Cultural Churches or Counter-Cultural Churches?

The following is excerpted from an article by a man named Ed Stetzer. Ed is an author and is President of an organization called Lifeway Research which is a consulting organization for churches.

What is written is his opinion—based on polls and other research—regarding Christianity in our culture. I found what he wrote to be interesting and so I’m sharing it here. The rest of what you read is quoted from the article written by Ed Stetzer:

“It is beginning to cost something to be a Christian in America—not as much as in many places in the world or in much of history, but more than it used to. And, as living for Christ costs more in our culture, it will mean more in our context.

Churches that are preaching the Gospel and are focusing on biblical truths are going to become more clearly distinct from the culture around them. The end result? Robust Christian communities are going to get stronger.

These gospel-preaching churches will have members who are more, not less, committed and these committed churches will have less nominal Christians [Christians in name only] in the years to come. Christianity will become more of a minority in culture, but more refined, more biblical, and more missional churches will be the result.

Where From Here?

The lasting effects of these shifts will force churches to make a critical decision. They will either become a cultural church that allows the societal trends to dictate their ever-changing beliefs. Or they will become a counter-cultural church that faithfully adheres to Scripture and proclaims the gospel in a carefully considered way. The latter church will offer real hope in the midst of an adversarial culture and is the only real future for the American church.”