Emphasis Preaching Journal

According to Jeffery L. Sheler in U.S. News and World Report, Christians are acting more and more like the rest of society. Instead of being feared as a sinister right-wing movement that is hostile to the values of the majority of Americans, Christians are being influenced more by the society around them than they are influencing that society. They are often more tolerant than they are perceived, they are more concerned about their families than politics, and they worry about jobs and the economy as much as everyone else. Evangelical Christians have historically tended to isolate themselves from society by creating their own schools and colleges, music, books, movies, and magazines to maintain their values. However, their commitment to spreading the gospel has moved them more into society. While many strive to maintain their values, only 34 percent of them identify declining morals as a top priority and only 72 percent are worried about their children's values. Only two-thirds say abortion should be illegal versus 45 percent in the general population. Only two-thirds are worried about upholding the institution of marriage versus 42 percent among all Americans. Boston College political scientist Alan Wolfe believes that American culture is such a powerful force that it will eventually change religion. In referring to some churches whose priority is to attract people, he says, "You take the crosses off the church; you put a McDonald's franchise in the lobby, and you don't even know you are in church. The net result is that the faithful now are remarkably like everyone else."

God's Word is very clear in challenging Christians to be different. We are to make no provision for sin. We are to be children of the light in a world that is living in darkness.