Five Threats Facing American Christians

These are not distant threats. We often hear about dangerous trends in the future or false doctrines that infect others. Few recognize the silent fumes that already surround them. Untold damage is already done – can you identify these threats? Are you responding proactively?

Reductionism – The gospel is all that matters. True, sort of. The problem is that reductionists reduce everything that Jesus did down to one soundbite: you failed, Jesus didn’t, praise God! Rather than proclaiming the whole Christ, reductionists gloss over the miracle of regeneration, the importance of sanctification, and the perspective of glorification. Fed such a lopsided diet, Christians are ill equipped for the work of ministry. They fail to attain maturity. They lose sight of the depth and richness of Christ’s person and work.

Electronics – When your smartphone dings, you instinctively reach for it. You regret how long you scroll through Facebook. The phone is your dinner companion. Is this true of you? While electronics are wonderful power tools, they can also ruin relationships, disrupt communication, and limit our attention spans. Worse, they are designed to reprogram our brains. Even if you don’t use electronics for actual evil, they can intrude into worship and distract from what is important. Use extreme caution.

Apathy – The world is big, bad, and ugly, but few care to confront it. Christians have plenty of resources: good Biblical teaching, edifying books, free time, a wealth of churches, and the list goes on. Yet the American dream is hard to resist. It’s easier to pursue the next exciting trip or experience, a bigger house, or a better career. Faced with statistics about the unreached or the destitute, surprisingly few will do anything to change it. While not true of everyone, a few dollars in the offering plate has a surprisingly calming effect on the conscience.

Entertainment – Are we willing to prioritize the Bible over the news, Netflix, or the next ball game? While entertainment has always played a part in every culture, American entertainment is unique for its passive, mindless, and consummate character. It is passive – we watch others play games while we sit in comfort. It is mindless – amusement is more common than musing. It is consummate – it is an end in itself, not a means of refreshment. From video games to board games to ball games, the world is clearly obsessed with entertainment. Are we?

Syncretism – It’s easy to condemn an obvious prosperity gospel or preacher who adds to the message of Christ alone. It’s less comfortable to notice how closely we ourselves align with the world. If you have a Christianized version of secular culture, something might be wrong. Do you take the world’s ideas, habits, celebrations, dress, entertainment, and vision and gloss them with a Christian veneer? Or do you start with Scripture and work out what God says about every aspect of life, so that your mind is renewed along the way?

Don’t misunderstand. Not every Christian is failing in each of these areas. Some of these things aren’t even inherently bad. Yet they suffuse the air we breathe. Recognize and respond appropriately.