Yesterday, in reflecting on kingdom — nearly ten years after I wrote a book about it — I mentioned the need for a fresh and an organic approach to worldliness. I grew up in fundamentalism and we heard lots about the world. It mostly meant not joining in on the trends of the day, like drinking and dancing and Elvis and The Beatles. It was an early form of cancel culture.
Relationships without commitment. Marriages are “forever for now,“ and the divides we’ve seen between left and right ripping even through churches speaks of our desire to only be with people who agree with us.
Technology without boundaries. We have allowed technology to take the place of relationships creating faux relationships. We have surrendered executive thinking and decision making at the altar of information and efficiency. We have lost the ability to deeply focus and mediate on the “soul” hunger, the earth “crammed with heaven”, and the necessity of seeing the image of God in another, as well as “being still and knowing God.” We have built our Babel and squeezed God out of the public square of technology.
Leadership without servanthood. Whereas kingdom leadership follows Jesus by submitting itself to those it leads in order that they would grow and thrive and fulfill their unique callings, worldly leaders use those who are under them to prop up their own egos and serve their own vision, needs, or wants – with little to no regard for those being led. In the process, people are used up, devalued, and in effect dehumanized.
I think it goes beyond methods. Not that you’re wrong. I just think that business methods can be useful when it comes to developing strategies to reach organizational goals. The key, in my mind, is who’s utilizing those methods and how they’re doing so. Which brings us back to the posture and character of the leader. Perhaps the heart of it is whether it’s a leader who sees his or herself as under God, reflecting God, or whether they’ve set themselves up as a god. The challenge - especially in Christian environments - is that the differences can be subtle or hard to see (until you take a good look at the eventual outcomes/fruit).
Fair enough. I was thinking of the "system" and should have been clearer. We can learn from the business world, law world, athletic world... but there's a world enveloping each that needs scrutiny. Totally on board with you about character. Some think the issue is power, but power emerges in a cultural context and those with character use power and authority (authorized power) well. Bad character corrupt power and authority; good character redeems both.
These are excellent observations. I might also add, because I am very passionate about standing against Christian Nationalism which I believe is the root cause of many of these worldly habits, that worldliness is ultimately a problem of trust in our own power rather than God. We merge Christian identity with our American identity and seek to preserve Christianity through legislation rather than winning souls to Christ with love. Christian nationalism also distorts the gospel misleading people with unbiblical teachings on subjects like prosperity and freedom.
These are reminiscent of Gandhi's Seven Deadly Social Sins:
- Wealth without work.
- Pleasure without conscience.
- Knowledge without character.
- Commerce without morality.
- Science without humanity.
- Worship without sacrifice.
- Politics without principle.
Dang, I had not read Gandhi on this but I like his points.
Relationships without commitment. Marriages are “forever for now,“ and the divides we’ve seen between left and right ripping even through churches speaks of our desire to only be with people who agree with us.
Yes, another good observation. Thank you.
Technology without boundaries. We have allowed technology to take the place of relationships creating faux relationships. We have surrendered executive thinking and decision making at the altar of information and efficiency. We have lost the ability to deeply focus and mediate on the “soul” hunger, the earth “crammed with heaven”, and the necessity of seeing the image of God in another, as well as “being still and knowing God.” We have built our Babel and squeezed God out of the public square of technology.
Excellent observation.
Leadership without servanthood. Whereas kingdom leadership follows Jesus by submitting itself to those it leads in order that they would grow and thrive and fulfill their unique callings, worldly leaders use those who are under them to prop up their own egos and serve their own vision, needs, or wants – with little to no regard for those being led. In the process, people are used up, devalued, and in effect dehumanized.
Another good one because many leaders have been engulfed by the worldliness of business methods.
I think it goes beyond methods. Not that you’re wrong. I just think that business methods can be useful when it comes to developing strategies to reach organizational goals. The key, in my mind, is who’s utilizing those methods and how they’re doing so. Which brings us back to the posture and character of the leader. Perhaps the heart of it is whether it’s a leader who sees his or herself as under God, reflecting God, or whether they’ve set themselves up as a god. The challenge - especially in Christian environments - is that the differences can be subtle or hard to see (until you take a good look at the eventual outcomes/fruit).
Fair enough. I was thinking of the "system" and should have been clearer. We can learn from the business world, law world, athletic world... but there's a world enveloping each that needs scrutiny. Totally on board with you about character. Some think the issue is power, but power emerges in a cultural context and those with character use power and authority (authorized power) well. Bad character corrupt power and authority; good character redeems both.
Amen.
To be honest I think you said it.
Your sixth could be debatable as in whose truth.
These are excellent observations. I might also add, because I am very passionate about standing against Christian Nationalism which I believe is the root cause of many of these worldly habits, that worldliness is ultimately a problem of trust in our own power rather than God. We merge Christian identity with our American identity and seek to preserve Christianity through legislation rather than winning souls to Christ with love. Christian nationalism also distorts the gospel misleading people with unbiblical teachings on subjects like prosperity and freedom.