Transform culture — quite a task, I’m sure you’ll agree. Most people might say it’s impossible, that Christian culture will never overcome and dominate secular or any other culture. Let’s explore this in more detail — is it truly impossible? I like to think of it as ‘The Possible Impossibility.” Let’s look at whether or not we can transform culture for Christ.
Culture is what people do and make, based on what they believe to be true. God doesn’t produce culture, people do. Culture is manifested as people, with their collective beliefs, live and work together in a society. People write and pass legislation; people have sex with other people and even animals (God forbid) and people write and produce art, music, theater, films, books and photographs. All these things people do and make produces the culture in a specific society.
Many large societies consist of multiple cultural influences. This is of course because there are a large number of people with different systems of beliefs in their diverse heritages. In England, the culture is mostly secular, as it is in the United States and most of Europe. But you will also find manifestations of Christian culture, Muslim culture (Sharia law is being instituted in several areas at the time of this writing), Amish culture and many others.
Remnants of Christian culture exist in most Western societies; such as Biblical principles governing much of the body of law. In fact, the laws of a land are the primary vehicle which allow — or prevent — Christian culture from being evidenced. Many laws are being passed that are strictly non-Christian, or even anti-Christian. These laws transform culture, but not for Christ. These laws transform culture against Christ.
Establishing a Christian culture is largely dependent upon establishing laws that allow Christian, godly principles to rule. I agree that the task is impossible — when and where people are passing non- or anti-Christian laws. However I also believe that establishing a Christian culture is possible — when and where people pass laws that are in agreement with God’s Word.
There are majorly significant issues facing us today in our task of establishing a Christian culture. These issues include homosexuality, socialistic involuntary redistribution of wealth, greedy manipulation of capitalistic economic systems, and the blatant promotion of non-Biblical values in all forms of media. We are all aware of the issues we face as Christians in the nations we inhabit. Can we transform culture to reflect Christian values as opposed to worldly or even Satanic lack-of-value?
To transform culture, we need Christian politicians who will stand up and fight for what is right according to God’s Word. We need Christian educators to teach Creationism; we need Christian entertainers, we need Christian sports figures and Christian doctors and lawyers. We need Christians in decision-making capacities in every area of life. It’s a possible impossibility, but let me explain what makes it possible.
Principalities and powers dominate the social-religious-political world in which we live. But it is the masses of people that have always had the ultimate power. Whenever a large enough body of people have revolted against their rulers, the people have prevailed. The key is getting enough people to stand for what is right. I’m not suggesting a physical revolt against leaders, but an ideological one. An ideological revolt will transform culture because demand drives supply.
Demand drives supply in the commercial world. Companies don’t produce what people don’t want. When enough people demand things that are godly, and don’t partake in things that are not, then we will see more Christ in culture. Culture is transformed by demand.
When enough people stand up to say that homosexuality is a sin and is not to be accepted, then politicians will have to pass or rescind laws that sanction it.
When enough people stand up to say sex outside of marriage is a sin and not to be accepted, then less opportunity will be present to facilitate it.
When enough people refuse to see movies that promote witchcraft and sorcery, the movie producers will stop producing them.
I think you’re getting the idea that it takes a large body of believers with the same beliefs and goals to effect massive cultural changes. This is true. This is why transforming culture is possible. For example, in the United States we have a large enough body of Christians to effect such a change, but we are not collectively agreed upon the things we need to agree on to make it happen. We are not taking collective action on the things that we need to do to make a ‘loud enough’ statement to those in power.
This is where you and I come in. Each one of us can help to educate and influence people around us. We can work independently and individually to do our own part. As each one of us do so, our collective action multiplies and, yes, we can transform culture for Christ.
With this background, I invite you to work together with us at The Christian Culture Center. We are a grass-roots organization, starting small as every grass-roots organization has to, but with big goals. We want to transform culture for Christ, one person at a time. You are invited to work together with us to make it happen!
Visit http://christianculturecenter.org and register on the site. Join our Advisory Board and help us transform culture for Christ.