Cultural Christianity

When I think about living in North Carolina, and how blessed we are to live in a place where Christianity is legal, and even the majority depending on how you look at it, I feel overwhelmed and unbelievably grateful for what God has done in my life. However, at the same time there is a huge crisis for Christians living in the “Bible belt,” and even America in general – cultural Christianity.

When it’s popular to be a Christian we have to be very careful about how we define Christianity and understand its implications for our lives. If we aren’t careful, Christianity can become little more than a cultural phenomenon, a social tool to be used and manipulated however we see fit. Around here, not only is it popular to be a Christian, but it’s powerful. A large majority of the rich white population here are “Christians,” a category of social status to prevent being shunned. It’s really quite simple, if you want to be mainstream here, then you label yourself as a “Christian.” You may never go to church, or you may have been raised in church, but the label that you put on yourself is really all that matters. I’m a Christian, that means I’m a good person and going to heaven.

I don’t think I’ve faced a bigger issue in my ministry experiences than this, and it’s on the verge of destroying the church from the inside out. Unauthentic faith accompanied by the comfort of religion is a dangerous combination, and it’s not just an issue for a few select people, it affects all Christians. We put on a face, we know all the Christian answers, we look like Christians, and we even act like Christians – as long as it’s not too difficult or inconvenient.

The result is a compartmentalized faith and it’s an issue that plagues the church and frustrates our pastors to no end. We have family, we have work, and we have God. He has his place, possibly a very important one, but in general he stays there. As long as we live the “Christian” life, what more could he want? We just need to do enough to check him off for the day or the week and we’ll feel a lot better about ourselves. After all, he doesn’t expect us to be perfect. Right? (See Matthew 5:48)

But it’s not that we are Christians because we live our lives a certain way, we live our lives a certain way because we are Christians. We don’t give God part of our life; we live our life through him. Everything we do, think, and see, goes through the lens of Christ. It’s not the he is first and family is second; it’s that he is everything and family (or anything) falls into place under that. He is not part – he is.

C.S. Lewis said: "I believe in Christianity like I believe that the sun has risen; not because I see it, but because by it I see everything."

This is how the gospel works, it’s all or nothing. Christ doesn’t want part of you, he says put everything aside and follow me, or you will die in your sins. Partial Christianity leads to complete condemnation.

Jesus says:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matthew 7:21-23)

Not all Christians are completely devoted to Christ, but they all want to be. That’s what it means to be a follower of Christ. Of course we all struggle with other gods in our lives, but our hearts tell whether or not we have been truly changed. Acting in perfection is not required, or even possible; but the heart of a Christ follower is nonetheless devoted to the cause.