Description:
Evangelical Protestantism underwent such a radical transformation over the past forty years that the Evangelical churches of today bear little resemblance to their mid 20th century counterparts. Why is there so much of an overemphasis on “grace” with so little said of repentance, holy living, and obedience to the faith? What social influences have led to this deplorable condition and the church's steady decline toward apostasy? These are the subject of this book.
Why has reverence in both form and dress when coming into the presence of God in worship been transformed into a casual “celebration” and an often sensual p
Evangelical Protestantism underwent such a radical transformation over the past forty years that the Evangelical churches of today bear little resemblance to their mid 20th century counterparts. Why is there so much of an overemphasis on “grace” with so little said of repentance, holy living, and obedience to the faith? What social influences have led to this deplorable condition and the church's steady decline toward apostasy? These are the subject of this book.
Why has reverence in both form and dress when coming into the presence of God in worship been transformed into a casual “celebration” and an often sensual party like atmosphere led by a praise band in the “worship center” rather than a quiet reverent form of listening to the voice of the LORD and uniting voices in congregational singing of spiritual hymns in the “sanctuary” as in years past? This book helps to answer these and many other such important questions that may puzzle the mature Christian. This book exposes four of the key cultural factors responsible for this shift each of which were present in the American cultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.
This book examines how the perfect social storm of the 1960’s began and continues to shape world culture and the Evangelical Church. It is intended to be something of a memorial wall, written that we might remember the power of unseen forces to condition our lives, our world and our churches. Such forces came together during the four great social movements of 1960s America, when the Hippie Movement, Feminist Movement, Civil Rights Movement, and Anti-War Protest Movement all emerged in force. Many were lost through the struggles that ensued, often polarizing our nation. The names of those who perished in these conflicts are also well worth remembering.
As I reflect back, I am writing particularly for those who consider themselves to be “born again”, bible-believing evangelicals in North America. I am especially concerned for the younger generations who were not there to experience these movements as they formed and took shape. For those who are old enough to remember I am writing to help refresh their fading memories and hopefully fill in some of the details that they may have missed, particularly if they were too young at the time to more fully grasp what was happening.
Following the 1960s, each of the four movements gave rise to newer waves or dove-tailed into other movements that generations new and old are familiar with today. The evangelical church community is being affected by all of these, the majority of which I have tried to identify. Many Christian leaders have also arisen out of them who are now shaping what I call an eclectic and avant garde evangelical church. I have tried to show the relationship of each leader to the various movements from which their ideologies have germinated.
It is time to return to the truth as Christ taught it because what happened during the four social movements of the 1960s was that a lot of lies were sown. Unfortunately many of these are still believed to this very day. Lies have a way of propagating, like yeast in a lump of dough; eventually the whole mess will become fat with lies. This insidious leaven working its way through the dough still reflects the state of many evangelical churches “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”
This deplorable condition has given rise to the writing of this book. Only by looking back will we see more clearly what led to many of today’s mistaken ideas and ideologies. Hopefully such insights will persuade many of our brothers and sisters in the faith to get back to the truth of Christ and His Word. This is the only truth that will lead us to eternal "joy inexpressible and full of glory" in the presence of our Creator God and His only Begotten Son, Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Manufacturer: Philip M. Alajajian
Release date: 1 December 2013
ISBN-10 : B00H5D4LC8 |
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