Do you ever wonder what God is calling you to do in this world? Do you ever look around and wonder how everything could be slipping so far away from the Lord? The secular morality that has control in our culture can seem so upside down at times, that it scares me.
I have heard several different people describe our current cultural context as either post-Christian or anti-Christian. I can agree with either of those descriptions, but a couple people described it in a way that really speaks to my heart.
They describe us as entering into a new Apostolic age. We are experiencing not just a rejection of Christianity, but a time when a large majority of people don’t really know what Christianity is. In my interpretation of that message, while I acknowledge that some people haven’t heard about it, I believe the bigger issue is with those who have heard a lot of mis-information about Christianity. These people hate Christianity because they believe a false narrative.
Hence, a new Apostolic age. By virtue of our baptism, we share in the mission of the Church to spread the good news. That is a daunting task today, especially when our faith is being condemned by so many. The “influencers” in our culture frequently paint Christianity as intolerant and evil.
Like the Apostles in the first century, it is very likely up to us to change the world. The persecution of Christians in the first century was serious, even risking death, yet the Church grew at a miraculous rate. I am shocked every time I hear stories about such attacks on Christians in some parts of the world, even today.
Yet, for most of us, the risk is not death but rejection and hatred. Still, it is enough to make us hide our faith. Unfortunately, that plays right into the enemy’s hands. The evil one loves nothing more than for faithful Christians to hide from the world so he can take control. He is even happier when Christians become desperate and lash out, giving him fodder for his twisted message.
How can we live the Apostolic mission of the Church to follow God’s call and change the world? What lessons can we learn from the first Christians who literally changed the world?