Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

All true Christians become familiar with the Great Commission early in their spiritual lives. At the same time, there is another mandate in the Scriptures that is equally massive in terms of obligation and resulting implications: the dominion mandate of Gen. 1:28. Further, we are told by our Lord to be salt and light that men might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:13-16). Certainly these directives are interconnected and are all grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, few believers understand the profound duty placed upon us in these areas. Neither do we realize the consequences for that failure of understanding. A large number of evangelicals shrink away from thinking about culture or seeing any onus placed upon them concerning cultural influence. Just what does it mean to be in the world but not of the world? While such influence must be accomplished in every sphere of our cultural context from the arts, to the markets, to the entertainment industry, to the sciences, to the political arena, etc., precious few see the necessity of such engagement or even care. A failure to see in this regard is the sure pathway to the marginalization and then ban of Christianity.  In short, we must involve ourselves in cultural engagement. Beyond the stated obvious, the question is: “why?”

1)    First, we must engage the culture because kingdom advance is why we’re here. There are two competing kingdoms in this world, God’s and Satan’s; through they are not on equal footing. Certainly God is sovereign over all things. Yet, He has chosen, through the person and work Christ, to advance His kingdom and that primarily through the influence of believers. He uses us to put His enemies under His feet through the preaching of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:25). If we fail to do so, the Kingdom of Satan continues to encroach upon the Kingdom of God in the world.

For example, the Kingdom of Darkness encroaches in regard to our biggest social issues. Simply consider a few of the massive concerns before us in this culture: abortion, euthanasia, cloning, the homosexual agenda, etc. Pharmacists are required in some places to dispense the morning after pill even if it violates their consciences. In these citations alone the moral breakdown of our culture combined with the erosion of personal liberty has served to advance evil in our culture in an unprecedented way.

Further, the Kingdom of Darkness encroaches in regard to our deepest philosophical commitments. One need only cite the dynamics of political correctness, postmodernism, hate speech legislation, and the like to sound the alarm. A day is fast approaching when the gospel itself will be banned in this country if the tide is not turned.

Perhaps the most chilling implication is that the Kingdom of Darkness encroaches in regard to our prized treasure: our children. A moral agenda vastly different from the average evangelical’s has taken hold in the public school system. Biblical values are out while evolution, socialism, and homosexuality are in.

Now, we are here to encroach on Satan’s kingdom with the power of Christ in the gospel of grace. Of course, we are not talking about forced Christianity. At issue here is gospel advance for the salvation of souls, the glory of God, and the betterment of the lives of all people in the society in which God has placed us. The better of the lives of others is implied in the preserving influence we have as the salt of the earth. Further, the Lord Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18).” The picture here is that of the church advancing even as the gates of Hell attempt to hold that Kingdom from encroaching into its (so-called) territory. Those gates cannot keep Christ from accomplishing His purpose.

Again, in part, Christ accomplishes His purpose through us as He has given us a commission to make disciples of all nations. If we cannot see the degeneration of depraved man all around us and the need for gospel advance, then indeed we are the ones who are blind. At the same time, if we cannot affirm the power of Christ and His gospel and go forth with confidence then we do not understand who we are or what we have in the gospel. A definition of evangelism I’ve embraced and taught over the years is quite simple: “Being, doing, and telling the gospel of the Kingdom of God in order that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, persons and structures may be converted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.” Note the kingdom emphasis: “the gospel of the Kingdom of God.” The only way for persons and structures to be converted to the lordship of Christ is for God’s people to engage those persons and structures. We must engage in cultural engagement.

2)    Second, we must engage the culture because God deserves glory in every sphere. In the definition of evangelism cited above, not only are persons to be converted to the lordship of Christ but so too are structures. Of course, we could add the fact that ideas are to be converted as well. Paul noted, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5).” If God deserves glory in every sphere, then He is to be acknowledged in every sphere. Such a truth has great implications for prayer from a Christian at the opening of a football game or council meeting. Further, if God deserves glory in every sphere, then He is to be influential in every sphere. Of course God has influence in those spheres in which His people are engaged: hence the need for cultural engagement.

3)    Third, we must engage the culture because Christians are misguided in their approach. Some Christians understand the need of the hour and are engaging the culture. The problem lies in the fact that they are taking the wrong tack. Christ Himself said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here (Jn. 18:36).” Christ is not building a physical kingdom but a spiritual one.

Many evangelicals have the wrong goal when it comes to cultural engagement. Too often the goal is a mere moral nation through government coercion. Or, too often the goal is a completely Christian nation through government coercion. Dr. Tom Nettles once said to me, “We glory in a pluralistic society.” Did he say that because he is a pluralist or because he did not want souls to be saved? No. He made such a statement because we cannot force anyone to be a Christian nor do we have the right to make such an attempt. Not only is the Holy Spirit the only One who can accomplish such a transformation but the New Testament advocates freedom for all human beings. Persons have the freedom to be wrong about who God is.

Other evangelicals are wrong in their method. While Christians must be active in the political arena, they must never come to believe that politics or government can or will change the world. We want Christian influence in the public square but such influence must always be connected to the lordship of Christ and the exposition of the gospel in that context. At the same time, co-belligerence, that is, partnering with those of other faiths for social change will not do in this effort. Our efforts in regard to social issues must never be divorced from the gospel we believe. Partnering with unbelievers even for a good cause will necessarily compromise the gospel we must preach in that framework.

So, we must engage the culture. Part of that requires that we point out to our brothers and sisters in Christ the error of their approach and do it right for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4)    Fourth, we must engage the culture because we need not waste our lives. A major problem, even in biblically sound churches today, is that the vast majority of individuals are focused on themselves rather than kingdom advance. The pursuit of the American Dream supersedes pursuit of the gospel. We need a fresh understanding of why God put us here and the reward we stand to gain on that great day.

Don’t waste your life! At the end of your days, you will not regret the things you did but you will most certainly regret the things you did not do. This reality will hold true with particular reference to what you do or do not do for the sake of kingdom advance if you are a true believer.  Paul wrote, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:15-17).”

Martin Hinton, the British churchman who decided that the bible is just too intimidating for modern readers produced the “100 Minute Bible.” Len Budd, publisher of the slimmed-down bible, admitted that much had been lost in the reduction. “Is it a dumbing down of the Bible? Yes, but that’s the world today. Although we as Christians love the Bible it is very user-unfriendly. People just don’t have time to read it. If this book means more people can answer pub quiz questions on the Bible, so much the better.” So, that’s the point? It appears that the purpose behind this project was something closer to cultural literacy than evangelism/kingdom advance. The new edition is “not an evangelical document,” Mr. Budd explained.

In reading something like the above, we might well ask, “Is there a need for cultural engagement even among Christians?” O how there most undoubtedly is. Don’t waste your life answering pub questions when as a believer you have the answers to life’s ultimate questions. Engage the culture.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean  

The national conversation concerning politics is widespread and we find ourselves at, a moment of truth. Christians are in on that conversation, but, The AP reports that Christian activists are split over whether to keep the movement’s focus on abortion, marriage and sexual chastity – or scrap that approach as too narrow. While some would broaden the agenda to include global warming, AIDS, and torture, others see such as a dangerous distraction.” It’s an ongoing debate.

Such a debate is part of the problem. Since when can we remain silent on something because it doesn’t suit the larger political agenda? The Christian worldview is not something to be pulled out like a weapon. It’s not a particular angle on a particular issue. It’s not a decision to be made in the back room of a political organization masquerading as an agent of gospel advance. The Christian worldview is the way a Christian views the world. To turn the evangelical world into one massive political action committee is to distort our calling, to blunt our message, and to compromise our position. We have become political pawns to be pandered to and courted and we have adopted our agenda and adapted our message to be seen as relevant.

Our allegiance is compromised. Why would evangelicals agree on abortion but disagree on torture? Could it be that we are more influenced by a political agenda than we are the Scriptures?

We must not be pawns in someone else’s game. In the marketplace of ideas, we cannot pick and choose which issues we will address, for we cannot help but proclaim that which we’ve seen and heard, that which is in the scriptures.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean   

CNN.com reports that some Christian congregations are turning to Scientology for help. Two pastors, (one a Pentecostal and the other an African Methodist Episcopal), “explained…they still preach…Christianity…but in a modern world, borrowing from Scientology helps…they do not see Scientology as a threat to their faith, but rather as a tool to augment it.” No doubt, we find ourselves at, A Moment of Truth.

The main problem here is syncretism. This was Israel’s recurring sin. God is quite clear in saying, “I will not share my glory with another.”

It is a sign of increasing spiritual famine that professing Christians seek “tools to augment their faith.” What happened to earnestly contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints? The difference between these pastors and those who embrace psychology, entertainment, mysticism, or any other augment to faith in Christ is only one of degree.

We should not be surprised. Those who are given to a rejection of theological and exegetical rigor in exchange for narcissistic and mystical experiences are open to anything. Another draw is a focus on social programs. Not unlike the social gospel movement or liberation theology, the draw is not Christ but a Christ-substitute.

Despite the obvious contradiction, these pastors feel their congregations can understand and relate better to Scientology than Scripture. The issue here is two-fold: these are Christians in name-only, and, the only church that will grow with this approach is the church of Scientology. Let us reject all forms of pragmatism as a means of church growth. If we don’t, we might grow in numbers, but, we won’t be growing the church.

Written by Paul Dean   

Tuesday, 10 April 2007

When David fled from King Saul, he declared to Jonathan that there was but one step between himself and death (1 Sam. 20:3). He found himself at, a moment of truth. Sadly, there are many in our land in the same situation. But help is on the way.

A South Carolina bill requires women to view an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion. Is this measure constitutional? Yes. The documents & the principles upon which this country was built include an affirmation that the people have certain unalienable rights granted to them by God and among those are the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The reality is that Roe v. Wade is unconstitutional and abortion should be outlawed.

Should Christians be in favor of this requirement for women? Liberty must be guarded, but we must be protected from predators. Any measure that would protect human life is to be desired. This bill is a step in the right direction.

“Opponents called the bill ‘emotional blackmail.’” Such an idea is as absurd as it is hypocritical. Long have women been told that the living baby in their womb is nothing but a glob of tissue. But she must be as informed as possible when life hangs in the balance. Her own future emotional well-being is also on the line. Emotion should play a role. To eliminate emotion from the equation is to objectify a real baby. As the Jews in Nazi Germany were so objectified, such talk is truly Hitlarian.

Republicans were railed against for opposing an amendment to exempt rape and incest victims. Todd Rutherford asserted, “You are forcing her to relive the ordeal. You all are doing it to her once again.” Such arguments are only marshaled to confuse. If we followed that logic we would never have a woman testify against a rapist. Does one tragedy justify another?

Some pro-life advocates are concerned this bill will prolong the abortion scourge. A valid concern. But, this bill must increase our vigilance, not reduce it, as more women will know what they are about to do. As they see their babies, more will speak out that this curse might be removed from our land. Let us take this step. As we do, millions of unborn babies will take one step closer to life.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

Editor’s Note: This commentary aired last year (2008) and was never published in print form. The content is still relevant.

Mara Vanderslice wondered how the gospel made people Republicans until she went to work for Howard Dean. Far from courting religious groups, he attacked them. When she went to work for John Kerry, he refused to take calls from Christianity Today. But, it’s a different election season and Christians find themselves at, a moment of truth.

According to TIME Magazine, “If Clinton, Obama, and Edwards are any measure, there will be nothing unusual in Democrats’ talking about. . .God. . .Clinton has hired. . .an evangelical Baptist [to assemble] a faith steering group. . .Edwards has been organizing conference calls with progressive religious leaders. . .In the past month alone, Obama’s campaign has run six faith forums. . .”

While we want elected officials to have a commitment to the Christian principles that under-gird the Constitution, let us not be fooled by hollow talk. Hear John Leland, a Baptist minister who was directly responsible for the Bill of Rights: “Guard against those men who make a great noise about religion, in choosing representatives. It is electioneering. If they knew the nature and worth of religion, they would not debauch it to such shameful purposes. If pure religion is the criterion to denominate candidates, those who make a noise about it must be rejected; for their wrangle about it, proves that they are void of it. Let honesty, talents and quick dispatch, characterize the men of your choice. Such men will have a sympathy with their constituents, and will be willing to come to the light, that their deeds may be examined.”

Let us be wise and vote for liberty, not lip-service.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

The use of language in argument is an art secularists have mastered. Many Christians often embrace a godless worldview by virtue of a lack of discernment in this area. Thus, Christians are forced to fight the culture war on enemy ground.

Consider this line from a recent article, “A disturbing number of doctors do not feel obligated to tell patients about medical options they oppose morally, such as abortion and teen birth control.”

Referring to abortion or the morning after pill as a “treatment option” frames the debate in biased terms. Treatment generally presupposes that something is wrong with a person. The use of such language blunts the reality of the subject matter and facilitates the notion that the killing of unborn children is a routine medical procedure with no ethical implications.

Such language denigrates the essential dignity that is inherent to human beings and puts them on the same plane with animals or even excess tissue to be discarded. Further, the language of ethics becomes mere artillery in the debate as ethics do not exist on a naturalist worldview.

To refer to a doctor as coercive because he won’t do a procedure; phraseology like “abandon the patient;” the reference to a disturbing number of doctors and how they hinder care; are also examples of linguistic sophistry. To speak of patients’ rights while denying an unborn child his God-given right to life is patently contradictory.

Let us be discerning of the fallacies in secularist debate that we might frame the debate with truth, that hearts and minds might be won for Christ.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean  

 Widely respected scientist, Francis Collins, affirms his most recent book, “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief,” by saying, “I am a scientist and a believer, and I find no conflict between those world views. As the director of the Human Genome Project, I have led a consortium of scientists to read out the 3.1 billion letters of the human genome, our own DNA instruction book. As a believer, I see DNA, the information molecule of all living things, as God’s language, and the elegance and complexity of our own bodies and the rest of nature as a reflection of God’s plan.”

The former atheist came to the conclusion that science did not have the answers to ultimate questions such as “What is the meaning of life?” “Why am I here?” “Why does mathematics work, anyway?” He had come to, a moment of truth.”

Collins came to see that the plausibility of the existence of God could be built on purely rational grounds. Of course, He embraced Christ by faith as God opened his heart by way of revelation. He still holds to theistic evolution, but that too will fall away given enough time.

Albert Einstein once said the typical Christian’s view of God was too small and that’s what kept him from believing. In Collins’ case, the truth he saw in the human genome had an opposite affect by the working of God’s grace. There is no conflict between faith and science. The issue is whether or not one has eyes to see.

The heavens declare the glory of God; can you see it?

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean   

A story connecting hunger, happiness, and evolution appeared in Live Science recently. “Contrary to the moans of many dieters, being hungry may make you happy. Or, at least, it can be a serious motivator whose evolutionary intent was to help you find dinner instead of becoming dinner. When our bodies notice we need more calories, levels of a hormone called ghrelin increase. Ghrelin is known to spur hunger, but new research suggests this may be a side effect of its primary job as a stress-buster.”

http://www.livescience.com/health/080714-hunger-happy.html

Stories like this afford Christians an opportunity to dialogue at a worldview level with others. That opportunity allows believers to create a cultural milieu where biblical explanations for things are plausible. In such a context, a pathway for the gospel may be generated.

For example, attributing the increased production of ghrelin in our bodies to evolutionary modification for the sake of avoiding becoming some other animal’s dinner is owing to the presuppositions of an evolutionary worldview. There is no evidence to support such a notion. The scientists are simply looking at increased levels of ghrelin and explaining it by their worldview. Christians can certainly say the increase of ghrelin is owing to God creating our bodies to do such a thing under certain circumstances. In so doing, we are offering an explanation based upon our worldview. Each of us is interpreting what we see through our presuppositions.

The point is that we all have presuppositions and interpret reality through them. The question then becomes, which presuppositions offer better explanations for our experience or all of reality? In the end, the Christian worldview does that. When people question their own presuppositions and begin to listen to the Christian position, a door is opened for the gospel to be given.

Why would anyone want to explain hunger by a theory that does not explain what it claims to explain? For example, scientists tell us that it is impossible for something to come from nothing. Yet, that is what evolution asserts as an explanation for the origin of the universe. Evolution does not explain the origin of the universe as the worldview in which it is grounded, naturalism, rejects the possibility of something coming from nothing. There is no explanation of the origin of the universe on a naturalistic worldview. That worldview is fundamentally flawed.

On the other hand, the Christian worldview asserts that God exists outside of time and space and created the universe out of nothing. That assertion makes sense on the Christian worldview and is a philosophically justifiable claim. Christianity explains what it claims to explain and therefore makes sense.

Does it not make sense, then, that hunger is a product of the fall of man into sin and the reality that without food we will die? At the same time, does not the satisfying nature and variety of food put God’s multi-faceted glory and grace on display? Does not food remind us of our need for a Savior and point us to the Savior at the same time? That is indeed an open door for speaking the gospel.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean   

As a cultural observer, preacher, and one concerned about the church, I’ve been thinking much about preaching. If people are to build their lives upon something that does not lead to skepticism, despair, and disastrous choices, they must have truth.

By truth we mean that which is true for all people in all places at all times. By truth we mean the truth about our experience, ultimate questions, and the nature of reality: in short, the truth about everything. That is what expository preaching does: it grounds the preacher’s message in the truth.

Think philosophically for just a moment. The origin of the universe cannot be explained in a way that is philosophically consistent apart from the biblical worldview. Attempts to explain our origin apart from the creative act of God breakdown in that one cannot make a claim that is inconsistent with his worldview. Those with non-biblical worldviews wind up with these inconsistencies at many levels.

For example, the atheist cannot say there is no God and be consistent with his own worldview. For him, knowledge is the result of observation. The problem is that he cannot investigate the entire universe to determine there is no God.

Moreover, he must explain the existence of the universe in accordance with natural law. That law says that something cannot come from nothing and yet that is exactly what he proposes in various hypotheses concerning the origin of the universe.

The Christian, on the other hand, affirms that revelation is also a source of knowledge. God’s existence is not inconsistent on a Christian worldview. We know He exists because He has revealed Himself to us.

Further, it makes sense to say that God created the universe and natural law for He exists outside of nature. Natural law remains intact as the universe did not pop into existence out of nothing. God created it out of nothing which is to say something quite different.

If then, God exists, He is the truth about everything including our origin, our problem, the solution to our problem, and the goal of history. If we are to know Him, that is, the truth, then He must reveal Himself to us. He has done so in His word. Hence, expository preaching grounds one’s message in the truth and reality of God.

Expository preaching grounds the preacher’s message in the truth in another way as well. Preachers, like everyone, are prone to inject their own opinion into what they say. The problem is that the preacher’s opinion is not authoritative (it is not ultimate truth). Expository preaching is the surest way for the preacher to avoid substituting his opinion for the truth. That is not to say that a preacher cannot take a text and say something completely different than what the text says. That happens too often. However, if one relentlessly adheres to the text of Scripture, his words will find their ground in God’s revelation, he will be speaking as one with authority, and he will be automatically relevant. He will be a mouthpiece for God and not just another pundit with an interesting (or worthless) outlook on something. He will be faithful to God and light to his people.

Christ must be exalted and sinners must be saved. We cannot overuse Richard Baxter’s comment, “I preached as never sure to preach again, and, as a dying man to dying men.” We must have truth. And, that is why we must have expository preaching in our churches today.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

A 2008 story was posted by an ABC news affiliate out of Birmingham, AL entitled “Increasing Self-Esteem, Decreasing Violence.”

From the story: More people have been killed this year than at the same time last year. And for community leaders, the numbers are alarming. According to FBI (web) crime reports, more than 50 percent of the homicide victims and perpetrators are black. And many are not even out of high school. A group called Cover to Cover believes the answer lies in self-esteem. So, they are reaching out to four Birmingham neighborhoods where violence often occurs. A team of adults did a few simple deeds by giving haircuts to boys and makeovers to girls while repeating three simple words. “We love you,” said George W. Stewart, coordinator of Cover to Cover. The event called I am your brothers- sisters keeper, touched nearly 100 kids and teenagers ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old.
“They care and they want to give us a chance,” said Shelby Wilson, an eighth grader. Wilson got the chance to be pampered and respected for a day.

 Is the reason we have violence really due to a lack of self-esteem? Is the answer giving kids haircuts? It all seems so simple. But, our problem is much deeper than that of course. Our problem is in our nature: we are sinful to the point of violence when we are focused on self. Focusing on self is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Such a dynamic will only serve to increase violence.

 The message of self-esteem militates against a true knowledge of one’s self before God and therefore militates against salvation and sanctification. The self-esteem movement can be described in no less terms than idolatrous as one worships self instead of God who alone is worthy of worship and deadly as one fails to see his enmity against God when he sees himself as good.

 Moreover, the self-esteem movement is truly an attack on the gospel of Christ. Jeremy Lelek, President of the Association of Biblical Counselors, noted that some Christians try to mitigate the message of self-esteem to a certain degree but in so doing still distort the gospel message. “Christian’s have attempted to squelch the humanistic bent of this worldview by saying such things as, ‘Since God died for you, you are special,’ but in so doing they remove the glory of redemption from God’s merciful and graceful character and place it upon the significance of the one receiving such mercy and grace (i.e., self). Therefore, ‘Jesus died for me because I’m special’ usurps the gospel message of ‘Jesus died for me, the undeserving, because he is an infinitely merciful and amazing God.’ The former diminishes a person’s sense of desperation for their greatest need, God’s grace, while the latter recognizes this desperation, and therefore fosters a deeper sense of gratitude for God’s incomprehensible goodness.”

 The reality is that all are dead in sin, haters of God, and deserving of His eternal judgment. We have committed spiritual adultery. The wonder of the gospel is that despite our sinful disposition and actions, God has set His love upon the spiritually adulterous, drawn us with chords of love, and made us His bride in Christ. That is a message that will fill one’s heart with wonder and love for a merciful God, not self. It is a message that gives hope and meaning and indeed fulfillment in life.

 What is the cause of violence? The Scripture asks the same question and gives the answer: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war (Jas. 4:1-2).” Violence flows from self focus. The only solution to violence in our culture and indeed the violence in all of our hearts is to have hearts that are subdued by grace to love God and our neighbors as we already love ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39).