I saw this article on how the Associated Press is trying to sue All Headline News for stealing "hot news". The opinion of the article is that the AP is operating on an archaic worldview, but times have changed, and they need to change their thinking about what is "hot news" and their property.As I finished the short article, I couldn't help but wonder what old paradigms the Church (or maybe my church or - even more importantly - me) still thinks within while the world around has changed. Clearly the Church MUST be doing this based on the number of books, articles, and conferences out there that address this issue. But I am part of the Church as a follower of Jesus. So in what areas am I still thinking with a 1989 mindset when the world around me is in 2009?
I don't really know. I have always been fascinated with culture ever since serving in Venezuela for 2 years, and so I consider myself somewhat of a student of culture. I may not necessarily see all the films shaping culture, or know all the latest music releases, or join every social network out there, or where the latest fashions, but I watch it enough to know what's going on for the most part. But I still can't help but wonder if my "Christian" upbringing has me thinking in a way that is not necessarily biblical and keeps me from fully understanding and engaging the culture with the important "hot news" (that is definitely cross-cultural) that Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins.
Since I rarely get comments on my posts, I'm not expecting a lot of input, but I'm just wondering if anyone has been able to see an area they were thinking with an archaic paradigm and were able to change it. To hear the stories of others might help me figure out if I'm unknowingly doing this. Because I don't want to be an AP Christian.
2 comments:
Hey Erin - your friend Nate Ndjeareou. I've been super busy but I should be home for a month when I get back to town tomorrow night. Hope we can get together soon.
Great article and very thought provoking. As I've had a chance to visit many cities in various countries these past 10 months, it is very clear and undeniable that the world is changing and more rapidly than I even had suspected.
Technology is not only fueling the future but leaving cultures overturned in its wake as it advances, seemingly with no boundaries.
As Christians, we need to believe that God is fully in control and He has given us talents that should be employed in His service in creative ways.
My paradigm is shifting from a cautious, protective, comfortable "Suburban American" christianity to more of a "unadvised" yet respectful, trusting, unpredictable, risk-taking "Biblical" christianity that Jesus modeled when He lived amongst his own on this earth in a time that the Roman Empire, a considerable force, occupied the Holy land.
Technology is the "Roman Empire" of the day in my observation. It is everywhere and powerful. But, just as it was true back then, God is just as big and powerful. Christ can still be and is being glorified despite peoples over reliance on technology. I have many many stories of all my technology breaking down while on the road and how that allowed me to see the hand of God, which is always there, work in ways I never dreamed possible. God showed his people His power continually despite the perceived and real "uber-power" of the Romans.
I am a safe, "don't rock the boat" kind of a person and my Lord is changing me into a frightened yet trusting disciple in order to engage a world that is not necessarily impressed by safe christianity. Boldness is the call of the day. But boldness with the same faith and intelligence that Jesus modeled to engage the culture of the day.
Doesn't mean we will be treated well, Jesus warned us of that, but we can no longer be accused of not putting it all on the line for our beliefs just as Christ did for us.
My point is we have to be willing to do whatever it takes to follow the call God has put on our lives. If that means making our lives uncomfortable, then so be it.
Take care my friend. Hope to see you soon.
Interesting post, Erin. I thought of three areas that U.S. evangelical Christians tend to be stuck old paradigms. I want to preface this by saying that these aren't things I'm necessarily identifying in anyone I know, but things that I've noticed since "switching cultures" when I accepted Christ.
The first is the area of politics and policy issues (which I think of because I happen to follow politics a little too closely). There seems to be a mindset in the evangelical community that Christians should be conservative Republicans. And along with that, the perception that the Christian/conservative/Republican outlook is a package deal (i.e. if you're a Christian and a Republican, but you disagree on a particular policy issue, you're as bad as an atheist/liberal/Communist or something).
The second is kind of related. It's taking an "all-or-nothing" approach to a lot of controversial issues of the day. There are some people who seem to take the view that if a particular interpretation of creationism is not right, then the entire Bible must be thrown out.
That leads to the third, which is the tendency of Christians to "hunker down" in groups that tend to agree with each other. Not that it's bad for Christians to hang out with each other, but it leads to stagnancy, not just culturally, but also intellectually.
As for me, one area that I've realized I've been stuck in an old way of thinking (maybe more accurately, childish thinking) has to do with being able to affect the world. Sometimes I have a feeling that I can't really change things or accomplish big things without "getting permission" (from whom, I don't know). It's only in the last few months that I've realized I've been thinking this way, so I haven't quite figured out how to change it. But I have started to catch myself doing it, and to give myself permission to do big things.
(I also really like Nate's comment about stepping out of the comfortable zone and being willing to be unpredictable.)
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