What is the Mission of the Church in the Midst of the Current Cultural Crisis We Face?

Posting a followup on the cultural issues that stimulated much discussion among Christians during last autumn's election has taken longer than I had initially hoped. Although it has been awhile since my last post my thinking on some of these issues remains very active. I just finished participating in a conference on the recent cultural crisis facing our generation. Papers and talks were presented on critical subjects such as the relationship of Church and State, Immigration, and Same Sex Relationships. All topics were approached from a biblical exegetical foundation as well as drawing on historical theology and current cultural commentary. Needless to say, the conference was timely, produced fruitful discussion and yielded helpful understanding in the midst of much confusion and challenges in the broader church on these issues.

It doesn't take long to discover when surveying the current literature available on many of these issues that Christian authors especially take various positions and offer at times interesting solutions. At times unfortunately, some of these solutions are without biblical warrant since the Scriptures are either misinterpreted, misapplied, or never even consulted before posting a conviction. Because of this insanity takes center stage as different proposals are given on these issues while neglecting the Scripture.

The crisis facing the cultural has now become a crisis of biblical interpretation and application. Outlining the problem is not enough at this point. I desire to present not another view on an issue but actually a way to restore some sanity and establish some needed boundaries in which to focus our approach. I will do this in the form of a book review of a recent publication that does just that. The book is authored by Kevin DeYoung, of the Young, Restless, and Reformed fame and Greg Gilbert his co-author. The name of the book is What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission, published by Crossway, 2011. If you want your thinking challenged biblically and desire a grid in which to place various cultural issues in perspective, as well as focusing your direction for cultural engagement this publication gives some critical help. The book does not guide you in the path of what convictions are necessarily right, but instead provides the church and the individual Christian clarity on how you should direct your efforts ultimately. In my next post I will interact with this volume and point out where I think the work is right on target.

Gary Finkbeiner
Cultural Issues and Christianity