Christianity – Page 4 – Family Council

Americans Still Believe in God … “But”

Jun 19, 2023John StonestreetChristianityChristianity, Religion

Statistical data from the General Social Survey shows that, contrary to what many think, the overwhelming majority of Americans—a whopping 86%—believe in God at some level. For every American that doesn’t believe in God, there are seven who do.

Of course, just because 4 out of 5 Americans think God exists doesn’t mean they believe in the same God or, for that matter, in the God that actually exists. What we believe about God is a defining aspect of our lives. As A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

What we believe about God shapes what we believe about the rest of life, including those ultimate, worldview-shaping questions of origin, identity, meaning, morality, and destiny. And the more a group of people is unmoored from the truth about these things together, the more disconnected they are from those essentials of a healthy and functioning society, such as justice, human dignity, and the care and protection of children.

What the Popularity of Jesus Revolution Shows

Apr 17, 2023John StonestreetChristianityChristianity

Jesus continues to do pretty well at the box office, not to mention streaming online. The recent movie Jesus Revolution, which tells the story of a 1970s California revival, has so far made double what its critics predicted, grossing over $51 million in domestic ticket sales. In fact, the movie has already grossed more in sales than most of the 2023 Oscar nominees—combined.

Though guardians of high culture prefer movies that demonize Christianity, Americans are hungry for something else. As John Calvin pointed out, humans possess a longing for God. This can either lead to superstition and idolatry, or to the true God revealed in Christ. Jesus Revolution is the latest case study of how artful storytelling can tap into this longing.

The question in any era of human history is not whether we worship, but rather what we worship. The success of Jesus Revolution is a reminder that art can still capture the imagination and affirm the fundamental human desire for God we all share.

Intentionally Empty Churches?

Jan 31, 2022John StonestreetChristianityChristianity, Church, COVID-19

*John Stonestreet, Radio Host and Director of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview*

Many churches have shut their doors in the face of Covid, but one large church in Denver hasn’t just shut their doors; they’ve sold them. According to Christianity Today, “The Potter’s House Denver will sell its property in Arapahoe County and continue to worship exclusively online.”

We often hear that because the Church isn’t a building, it doesn’t matter whether it meets in one. But trading in-person worship for an online experience misses what the Church actually is. It isn’t just a place for individual contemplation on “spiritual things.” That’s not the Christianity of the Bible but the pietism of Gnosticism. Embodied worship is an essential part of a Christian worldview.

If our faith is the sort of thing we can live out alone, never needing the presence of others, then are we truly still the Church? The Church is the ecclesia, the called ones, the gathered ones, the community of the saints of God. If we aren’t a “we,” we are not the Church.