The Culture of the Modern Christian in America
The World You Want – Pastor Johnny Hunt of Celebration Church in Fairhope, AL Sermon Series Part 1: This Sunday’s service was all about the Cultural Challenges we are facing as a society today and identifying the role we were meant to play as Christians. The first thing we need to understand is that cultural theology, governmental corruption and societal perversions have been consistent challenges for Biblical Law throughout the history of man. Secondly, we must make peace with the fact that Cultural Challenges serve a divine purpose by keeping us from becoming too comfortable as a society, from an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” mentality.
The truth is we were all born broken and Cultural Challenges are designed to do just that, to challenge us, to challenge our faith, convictions and commitment to our relationship with Christ. We must understand that we are on a personal journey and that journey can have a positive or negative impact on the world around us.
So, what will my cultural ripple effect be? What do I need to change in my life, so that culturally I can make difference? How can I be a tool for positive change?
Pastor Johnny reminded us this morning, that If we want to change the world, we must first be willing to change ourselves. We must be willing to work harder on ourselves above all else. Realize that your body is a filter and what we let in, will come out. The beauty part is that we don’t “have to” we “get to” through the awesome privilege of free will. Happiness in not the pleasurable feeling derived in sin, materialism, lust or perversion. True, lasting happiness is found in a choice to commit our lives to service and surrender and the more we seek him, the more our priorities will become correct.
True power to change a nation must be driven by LOVE and not by JUDGEMENT, meaning we stand for what we are for and not what we are against! We live what we say we believe! The best way to combat Cultural Challenges is to realize that the change society needs exists within ourselves, void of the judgment of others. Thus, those who make the conscious choice to live a biblical life in a culture of critics, are able to embrace our culture and love it in spite of its dysfunction.