As I witnessed a recent baptism at church, it was apparent nearly all “new” members were children of current members.  They weren’t new converts.   Why?  Are you like me and have friends and family for whom subjects like sex, morality, and religion are taboo.  It is as if some of my friends, relatives, and the current generations  live  in a different world.

As most who read this post know, it is in my DNA to do extensive research and reading.  The recent posts were the result of research on the major concerns of people today. In order the concerns were: being connected, loneliness, and sleeplessness—with many different causes of stress. As I contemplated the subject of this week’s Reflective Thought, my mind has been focused on the plight of the church today.  It is no secret that Christianity today is declining. We have entered the post-Christian age in the U.S. 

How is this Post Christian cultural environment driving the concerns of Christians?  When believers feel their religious convictions are increasingly misaligned with mainstream norms, relational connections  and spiritual formation of any type becomes increasingly difficult.   I believe the natural result of this is increasing personal and family isolation.  Congregations and individuals then develop unknowingly fortress mentalities serving the needs of their  immediate faith group they are close to.

Accordingly, in a series of Reflective Thoughts and Commentaries, I want to flesh out the above in more detail.  This first part will focus on two things—what are the primary causes of this unrest and  what are the  effects on  religious individuals, families and congregations.  The second part will address congregational and individual outreach and evangelism. The third part will outline my journey in “church.” It will include my personal conception what I believe “The Way” is all about.

My initial observation is that congregations and individuals are feeling the dual pressure of two different things.   The social and cultural infrastructure that carried any personal practicing faith across time is no longer in place.  Second,  Our culture  is mistrustful of institutions and authority.  We saw this increasingly with the recent COVID event.   Our post-Christian culture disagrees with traditional values  about sexuality, and  truth. Thus, any attempt to proclaim the gospel message is viewed through a lens of suspicion and disdain. This prevents any message being heard by non-Christians. It also inhibits any serious discussion of Christianity.

As I discern what’s happening in our society, these pressures show up in ordinary life—especially in the home. Recent surveys suggest that roughly half of Americans are either single or married without children at home, and about a quarter of families with children are single-parent or otherwise non-traditional arrangements. When my wife and I grew up in the 40s and 50s, divorce—and pregnancy outside marriage—still carried a stigma. Families ate together in their homes. We knew our grandparents (and in my case, even my great-grandparents). And at church, many of us had grown up in the same faith community. Those stabilizing relationships are far rarer today—and when the home and the table no longer form us, it becomes much easier to drift into isolation.

Media routinely reports the increasing percentage of the “nones” – those non-affiliated with any Christian faith group.   Growing up, nearly everyone I knew went to church somewhere.  Even if they didn’t they would say they were a Christian if asked.   Even though in our faith group congregations typically have “youth ministers”, not many youth remain in our faith group after leaving for college. They either go somewhere else or don’t go anywhere at all.  Data says this is the typical action of all faith groups.  Lack of retention and lack of witnessing can’t help but decrease those who are Christian.

Our youth in k-12 education and in the university are increasingly taught a secular non-Christian worldview.  This conflicts directly with biblical moral teachings on sex and morality.    There is a saying “birds of a feather flock together.”  This sorting becomes one’s identity and the group values become one’s own. If one’s friends, family, or congregation do not hold to your same values, what do you do? You go where they do and disassociate from others.   I think we all know the subtle social pressure to be “adult” and accepting by others is huge.  If your worldview is deemed by others to be judgmental, anti-homosexual, and sheltered, conflict is inevitable.   I submit this divergence in worldview is the primary driver of problems with the post-Christian culture.   As a result, we have toxic coping mechanisms—adoption of the prevailing culture however inadvertently and various modes of isolation.

I think the natural pressures of our current culture push us all inward instead of maintaining a faithful presence among others.  What effect do you think this has on outreach and evangelism?  And, what would be acceptable coping mechanisms to strengthen bonds and restore credible witness?