Comments on: Does Culture Count?

By: stepchild

stepchild — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:29:00 +0000

R.L. Vaughn,
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate what you've written here. It's nice to know that other people are wrestling with these same concepts.

You wrote, "...the Christian culture is unique and exists independently..." and, "the culture of gathering believers -- which exists outside of and independently from world governments, cultures, and standards..."

I would tend to disagree with the idea that a "Christian culture" can exist independently of the world's culture. Our interpretations of scripture, of culture, and of the church are heavily influenced by our cultural context (whether we like it, or admit it, or not). The time I've spent with believers from other cultures has shown me that their version of the "Christian culture" that you mention looks very different from what I come from.

Also, a look at church history will show some huge changes to the way Christians view the world, depending largely on their cultural context. I would say that Christians are to be light in whatever culture they are in, and not worry about trying to create and maintain a "Christian culture." The Church today and in history proves that this is neither possible nor desired this side of heaven.

Thanks for asking for my thoughts.

By: R. L. Vaughn

R. L. Vaughn — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:19:00 +0000

I would be appreciative if you’d comment on the following that I wrote awhile back. I’d like to get a ‘third person’ perspective.

“Christian culture is created in Christ and prescribed in the New Testament. Though times change and cultures differ, the Christian culture is unique and exists independently. The way that Christians and churches relate to culture in any place and time may change according to those times and places. But the culture of gathering believers — which exists outside of and independently from world governments, cultures, and standards — is universal and permanent, having neither command to change nor necessity to conform.”

Thanks.

By: bryan riley

bryan riley — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 22:11:00 +0000

Yeah, i was disappointed to see it wasn’t lent.

By: Watchman

Watchman — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:54:00 +0000

Must not be lent.

By: Beth

Beth — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:54:00 +0000

Maybe STAS?

By: Strider

Strider — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:02:00 +0000

David Rogers thinks he might have given up blogging for lent. Well, hey it was that or alcohol right? So, We will know if David is right come Monday I suppose.

By: bryan riley

bryan riley — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:05:00 +0000

What is the deal? Where has he gone?

By: Thorne

Thorne — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:36:00 +0000

I don’t think the church’s issue today is trying to maintain our “truth” content- rather that the traditional church, with the goal of being “counter-cultural” has actually created its own “church culture” where we are inward focused. We have our own language, books, music, movies, etc. And these things are not “counter-culture” and have no intrinsic spiritual content, but rather are simply matters of preference for our “Christian culture”. What we need are churches who take away all the reasons non-Christians have come to hate- not church itself- but Christian church culture. I’m a part of a church for people who hate going to church. We take away all the “churchy” culture- all the reasons why non-Christians don’t want to go to church. The church has to do this or we’re going to lose a lot of ground.
churchtogether.blogspot.com

By: Watchman

Watchman — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:02:00 +0000

I’m beginning to think maybe the rapture has taken place, with stepchild being taken, and the rest of us being left behind. should have listened to tim lahaye.

By: knnuki

knnuki — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 07:16:00 +0000

Me and all my friends, we're not stopping til you come up with a new post, Stepchild. Starting now.

We Want Stepchild! We Want Stepchild! We Want Stepchild! We Want Stepchild!

(C'mon everyone, help me out)

We Want Stepchild! We Want Stepchild...