A part of me wants to applaud David Hopkins’ recent next-wave article regarding his gripes with postmodernism and our culture, however, I can’t bring myself to do so. I highly recommend reading it, though. Yes, The church culture has grabbed onto postmodernism and made it as marketable as the Testamints at a Family Christian bookstore. While there are those of us living postmodern lives who see this error and want to smack people on the forehead, we still have to understand that if it weren’t for groups of people like Emergent, we’d still be fighting the battle for our freedom against the church. They paved the way for all of us, and for those of us to come behind. What will church and faith look like for our children? My prayer is that my kids will feel the freedom to love God and not hold back and do that whatever way is best for them.
And while we all know we don’t “save” anybody, I can’t help but respond to the dis against the Billy Graham Crusades included in that section of his article. Billy Graham can explain the essence of the gospel and how to really have a relationship with God better than anyone I’ve ever heard. Joshua and I went to his most recent Crusade held here in Dallas a couple of months ago. To sit and listen to him speak about God and his love is incredible. He is so clear that people can’t help but understand. People may not like the idea of living with sin and needing a mediator. There may be many other aspects of who Jesus is and what he did that connects to them, but that doesn’t make the fact that we need atonement any less true.
But Hopkins is right. We need to press on and stay passionate about our God and always explore new ways to commune with him, both as individuals and as a community.