Gospel.com Blog

Have you ever wondered how to respond to the increasing pluralism in today’s society? Just Thinking is a daily listener-supported radio show that comes out of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. The program “seek[s] to explore issues such as life’s meaning, the credibility of the Christian message and the Bible, the weakness of modern intellectual movements, and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.”

If you’re interested, you can find their complete archives online here. Or, search for a station near you using this page.

Recently they did a series called The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society. This presentation was formed from a series of talks by Itinerant team member Stuart McAllister, who is filling in for Ravi Zacharias. He focuses on Christian responses to an increasingly pluralistic world, and outlines how we need to begin interacting with the cultures and religions around us. His call is for Christians seek to understand the world they live in so that our defense of the gospel can be relevant. In his mind, there is far more happening on this earth than what we see from our own limited world-view.

The presentation is broken into five different parts. These links will take you to a page where you can select how you would like to listen to the broadcast:

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five

“The radio outreach of RZIM is a listener supported ministry that powerfully mixes biblical teaching and Christian apologetics. The programs seek to explore issues such as life’s meaning, the credibility of the Christian message and the Bible, the weakness of modern intellectual movements, and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.”

What does the word “Christian” mean to you? What connotations does that term hold for you—positive or negative? Stonecroft Ministries hit the street recently to ask people what they thought of when they heard the word “Christian”, and the responses they got are both candid and enlightening. It’s the first of several online videos in their “Understanding Culture 101″ series. The second and third videos in the series are online as well, so go take a look!

Hollywood Jesus is a site devoted to pop culture from a spiritual point of view. Every week, they offer reviews and analysis of the latest movies, books, comics, and other pop culture artifacts.

You can keep up with their regular updates at HJ Live!. But in case you missed it, here’s a rundown of some of the new items at HJ this week:

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Christians often talk about the need to “transform” culture. But what does that actually look like? Do Christians transform culture by being a part of, by participating in it, or by commenting on it? In an interview at InterVarsity’s StudentSoul site, Andy Crouch (of Christianity Today International) talks about the need for Christians to become “culture creators”–to not just condemn or blindly participate in culture, but to actively create superior pieces of culture. Crouch notes:

…unfortunately right now Christians are kind of known for being critical and uptight, right? But we are not known as people who are creative. That’s too bad because I’m around so many creative, joyful, culturally-engaged believers. So the perception is not totally accurate, but there is some truth to it. The problem is that critique just doesn’t get you anywhere unless you create something that improves on what is already there.

Crouch offers some specific suggestions, especially for students who are looking to impact the culture of their school campuses.

What do our iPods say about us? In a new article over the Online Pulpit, Craig Loscalzo muses about what he sees as the “iPodization” of our culture. Specifically, he wonders if gadgets like the iPod–and other “do it yourself” services and items–can subtly cause us to withdraw into our own self-made circles without making an effort to participate in the society around us.

With our increasingly do-it-yourself lifestyles, do we risk retreating into our own private worlds and away from the people around us? Or is he reading too much into these trends? Read Loscalzo’s article and see what you think.

Writer and Bono fan Steve Stockman visited Regent College with some challenging words about pop culture and the church. Since C.S. Lewis’ death, who in the Christian world has been most effectively raising the flag of faith, grace, and justice? Stockman suggests that U2’s Bono is on such person, and that the church has work to do to recapture the cultural and intellectual leadership it once held.

Bill Reimer addresses these important issues in a recent post at the Regent Bookstore blog. Stop by and find out what Reimer likes–and doesn’t like–about Bono’s media campaign and public ministry in a “post-C.S. Lewis” world.

What do “Christian ethics” look like? How do we arrive at a Christian ethic for our culture? Regent professor Paul S. Helm looks at this question in The Ethics of Grace in a Broken World, the final lecture in a series of talks on the topic. Helm’s lecture is the current free offering from Regent Audio; stop by to listen to it online.

Hollywood Jesus blogger Kevin Miller has posted a short review of The Gospel According to Oprah. What is Oprah’s message, and is it one worth hearing? According to Miller, the book seeks

…to understand what function Oprah plays in society. Is she an entertainer? A preacher? A confessor? A self-help guru? A scam artist? All of the above? Also, what does her popularity mean? What does Oprah’s appeal say about her? What does it say about us?

Sounds interesting. So is there anyone left who hasn’t been the subject of a “Gospel According To…” book?