Do Christians have an image problem? That's a tricky question. If you ask the general public, the answer is absolutely. Statistically speaking, Christians (particularly evangelicals) are not exactly the most popular group in the world. If you ask Christians, you'll probably get a plethora of answers. Some argue that Christians shouldn't concern themselves with image. Jesus said the world would hate His followers, so why be concerned when those words become reality? In fact, they contend, we should be proud of our "image problem" because it just demonstrates our righteousness. Others have taken the criticisms of the world to heart and have gone to great lengths to become more "relevant," changing everything from music, to venues, to programs to even messages. Still others are completely oblivious to the conversation all together.
Gabe Lyons, author of statistics-drive unChristian, wholeheartedly acknowledges the image problem that Christianity has in the West, particularly among the under 40 population. His research from unChristian bears out his beliefs. Yet, despite the grim assessment of the Church's current image, The Next Christians is an extremely hopeful book. Lyons argues that a new group of believers---believers who are focused on restoration---are rising in Western Christianity and slowly, but surely, turning the tide of outsiders' perceptions of Christians.
Synopsis: Lyons spends the opening chapters outlining the decline of the Church in America and the West as a whole. We now live in a post-modern, post-Christian, pluralistic world, a world that has ostensibly passed the Church by. Lyons melodramatically writes, "Many churches are increasingly exhibiting less and less real influence in the communities where they are located. If they were gone tomorrow, one can't help wondering if anyone would notice." (p 25) Americans are still looking for spirituality however, states Lyons, citing a Newsweek cover story. The article presented research that illustrated that 80% of Americans consider themselves spiritual and 75% of those people considered a "personal relationship with God" to be vitally important to their lives. If these statistics are accurate, then the Church still has an abundant opportunity to make a difference in America. Lyons argues that a grassroots movement of Christians, believers focused on how things "ought to be" are poised to make a difference in spite of the parody of itself the Church has become.
Throughout the 20th Century and into the 21st Century, Lyons attests that two types of Christian cultural interaction have taken place---separatist and cultural. The two approaches are fairly self-explanatory. The separatist approach has been to (duh) separate from the culture, while the cultural approach has been to engage the culture. Within these two categories are several subgroups. The separatists include the insiders (those who insist on engaging in activities and within groups explicitly labeled "Christian"), the culture warriors (those who believe America is inherently a Christian nation and are fighting against the secularization of the nation) and evangelizers (those whose sole intent is to "get people saved"). The cultural approach includes the blenders (Christians who attempt to blend in with the mainstream, hoping to not be associated with "crazy Christians") and philanthropists (Christians who make good works their trademark, rather than the grace of Christ expressed in the Gospel). Lyons contends that each of these groups has a certain strength to them, but have overall missed the mark and have in their own way pushed outsiders away from the Gospel. However, Lyons has seen a third way of cultural interaction arise in recent years. He calls this group the restorers (of which, not surprisingly, he is one). He writes that restorers "envision the world as it was meant to be and they work toward that vision. Restorers seek to mend the earth's brokenness...Through sowing seeds of restoration, they believe others will see Christ through us and the Christian faith will reap a much larger harvest." (p 47) He considers the restorers to possess "a way of following Jesus that is radically different" than the other groups described, making them the hope of the future of the Church. I'll briefly outline those ways of following Christ below.
*"Provoked, Not Offended"- When elements of culture run counter to the teachings of Scripture (i.e. the promotion of homosexuality), Christians have typically been offended and critiqued the culture. The next Christians are provoked instead of offended. They look to engage instead of condemn, offer grace instead of judgement, and be faithful without regard to reputation.
*"Creators, Not Critics"- Statisics show that outsiders view most Christians as critical of the culture of the world. The next Christians look to instead create culture. They celebrate beauty, affirm goodness, tell the truth and serve others.
*"Called, Not Employed"- Christians have long considered calling as something reserved for those in full-time Church-related ministry. The next Christians see things differently, seeking to find calling regardless of career path. Lyons illustrates that there are several channels of cultural influence in which Christians can impact society- media, education, arts and entertainment, business, government, social sector and church. The next Christians are intent on discovering their talents and abilities as a guide to calling and then having influence in each of the seven channels.
*"Grounded, Not Distracted"- Lyons explains that this characteristic is crucial for the next Christians in distinguishing themselves from the blenders and philanthropists. As the next Christians engage culture, they must remain grounded in the Gospel and its disciplines or risk stumbling badly into sin. He argues that the next Christians who are making a difference have made a commitment to five spiritual disciplines----immersing themselves in Scripture (instead of entertainment), observing the Sabbath (instead of the modern drive for productivity), fasting for simplicity (instead of consuming), chosing embodiment (instead of division) and focused on prayer (instead of power). He warns that the thrust of the next Christians will collapse without focus on these disciplines.
*"In Community, Not Alone"- In a culture of isolation and individualism, the next Christians are intentional about creating and remaining in community. They seek intimacy, permanance and service as modes of restoration.
*"Countercultural, Not Relevant"- As a response to the less-than-favorable outlook of outsiders, many churches and Christians have made an effort to become "relevant." They have attempted to look as much like the world as possible. The next Christians instead look to create new culture, a restored culture that looks more like things "ought to be." Instead of being a carbon copy of a broken culture, the next Christians create a culture for the common good that gives outsiders hope.
Lyons maintains that if the next Christians remain rooted in the Gospel, they will create and restore culture and present the Gospel in a new and fresh way that will result in the next big shift in Christianity, a modern-day Awakening.
Review: The Next Christians is a thought-provoking read. I found myself discussing Lyons' ideas often with Alyssa and found much of the text challenging. However, the book is far from perfect. The book is overly optimistic about our generation and, in fact, comes across as a bit prideful at points. The implication throughout the book is that this group of Christians finally "gets it" where all other groups have missed the big picture. One thing I have learned over the course of my faith journey is that we should never dismiss the history and practice of previous generations of the Church. There is always something to be gained from others within the Body. To think that a new group has come up with something completely new is a bit naive. There are plenty of examples of Christians throughout the past two centuries in America who have embraced community, service, the spiritual disciples and cultural engagement. In fact, I'd say most churches embrace these things. Additionally, I felt at times that the Gospel itself is missing from the book. Lyons has the mistaken idea that good works and restoration alone with lead people to Christ. Despite admitting that there is no way to quantify this happening, he insists it is in motion. Early in the book he goes as far to say that conversion and good works are of equal importance. You won't find much orthodox theology that will embrace this statement, let alone the Gospels themselves. I don't think that Lyons actually believes this, but less discerning readers may walk away with the wrong impression.
In spite of these flaws, there is much to be gained from The Next Christians. The approach to life he promotes for Christians is spot on. We should be purposeful about being restorers of culture, engaging outsiders in a way that demonstrates the grace, love and beauty of Christ. This type of living will lead to opportunities to share the Gospel in ways that other generations have not been able to. I highly recommend reading the book...it will challenge your thinking, cause you to re-evaluate your lifestyle and give you practical examples of how to live out culture restoration.
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