Torch, Summer 2002

divorce among couples claiming to be Christians. Researchers, such as George Barna, tell us that the incidence of divorce among conservative, evangelical Christians is high, perhaps even higher, than the general population. The sad fact is that we have simply lost our distinctiveness as Christians. Consequently, Christianity is no longer viewed as a positive influence, either in the lives of individuals or in society as a whole. Christians are viewed as nothing more than a special- interest group in a sea of such groups. The biblical description of worldliness in the context of the church is the presence of “strife” or selfish ambition within the body. Scripture is very clear about this issue. Consider the following selections: Also a dispute [KJV = strife] arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:24-26). I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree 10 TORCH / Summer 2002 18 th century founders, consider these words: “Our strength lies in spiritual concepts. It lies in public sensitiveness to evil. Our greatest danger is not from invasion by foreign armies. Our dangers are that we may commit suicide from within by complacence with evil, or by public tolerance of scandalous behavior.” These were the sentiments of Herbert Hoover, 31st president of the United States, who served from 1929-1933. How has this happened? How has the clear, indisputable Christian heritage of American society been undermined? How have we, as believers, allowed the dismantling of our cultural foundation? There is one primary reason for this catastrophe. The reason the church has lost its position of influence in American and Western culture is worldliness . Little about the Christian community can be viewed as substantively different than any other group. We live, work, serve, and behave in ways indistinguishable from our neighbors. Nowhere is this more evident than in the statistics concerning Confronting Conflict Outside the Comfort Zone vain.” Today, can you imagine the president of any of the Ivy League schools saying such a thing in private to say nothing of committing these to a document? Of course, you can’t. He or she would be excoriated as an insensitive bigot. Yet, it was this set of principles which served as the cornerstone for the creation of what is still viewed as the greatest system of higher education the world has ever known. Do we even need to consider the political arena? Unfortunately, we do, for it is from this arena that much of the degrading of societal influence has occurred. How far our nation’s government has strayed from the path established by the Founding Fathers! For example, Patrick Henry, member of the Continental Congress, said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” In case you think these sentiments were limited to the Proposition #2 Proposition #3