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The Post Modern Infiltration Print E-mail
The Post Modern Infiltration
For a definition see: http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/postm-body.html

Addressing the rise of Post-modernism in our churches today (Goes with sermons from a series on Truth): 

http://tbcmarion.org/index.php?option=com_preachit&tmpl=component&id=45&view=audiopopup

http://tbcmarion.org/index.php?option=com_preachit&tmpl=component&id=46&view=audiopopup

http://tbcmarion.org/index.php?option=com_preachit&tmpl=component&id=47&view=audiopopup

http://tbcmarion.org/index.php?option=com_preachit&tmpl=component&id=44&view=audiopopup

Most of us value our own opinions. We believe the things we do because we believe ourselves to be right, and we don’t take kindly to being told we are wrong. Many of us will do almost anything to avoid these types of conversations. We don’t like conflict, and we migrate toward conversations with people who either share our views, or are willing participants in our life long fantasy to convince others that we are the True Dispensers of wisdom and truth. We have convinced ourselves we have something very valuable to say, and that others should take note of our ideas. When they don’t, we write it off as people who just are not open to new ideas, closed minded, or just plain rude. The furthest thing from our mind is engaging in conversations with people who might take a passionate stance against our ideas, who might strongly disagree with people who do not see things the way we do, or those who might actually challenge us to change the way we think about matters we have already settled in our own minds. We are a growing breed of non confrontational, superficial thinking, politically correct experts who go through life dispensing our truth to those who are willing to listen, and avoiding those who might passionately disagree.


This is a different world than the one in which my grandfather grew up. I remember my grandfather passionately debating politics with a neighbor. I remember watching him getting red in the face, no doubt from blood pressure elevation and the steam flowing from his ears, as he passionately and compassionately tried to introduce Jesus to an unbelieving friend. He had very definite views about why people would not argue with him about politics or religion. He believed they just did not care enough about the truth to challenge others with the truth, or be challenged themselves. “If one cannot be passionate about the Truth, what difference does the rest make?”, he used to say. “I’d rather go to my grave arguing for Jesus than rest in my bed arguing with my nurse about my high blood pressure.”



My grandfather did not realize this, but he was a type of prophet for his time. He had already recognized the incredible impact modern thinking was having on our culture. The rise of the modern world view opened the floodgates toward the quieting of the Christian voice in our society. You see, as long as we can convince ourselves that our opinions and our understanding of truth counts just as much as any one else’s, then we are free to embrace a truth that does not have to stand the test of time and can, at any moment, usurp the very fabric of orthodox and traditional understandings of Truth. Even Biblical Truth becomes suspect, which is exactly why Christians and non Christians alike have elevated personnel preference over Biblical Truth. If we don’t like a thing that the Bible appears to be teaching, then we suspend the Truth found there in favor of what we choose to believe with the universal creed - "Let me tell you what I believe." We do this with God speak, or with words that sound Christian and spiritual. We would not dare come across as Christians who do not heed the leadership and authority of God for our choices. It’s just that God now tends to speak through "my" experiences or "my" emotions or "my" intuitions, and not so much through the ancient Biblical text and theological reflection. Slowly but altogether Surely we are becoming a Post-Modern Church "feeling" our way through a Post Modern World. 



We have failed to realize that we do this to our own peril, revealing that our personal beliefs and commitments take precedence when it comes to the decisions we make. Who needs an experienced coach to call plays from the sideline; I can do it from the comfort of my living room. Who needs an experienced teacher to open the Truth of Scripture to me; God and me have a thing going on. Who needs the community of faith to help mold and shape me into a disciple of Christ; I’ve got my own prayer closet to climb into.  Peace/Out


Rick Farmer Written on Monday, 25 April 2011 10:27 by Rick Farmer

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