The American Church Has Been Given Four Years of a Respite from the Progressive Onslaught. We Must Capitalize on the Moment with Bold Action and Agency.
A great diagnosis of the times. I love the characterization of the elder brother. It will be tempting to generalize, yet it’s helpful to start conversations. I love the specifics that follow about third way ism and the passive cultures. More concrete ways to identify that and drawing that out will be helpful in the book.
This is why we started Christ the King . build in Stillwater Minnesota. Finding out that your church was named the same just sealed the deal for us. ;-) Godspeed! Let’s go build!
The last couple of years it's become increasingly clear to me that pietistic loser theology is a good impulse that's gone rotten. I've got lots of examples and hopefully the book will provide the needed nuance and clarification.
I'm excited for your new church plant. Praise God! And great name, too!
Good piece, Michael. I've felt much like a lone voice in the wilderness over this, unable to put my finger on the whole loathsome entirety of what exactly the cultural issue is, but I think you've done an admirable job of framing it here.
For my own part, much of the trouble I see and have been commenting on is in the symptoms of loser theology: the sheer reluctance to speak up and speak out, with many Christians seemingly subscribing to what I've termed 'Golden Bus Ticket' theology. The is the notion that they're saved, so it's OK to sin, hide Jesus and seek shelter in the world and totally forget about picking up the cross; it's too troublesome and you'll fail anyway, so let's just wait till we get called home.
I've written about this odd sense of milquetoast Christianity fairly recently in a piece, "Triggering your plastic Jesus" on my own Substack ( https://pastormike.substack.com/p/triggering-your-plastic-jesus ) as the result of being accosted by one whom I respected.
This subject is something that God has had me focusing on for the last several months from the pulpit - are we at the threshold of revival? One can only hope & pray.
Wow! Insightful. Instructional. Deeply discerning the issue at hand. Like I said - you are a seasonal man. Given to us to at this season in Church history to address the ills of the Church and provide the cure. Inspirational.
If recent history has proven anything, it’s that destructive progressive ideologies never stop, or even slow down.
The devil never sleeps.
It’s individual spiritual obedience starting on our knees; and not respite, that is the composition for spiritual growth and victory.
Donald Trump’s first term(2016)was the breathing space from a horrific Obama “hope and change”.
But how effective was the Church in curbing sin during Trumps first four years?
America ended up getting Biden, LGBTQ+, transgenders, murder babies, teenage body parts multilated, men participating in women’s bathrooms, and sports.
The key is… MAGA is being led by a man who currently does not profess Jesus as Savior(Pray).
And Trump is determined to end all wars.
But the Apostle Paul warns Believers to be alert and ready in all seasons.
“For when they will say peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they will not escape.
Therefore, let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober”(I Thessalonians 5:3,6).
A great diagnosis of the times. I love the characterization of the elder brother. It will be tempting to generalize, yet it’s helpful to start conversations. I love the specifics that follow about third way ism and the passive cultures. More concrete ways to identify that and drawing that out will be helpful in the book.
This is why we started Christ the King . build in Stillwater Minnesota. Finding out that your church was named the same just sealed the deal for us. ;-) Godspeed! Let’s go build!
The last couple of years it's become increasingly clear to me that pietistic loser theology is a good impulse that's gone rotten. I've got lots of examples and hopefully the book will provide the needed nuance and clarification.
I'm excited for your new church plant. Praise God! And great name, too!
Good stuff Michael!! The time is now for the church.
Good piece, Michael. I've felt much like a lone voice in the wilderness over this, unable to put my finger on the whole loathsome entirety of what exactly the cultural issue is, but I think you've done an admirable job of framing it here.
For my own part, much of the trouble I see and have been commenting on is in the symptoms of loser theology: the sheer reluctance to speak up and speak out, with many Christians seemingly subscribing to what I've termed 'Golden Bus Ticket' theology. The is the notion that they're saved, so it's OK to sin, hide Jesus and seek shelter in the world and totally forget about picking up the cross; it's too troublesome and you'll fail anyway, so let's just wait till we get called home.
I've written about this odd sense of milquetoast Christianity fairly recently in a piece, "Triggering your plastic Jesus" on my own Substack ( https://pastormike.substack.com/p/triggering-your-plastic-jesus ) as the result of being accosted by one whom I respected.
This subject is something that God has had me focusing on for the last several months from the pulpit - are we at the threshold of revival? One can only hope & pray.
Wow! Insightful. Instructional. Deeply discerning the issue at hand. Like I said - you are a seasonal man. Given to us to at this season in Church history to address the ills of the Church and provide the cure. Inspirational.
Evil never takes a holiday.
If recent history has proven anything, it’s that destructive progressive ideologies never stop, or even slow down.
The devil never sleeps.
It’s individual spiritual obedience starting on our knees; and not respite, that is the composition for spiritual growth and victory.
Donald Trump’s first term(2016)was the breathing space from a horrific Obama “hope and change”.
But how effective was the Church in curbing sin during Trumps first four years?
America ended up getting Biden, LGBTQ+, transgenders, murder babies, teenage body parts multilated, men participating in women’s bathrooms, and sports.
The key is… MAGA is being led by a man who currently does not profess Jesus as Savior(Pray).
And Trump is determined to end all wars.
But the Apostle Paul warns Believers to be alert and ready in all seasons.
“For when they will say peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they will not escape.
Therefore, let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober”(I Thessalonians 5:3,6).