The Camel's Nose

My friend Dr. Bob Osburn at the University of MN http://www.wilberforceacademy.org/ notes how the arrival of postmodernity actually creates space for Christians on campus in a backwards sort of way:

“There is little doubt that postmodernism has been the camel’s nose under the tent, and, thus, alternative, nontraditional worldviews like Christianity have found a place to enter and engage the academic conversation.”



In other words, every group on campus is supposed to have a place at the table to speak. Even Christians.

A fabulous opportunity for us!

But wait a second. Many of our sharpest students are not sitting at the table at all. Instead, they’re attending Christian colleges (including my son).

Question: Do you think the church has a vision for reaching the secular university? If so, are we willing to send our best and brightest students there as missionaries?

Do it with Style

I’m trying to confuse you. Last week’s post was a “never happens” dialog between Modern and Postmodern, that happens (implicitly) all the time.

Hopefully, you were not happy with either side.

Moderns tend to be overly impressed with their own knowledge and institutions. Let’s not get stuck there.

Postmoderns sometimes fall into cynicism and relativism. That’s no good either.

My suggestion? If your church wants to grow by reaching people 35 and under, you have to go postmodern STYLISTICALLY. Skip the cynicism and relativism but work toward these changes:

• Focus on community, personal experience, interactive learning, stories and modeling transparent spirituality.
• Preach more in the gospels, Acts, Psalms and OT narratives.

SO, if you're 45 and up, join me in trying to show some stylistic flexibility.

If you're 35 and under, you already get it. Postmodern style comes naturally to you.

If you're 35-45, you'll be in power, soon, in your church (if you aren't already). Stylistically, which way will you go?

Pomo vs. Mo

A hackneyed, stock conversation in the anthropology dept between Postmodern and Modern that never actually occurs. Except everyday.

Pomo: You “Mo’s” have been running the show for 400 years, and we’re going to put an end to it.

Mo: What do you mean?

Pomo: It started with your European claims to know absolute truth. Then you forced yourselves on MANY native cultures. It’s called colonialism. Ever heard of it?

Mo: Wait a second. I admit, abuses took place. But most were carried out by European governments and their armies, not by Christians. There’s a difference between the true followers of Jesus and those who use religion to oppress others.

Pomo: Don’t deny your own history, Mo. If you’re saying that the political motivation to expand, to colonialize, to force-feed religion on other cultures didn’t come from the church historic, which included many sincere believers, where did it come from?

Mo: Before you impose your understanding of history on me too forcefully, Pomo, you should know that there are now more Christians in the developing world than in the west.

Pomo: So the end justifies the means? I suppose the next thing you’ll say is that God is the one who gave you this country. Damages along the way were merely “collateral.”

Mo: Unfortunately, we don’t agree among ourselves on this point right now, so we’re not prepared to give an answer.

Pomo: That’s what I thought.

Mo: Don’t get too smug with me, Pomo. You’ve made a HUGE mistake yourself: You’ve  become a relativist. Ironically, relativism ultimately means, “anything goes.” And if anything goes, even colonialism would be acceptable.

Pomo: I never said anything goes. I believe we should respect and be tolerant of all human beings!

Mo: Except Christians.

Pomo: They don’t deserve respect. They’ve dominated for centuries. Now it’s time to take away their power and re-distribute it to the powerless.

Mo: That’s what’s maddening about you. You don’t bother to make a strong argument against my position—probably because you can’t. You simply run me over, all the while spouting off about “respect."

Pomo: Mo, it’s called colonialism. How does it feel?

Question: What’s Mo’s next move?

The 500 Foot Wall

Derek and Amber are postmodern college students. They have entered your church for the first time, hoping to find spiritual reality, but a 500-foot wall appears to be blocking their way into the sanctuary.


From the “narthex,” you spot D and A. They look out of place here at church—baggy clothes, tattoos, tongue rings, I-pods. Confused yet confident.

An unmistakable 500-foot barrier separates them from you.


I believe the barrier is real. It’s a cultural barricade, actually. Compare the tendencies of these two cultures:

 

Question: What do we do with this 500-foot wall of separation?