Marc Estes

As we enter the twenty-first century, the mindset of the previous generation is rapidly disappearing, and we are on the verge of a whole new standard for societal thinking. Although Christianity still has its place in our society, biblical principles are no longer the standard by which society functions, and this shift away from Judeo-Christianity has paved the way for a new philosophy that has become the predominate force of our nation. If we think it has been difficult to reach people in a post-Christian, neo-pagan, modern mindset, watch out for the rapid change into the post-modern, destructionist mindset, which is approaching rapidly. Listen to what some of the nation’s leaders are saying:

Princeton Theologian, Diogenes Allen, says, “This change is perhaps as great as that which marked off the modern world from the Middle Ages.”

Leith Anderson, author of A Church for the Twenty-First Century, says, “We are experiencing enormous structural changes in our country and in our world . . . changes that promise to be greater than the invention of the printing press, greater than the Industrial Revolution.”

Gene Edward Veith Jr., author of PostModern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture, says, “ Many people today are sensing that the modern era is over. In nearly every sphere, from academic fields to new social phenomena, the assumptions that shaped twentieth-century thought and culture are being exploded. As we enter the twenty-first century, it seems clear that Western culture is entering a new phase, which scholars are calling post-modern.”

This is best summarized by Walter Truett Anderson, who says, “We are presently in the midst of a transition from one way of thinking to another.” He cites three processes shaping this transition:

The Breakdown of Belief: Today there is no universal consensus about what is true. We are in a kind of unregulated marketplace of realities in which all manner of belief systems are offered for public consumption. All appears to be relative with no foundation of truth. Truth is different to each person, as it is what you want it to be to you.

The Birth of a Global Culture: All belief-systems become aware of all other belief systems. As a result, it is difficult to accept any of them as absolutely true. The end result has produced a melting pot of religious beliefs with the conclusion that all pathways lead to God.

A New Polarization: Conflicts over the nature of social truth tear at our society. We have “culture wars”, particularly battles over the critical issues of education and moral instruction. These wars include abortion, humanism, euthanasia, same sex marriages, gay rights, etc.

With these societal changes facing twenty-first century Christians, our message must be preached through the filter of genuine love and care for the individual. The lost must see the heart of Christ in us! Christ’s love will be the element that separates us from the many other forms of self-made religions and will destroy the vain philosophies of the twenty-first century.