Three Ways to Relate
Theme of the Week: Culture Can Be Redeemed
Sunday, August 16, 2009
 1 of 1
Who Said It … Mike Erre
Mike Erre is the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, California, where he lives with his wife, Justina, and their two children. He is the author of Why Guys Need God.
Mike is an avid fan of Buckeye football, the music of Pearl Jam, and the mythology of Star Wars. What He Said … Three Ways to Relate
The Jews of Jesus' day responded to the Greco-Roman culture of their occupiers in three ways: embracing it (Sadducees), separating from it (Pharisees), or attempting to take it over (Zealots).
Today's Christians relate to culture in similar ways. Some, like the Amish and Mennonites, attempt to withdraw from culture. Many evangelicals partially withdraw by forming a Christian subculture with its own schools, music, novels, and movies. Still others—today's collaborationists—have excised those parts of the Bible offensive to modern ears. And Zealots no longer advocate armed revolt but rather use political and legal power to attempt to return the West to its "Christian" roots.
Jesus only direct response was to the many questions of his contemporaries, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). But how he interacted with his culture speaks volumes. He didn't withdraw from it (like the Pharisees) nor embrace it (like the Sadducees). He didn't advocate armed revolution (as did the Zealots). He simply sought to redeem culture wherever he found it.
Adapted from The Jesus of Suburbia (W Publishing, 2006) by permission.
Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
 share this page
Since you've called me to be salt and light, I'm not free to just blend in. Empower me to make a positive impact where you've placed me.
Men of Integrity
Connect with God | Transform my Mind | Live by His Power
Relate Better | Make an Impact
Home | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try an Issue of Men of Integrity
Free!
|
 |
|
No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders.
If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
Give Men of Integrity as a gift
Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| |
|
RSS Feed
