A Post-Christian World

If you've read this blog very much, you know I surf around looking for and reading other blogs.  Sometimes, I'm looking for ideas for this one; other times, I'm just reading.  As I was reading The Wesley Report, I noticed the author referencing a site called Hacking Christianity.  In it, he said "I read and enjoy his blog daily, even though he and I often disagree".  As I don't agree with Shane (author of the Wesley Report) very often, I immediately clicked on the provided link.  At first, I worried that it would be just another Christian blog.  That changed when I  started looking at the "About" page of the website.  First, the author is Jeremy Smith, a United Methodist pastor.  That's not a must-have, but it is nice to read something by someone coming the same place as I am.  Second, he said "We live in a Post-Christian World"  And explained that statement with "What this means is that Christianity is no longer the dominant narrative, nor does it shape what the world thinks like in previous centuries. To remain relevant, Christianity must find ways to place itself in the rhythms of the world, or, better, to beckon the world to the rhythms of the Christian way".  I've read a lot of stuff saying that the church needs to adjust to a post-modern world, but I haven't seen many explanations about what that means.  Here, in one paragraph, this guy laid it out in a way I could grasp.  The question is how do we do that?

Before we discuss the how, I'd like to get into that statement a little.  In it, he says that that Christians must find ways to into the rhythms of the world or, better yet, bring the world into our rhythms.  A lot of people are going to read that and say why should we conform to the ways of the world?  Doesn't the Bible specifically say we shouldn't do that? (Romans 12:2)  Yes, but do we not find uses for things of this world to spread the gospel everyday?  I think if we find ways to integrate ourselves and our beliefs into the larger rhythms of the world, the world will find its way to us and our rhythms.  Another way of looking at this is that if we're not out in world spreading the message, how is anyone going to get it?

How do we find our way into the rhythms of the world and beckon them to ours?  We can avail ourselves of all the new technology that's available and get our message out and in people's faces quicker and more efficiently than ever, these days.  But, is the current message going to be relevant to our intended audience?  The initial reaction is to say "Of course it does!!!"  And, even if didn't many of us probably wouldn't willing to look at a change.  "Change?" you shout, "What change?  We've been doing this way for 2000 years.  If it was good enough for my ancestors, it's good enough for me".  Before you say you'd never react that way, think about it.  What if the person talking about changing things is challenging some of your long held beliefs?  I'm not saying that everything should be on the table, I'm saying we need to figure out what's going to be on there and not let knee jerk reactions rule that process.  If we do it right, if we can find that synchronicity with the rest of the world, then those people who need to hear us won't just write us off and they'll be willing to give our way a shot.  Maybe.