Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel

A Must Read Book by Russell Moore

While on our recent road trip in the Midwest, as usual, I took along reading material. I like the feel of a book in my hands and know that dates me. One of the books that I began to read was Onward- Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel by Russell Moore. Moore was a new author to me, but I suspect that I will read anything he has or will write. Moore has a unique ability to speak as a prophet to our culture without coming across as angry or manipulative. On the trip I did not have the marker pen that I usually use when reading a book, but after a few chapters I knew that this was a book I needed to read a second time.

As the subtitle suggests, Moore is challenging Christians to engage the culture by learning to apply the Gospel. It is my desire in this blog to stimulate some of you readers, if there are any of you, to read this relevant book. I believe the book would make a good study for any small group or Sunday School Class, and it comes with a workbook to stimulate discussion.

So, to hopefully whet your appetite, let me share a few quotations from the book:

In the chapter, From Moral Majority to Prophetic Minority consider this: "The church of Jesus Christ ought to be the last people to fall for hucksters and demagogues. After all, the church bears the Spirit of God, who gifts the Body with discernment and wisdom. But too often we do. We receive celebrities simply because they are 'conservative', without asking what are they conserving. If you are angry with the same people we are, you must be one of us. But it would be a tragedy to get the right president, the right congress, and the wrong Christ." (emphasis mine, pages 31-32)

From the chapter entitled Kingdom: "The church is a signpost of God's coming kingdom (Eph. 3:10), a preview to the watching world of what the reign of God in Christ is to look like, a colony of the kingdom coming."

Or try this one on for size: "Our vote for President of the Untied States is important. We are held accountable, as we'll discuss, for the discharge of our ruling responsibilities in this life. But our vote for President is less important than our vote to receive new members for baptism into our churches. A President is term-limited and, for that matter, so is the United States (and every other nation). The reception of members into the church, however, marks out the future kings and queens of the universe. Our church membership rolls say to the people on them, and to the outside world, 'These are those we believe will inherit the universe as joint-heirs with Christ.'" (pg. 63)

In the chapter entitled, Mission, consider this: "In our attempts to keep the gospel from being too big, we must not end up with a gospel to small to do what Jesus commanded us to do." 

Moore is addressing the issue of how the G\gospel and, what we call the Great Commission, call for Christ-followers to be involved in confronting social injustices that are embedded in every culture. We cannot choose between evangelism and justice. But, how do we biblically address injustices? Two other quotes to consider in answering that question: "We empower darkness when we refuse to warn of judgment....The gospel does not expose sin in order to condemn but in order to reconcile...We speak of sin, and we warn of judgment, but in order to see persons made right with God, not in order to vent our spleens."

Moore effectively deals with issues such as abortion and capital punishment when he addresses human dignity or what it means to be image bearers of Deity. As usual, Moore ties every point back to the gospel. 

So, without boring you (and because I want to get back to finishing the book) let me share one more quote about human dignity and the gospel. "Our mission then is defined not just by precepts and principles and priorities but by a person."

After all, isn't it all about Jesus? Isn't He the only hope for our culture and our world? Isn't He the coming king who will set up the only perfect culture?

So, consider my challenge to read this relevant book. I welcome your feedback.

Forgive me for one more quote from the back cover: The signs of the times tell us we are in for days our parents and grandparents never knew. But that's no call for panic or surrender or outrage. Jesus is alive. Let's act like it. Let's follow him, onward to the future."