst of Christian media is still bad. There is still too much schlock, but even our schlock is better than the stuff we made a decade ago. Fortunately, television evangelism is dying. Christian marketers are hard to shame, but even they are becoming embarrassed by the fact that “product” is reaching an older and older market. You can’t sell a film as “evangelistic” if nobody who is not a Christian and over forty goes to see the picture.

This generation is too Internet savvy to fall for “leaders” with fake credentials, lavish lifestyles that can no longer be hidden, and Biblical illiteracy disguised by honorary or bogus doctorates. Instead, Christian leaders, such as Nancy Pearcey and MJ Sharp, know the subjects about which they write and speak. Reformed leaders are rising in the rest of the world that are not dependent on the missionary mentality of previous generations. Instead, they are reclaiming the Gospel and ethics from the decadent West and making media true to their experiences, region, and language. Orthodox leaders are bringing the Church to nations such as Kenya where growth is explosive.

We have abandoned “Christian” media for media made by Christians. Films like War Room demonstrate the point: go to a theater and look around. You will not see the future, but the past. Then attend a poetry reading or an independent film festival and you will find real Christians producing good art in the mainstream. They are compassionate, but not compromised.

Thank God.

So hope springs eternal! We are global, less interested in “product,” and getting better at telling our story.

Culture

Previous Post

September 21, 2015

Stupid Statements and Dying Christians: which matters most?

Next Post

September 23, 2015 Keeping My Eyes to Myself

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who helped David escape Saul by lowering him through a window?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ahinoam Bathsheba Abigail Michal

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »