The times in which we live are unprecedented in the history of America. Every generation thinks the cultural decline is worse than in prior times. These times are clearly unprecedented—at least in American history. But the threats we face today are not unprecedented in Judeo-Christian history, a point I will address later.
Marian Evans, who wrote under the pen name George Eliot, described the beauty of friendship: “Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words but to pour them all out together, knowing that a faithful friend will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.”
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2, NKJV).
If you’ve ever struggled to pray for government leaders with whom you strongly disagree, imagine being an evangelical congressman or senator on the front lines in Washington, called by God to hit your knees on behalf of fellow lawmakers who blatantly reject the biblical values you treasure.
When I say “market-driven,” I am referring to the contemporary ethos in culture whose only value is infinite growth and production. This market-driven culture is equally in the contemporary evangelical church. This is very different from the Hebraic mindset of the Word of God from which the church should be taking its cues.
It’s undeniable. And it shouldn’t surprise you. But this might.
