Crisis = “A time of rapid change.” Dr. Murray Bowen

“The degree of Crisis in our world today is such that the end of man could be near.” Strauss & Howe in “The Fourth Turning”

I am not predicting that the end of the world is near, what I am acknowledging is that the degree of crisis in our world is exponentially greater than when I made my profession of faith 53 years ago and even when I received my credentials for full time Christian ministry in 1973. There’s a collective level of stress that I am sensing like I have never sensed it before. I am having more conversations with people who are stressed, depressed, fearful, dealing with family members in crisis, addicted, struggling to pay their bills and dealing with chronic illness. Things are not the same as they were when I was a young preacher traveling around the United States.

The seventies and eighties were a magical time of economic prosperity and a seeming triumph of religious values. In spite of the blots of Vietnam and Watergate, many saw an America emerging that would still be the “City on a Hill.” Time Magazine called a famous Assemblies of God Evangelist, “The most listened to voice in America.” A culture war between the Biblical values crowd and the liberals was brewing but it looked like the so called “Moral Majority” would prevail. Although many of us didn’t totally agree with the shrill tone of the religious right or even some of their positions, I think we knew that as long as their political agenda carried the day, life for Christians would be easier. Furthermore, we believed the American dream would continue to be a reality.

Now I don’t need to give stories or anecdotes to prove religious triumphalism didn’t triumph. Globally, times are harder for everybody, but even more difficult for Christians. When you Google the statistics you’ll know I am not overstating anything. I find myself looking into the eyes of even friends and getting the sense that if I gave them a truth serum I would find out that they barely believe in the promises of the Christian message anymore.

Am I a pessimist about the future of the Church? Absolutely not. Do I fear that those of us who refuse to both think deeply and dig down to build a stronger foundation on Christ will survive with their faith intact? Yes, I am very concerned. The good time faith of the 70’s & 80’s is not going to work in the twenty first century. It wasn’t really adequate then, but when you are riding a wave of marketplace prosperity and cultural favor it’s difficult to know what you’re made of. It’s really curious to me how the doctrine of “whatever you confess you possess” was one of the most popular messages of the Christian Rock Star evangelist 20 years ago; now, there’s not ten people in my church who even know what I’m talking about. The truth is, Atheists were confessing and possessing blessings as successfully as Saints were in those days. “Dorothy, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

So here’s my answer(s) to the question, “Why most 20th Century faith won’t work in the 21st Century.”

• We were wrong about material prosperity being a sign of the blessing of God.

…men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 1 Timothy 6:5

• We were naïve and unbiblical to think the world was going to love Jesus.

All people will hate you because you follow me, but those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved. Mark 13:13

• We were ignorant about the actual promises and limits regarding the “authority of the Believer.”

Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. James 4:15-16

• We were unaware some of our love of Jesus was really a love of self.

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:26-27 (NIV)

• We were imbalanced in our definition of Grace being all about “unmerited favor” and nothing about the “power to know and do the will of God.”

For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Jude 1:4 (NIV)

I am not saying we were evil or that we were insincere, but we just didn’t realize that in so many ways we were mirrors of the culture not lights to it. We couldn’t admit that some of our “answers to prayer” were really a result of things like readily available credit.

After saying all this it might surprise you to know that I am actually excited about what I see God doing in people’s lives. Now when people step forward to follow Christ I am pretty sure that they are following the Christ of Cavalry not the cultural Christ of American superiority. A few minutes ago a lady in our church stopped me in the hall to ask me if I had seen the lady that was sitting next to her in church. I said no. She said, “well she told me, I want what you and your husband have, can I go to church with you?”

Christianity is being clarified, and that’s a good thing. Also, on the matter of material prosperity, God is meeting needs. People are praying and seeing money come from unexpected sources. We had the best summer financially in the history of our church. I don’t think 20th Century faith will work in the 21st Century but 1st Century faith will.

Acts 4:23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other disciples and told them what the Council had said. Then all the believers united in prayer… “After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly preached God’s message.”

Acts 4:23-24 Acts 8:3 “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

We follow Jesus because He is the hope of the world, not because we will get the dream house or because our kids will be popular in the community. I am not saying the sky is falling but if it is, so be it; our hope is in “The Lord, who has established his throne in heaven, and whose kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19 (NIV)