A Western Jesus: The Wayward Americanization of Christ and the Church
Overview
Is the Jesus of the modern western civilization the same Jesus found in the Bible? Is what we understand him to be in the United States and Europe the same as what’s perceived in Africa or the underground church of China? How can one person pray for a great parking space while another is praying for just enough food or safety to survive that day?
A Western Jesus speaks to the western world’s tendency to read God’s Word through the rose-colored glasses of a society that knows little persecution, risk, or sacrifice. Indeed, modern life lends itself to self-involvement, making it easier to over-domesticate the true Christ found in the Bible and forget what he’s really all about.
Here is a book that will answer the cry for authenticity being heard from today’s postmodern culture. Veteran pastor Mike Minter writes with a humble heart to those who have been insulted by religious hypocrisy, and who have claimed the modern church lacks relevance, or perhaps have even abandoned the Christian faith altogether.
Top Highlights
“I once heard an old pastor say, ‘You believe only what you act on; all the rest is just religious talk.’” (Page 5)
“Sadly many of us are no longer pilgrims but tourists. Rather than longing for home, our attitude has become ‘I’m a native of this present world and love it.’ An eternal perspective has been replaced by a temporal one. Our love for the good life has obscured any dream of a better place because we don’t really believe that ‘living is Christ and dying is gain’ (Phil. 1:21).” (Page 14)
“We, as the church, have concluded that relating to society requires joining society.” (Page 32)
“So what does the church do? It must reflect its culture. Every culture has a story, and each generation within that culture has a story—and the transcendent Christ must be the answer no matter what the generation. The story is told in its music, worship, philosophy of ministry, and literature. If the church doesn’t know the story, then its music, preaching, and philosophy of ministry miss the mark.” (Page 38)
“In the West, as stated in the introduction, we tend to look at Scripture through the lens of culture, tradition, and theological bias as opposed to looking at culture, tradition, and theological bias through the lens of Scripture.” (Page 43)
- Title: A Western Jesus: The Wayward Americanization of Christ and the Church
- Author: Mike Minter
- Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 256
