The first book is "We Cannot Be Silent" by R. Albert Mohler who is president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The sub-title is "Speaking truth to a culture redefining sex, marriage, and the very meaning of right and wrong". Dr. Mohler believes, and I agree with him, that with the redefinition of marriage our culture has stepped over a line that will completely change the fabric of society. He says, "We are facing nothing less than a comprehensive redefinition of life, love, liberty, and the very meaning of right and wrong".
Mohler will help you to understand how we got where we are today in the sexual revolution, the successful strategy that was used by the LGBTQQIA movement, how christian rights are now being violated and how we as believers are to respond to all that is taking place. The last chapter is 30 relevant questions and answers which I found particularly helpful.
If you want to further educate yourself on the gay/lesbian/transgender movement and its growing influence and acceptance by our present culture and how you can respond as a believer in Jesus Christ, this book is a great place to begin.
The second book is called "Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers" by Christian Smith. I have not read this book yet but have heard about it a number of times and Mohler mentions it as well with regard to the next generation of christian teenagers. I see the evidence of what this book says in our church youth today. Smith defines the Christianity of our youth as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. This is their moralistic therapeutic deistic creed.
1) A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.
2) God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
3) The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
4) God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
5) Good people go to heaven when they die.
Mohler says of these youth which have now grown up, "what they received (with regard to biblical teaching on sexuality and morality) was so insubstantial, so disconnected from the metanarrative of Scripture, and so devoid of serious moral and intellectual content, that it evaporated as soon as they encountered a peer culture more committed to tolerance than any other moral principle". Tolerance (meaning today full acceptance) is a key functional moral principle. This explains the acceptance of gay marriage and lifestyles in the church today and this tolerance will continue to grow as our youth grow up.
Finally, Mohler writes, "with the Moralistic Therapeutic Deistic worldview (what is perceived as) the judgmental attitude of Christians is causing the youth to leave the church and orthodox beliefs".
So here we have in these two books a view of the future of our culture, Christianity and the church in North America. What a challenge lies before us as believers in Christ. As we trust in God we will see truth shine and God glorified as darkness grows in the culture and in the church.
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