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Christianity Today, May, 2009 |

Out of Step and Fine with It

Why Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of the Most Admired Man in America, thinks Christians need to become unfashionable.

Collin Hansen | posted 5/05/2009 10:30AM

America's most fashionable city fits Tullian Tchividjian like a glove. Tchividjian, 36, grew up in South Florida and exudes Miami's cosmopolitan, comfortable cool. He relishes the region's multicultural ...

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Johann

Posted: May 14, 2009 1:54 PM


Funny how all the sects produced by the so-called Reformation can actually use the word "orthodox" with a straight face when describing their theology. Well, I guess a heresy can be orthodox to its own principles.

GardenGirl

Posted: May 11, 2009 9:07 PM

The article states that the author "believes that Christians must forsake any hope of winning cultural acceptance if they want to affect the culture for the Lord's sake." How about cultural relevance? Jesus made no effort to be "accepted," but he was always dead-on relevant, with bullsye accuracy. That's why people responded to him, and things changed, everywhere he went. Believers will do the same in this era. God's people shape the culture by displaying God's wisdom and excellence in every arena of life. That's how God changed the world then, and it's how He is changing it now, through His people. Study the lives of Daniel in Babylon or Joseph in Egypt for prime examples. It still works.

Cynthia Adam

Posted: May 11, 2009 7:51 AM


Oh Catholics, please come home. Your Christ awaits you.

Rich Barrett

Posted: May 09, 2009 5:09 PM

Kudos to the leadership at Coral Ridge for taking a risk on a young, bold leader like Tullian. He will challenge the culture at CRPC in some really healthy ways, and I'm praying that CRPC once again becomes a place where those who feel far from God can focus on what's most important—understanding God's great love for them. Tulian's sudden launch into the limelight will present some challenges for him and the church, I'm sure. But we owe it to the legacy of this church and this family to give him time to prove himself as a leader and communicator. Fort Lauderdale needs more churches like New City and more leaders like Tchividjian!

Vern	Posted: May 09, 2009 7:35 AM


I think the meshing of Reformed theology and Anabaptist has some real potential. Hauerwas meets Piper, now THERE's a smackdown I'd pay to see.

granmargaret

Posted: May 06, 2009 3:40 PM

John Holecek, protestant views on baptism are really secondary issues, which we can agreed to differ on and it really doesn't matter too much, but compared with the Roman Catholic Church which teaches so many fundamental errors, such as Indulgances, with these practices the Vatican was originally built. What about making saints, when the Bible tells us that all born again believers are saints in the eyes of God. What about venerating Mary, when Jesus alone is the Way the Truth and the Life, no man can come to the Father but by Him! He alone was sinless. The list is endless, thank God for Martin Luther, Calvin, Zwinglie, Tyndale and others who God used to spread the Reformation and set the people free to read the Bible for themselves. .

Joseph Steiner

Posted: May 06, 2009 11:40 AM


They reject people who dress up properly on Sunday to give also outworthy respect to God. But they come to them when they need money that the Gospel could go forward. Probably Tullian has to find a middle way to adjust to both groups

Jason

Posted: May 06, 2009 1:30 AM

Bush and Obama are both anti-Christian Zionists. At the time of Christ, Judea was ruled by the Edomite dynasty of the Herods - the Edomites, descendants of Esau, described as a people God hates (Malachi 1:2,3). They were converted to become 'Jews' by Hyrcanus in about 120BC. According to Josephus the Jewish historian who lived just after the time of Christ, 'They (Edom) were hereafter no other than Jews' (Antiquities of the Jews, XIII ix 1; XV vii 9). Cecil Roth in his Concise Jewish Encyclopedia says `John Hyrcanus forcibly converted [Edom] to Judaism. From then on they were part of the Jewish people..' (p 154). The Pharisees, repeatedly described by Jesus as 'serpents, brood of vipers', were associated with the Herodian Edomites (Matthew 22:15,16). Ezekiel prophesied that Edom would usurp the place of true Israel (35:10). Jesus called the usurpers the 'synagogue of satan' (Rev 2:9, 3:9). The Jewish involvement in Communism and Hollywood are signs of a continued Edomite presence.

Lee C

Posted: May 05, 2009 10:19 PM


. . .a very long article here. . .Ho Hm. . .

Anonymous

Posted: May 05, 2009 8:42 PM


This guy sounds pretty good, but he'd be even better if he'd let go of the flawed teachings of Calvinism and the extremism of the PCA.

John Holecek

Posted: May 05, 2009 7:54 PM


All the things that Tchividjian longs for, recconciliation and mutual adaptation between Anabaptists and Presbyerians, has already been accomplished in the Catholic Church. Oh, Protestants, please come home. The Church awaits you.

Dale Fincher

Posted: May 05, 2009 5:36 PM

Tullian resonates with me in this article.... sounds like a kindred soul to meet at coffee. What I find interesting is that for all the talk to be culturally different, most of the interview is about being culturally relevant (meeting people where we are; how this generation is suspicious; how politics is not the answer, etc). This is all very popular cultural chatter today (all of which I believe) but I would call it relevant and fashionable, from a certain point of view. What isn't unfashionable is talking about large churches in America, popular grandparents, being listed as one of the top young evangelical leaders, yada, yada... all stuff geared toward making me as a reader thing this article is important. This is also the stuff that our generation (Tullian's and mine) doesn't like. The article's tone seems to present him a way that is contrary to what he stands for.

Linda

Posted: May 05, 2009 4:10 PM

I found this article rather hard to understand. I also disagree with Pastor T. that politics isn't the most powerful shaper of our culture. Most Americans do not favor homosexual marriage and yet it is the politicians who are forcing it on their states on behalf of a tiny minority. Most Americans didn't favor abortion and yet it was the Supreme Court appointed by politicians that came up with the unconstitutional woman's 'right to privacy' to begin the holocaust that has murdered an entire generation of Americans.

bill	Posted: May 05, 2009 4:03 PM


Having been a Protestant (Evangelical) pastor for many years (no longer) I continue to be confirmed in my conclusion that Protestantism is still all about what YOU think. The Bible is just your weapon to prove YOUR point. Unbelievers tell us it's all relative; we Protestants taught them that.

Ben	Posted: May 05, 2009 2:56 PM


"Of course, the attempt to be cool is one sure sign that you are not. Skeptical young seekers, as Tchividjian was as a teenager, reject such posturing." I think that this says it all. Even not relating to culture is relating to culture. :) If you bring values, they will come--even if the values conflict to some degree with "culture"--maybe especially if the values conflict with the culture.

Claire

Posted: May 05, 2009 2:53 PM

The comment above must be from a very young person. I'm sure if you asked the whole world who has been the most admired man in America we would all say Billy Graham, and to mention George Bush who I held in esteem, but heard so much hate for him from the States which spread right up here in Canada, or Obama who has only been on the scene for five minutes, is what doesn't make sense. Still if they are in their early 20's it's understandable......However I admired what this article was saying and the man himself, but I still like to see more of how we are alike, and holding to the main principles of the gospel and what Jesus taught. Too bad that there always has to be devision.

GlowingSpark

Posted: May 05, 2009 11:52 AM


The headline states that Tullian Tchividjian is the grandson of the Most Admired Man in America. Barack Obama is currently the most admired man in America and before him it was President Bush. So, Tchividjian is Obama's or Bush's grandson? This doesn't make sense. Does it?

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