Under Attack?

When a culture begins to be exposed to another outside culture, drastic things happen. As we have seen over and over again, small pockets of civilization come up against ‘invading’ forces. Good examples are the natives of Hawaii or the American Indian nations spread across our entire country. It also happened countless times throughout the world whenever an existing culture clashed with a new one from outside their society. 

As the new culture arrives, the indigenous peoples gradually begin to absorb language and customs from the invaders. If this clash is not violent, the process still occurs, it just takes a little longer. With this progression, the original language is gradually absorbed and begins to fade. This movement toward a new language, causes the prior one to dim. Over time, the absorption continues and eventually the language goes away. The loss of the language, beliefs and customs is next. Eventually the whole society disappears. 

You are probably wondering about the application of this process to our Christian growth. If you stand back and look at what is happening to our Christian culture you will see that it is eroding away. It begins with language. After that, our customs and beliefs are threatened.  Our youth are exposed to Christian-ese for only about an hour a week. That is not enough! They are exposed to the World for the rest of the week. It is not enough to sit in a youth group or service for just an hour. 

As the new generation reaches maturity and begins to assume the role of leaders within the church, they are not well schooled in the Christian-ese, doctrine and beliefs of the Christian community. The process continues. The following generation will be even less so. Eventually, we as a Christian society will no longer exist!! 

What do we do to slow the process down and eventually turn it around? We need to counter some of the worldly exposure with some of our own. While the exposure at church helps, it is not enough! We as Christian grandparents, parents, family and friends need to expose the future leaders of our churches to our language. We need to ensure that the language does not get absorbed and die a slow death! We need to set the example for those within our circle of influence. We should expose them to the ‘GOOD’ things in life. They already see too much of the world. Use your Christian-ese, teach them the Christian language and the lessons that you learned as a child. 

Bring them up to understand that Christians are truly blessed by God. Teach them what it means to have that special relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

Train up a child in the way he should go, 

even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

If that is not done, the future of our Christian churches is in peril…