In the age of secularization,
Christian's
Talk about your worries and hopes

To a generation increasingly hostile to the Christian faith
How to spread the gospel.

A Modern Reinterpretation of the Gospel Strategy Discovered in the Early Church

The question the author raises in this book is concise.
"How can the gospel we preach reach the world?" To answer this brief yet urgent question, the author goes beyond retracing church history and moves on to analyzing the present age through the lens of the gospel.
Therefore, the insights presented here are not merely didactic advice about the past, but practical advice that penetrates the realities of today.
This book is a guide that invites you to share that gospel strategy.

The declining influence of Christianity
In the world

There's a saying I've heard for the past 30 years.
Western society is changing into a post-Christian society, and the church must adapt to this changing culture to fulfill its role.
Yet, despite this pessimistic outlook, Christianity did not lose its power.
There are still many people in North America who hold traditional beliefs and morals.
Although mainstream churches that grew in the past have declined, most evangelical churches are still going strong.
So, it might be more accurate to say that today's America has become a "spotty Christendom" (a country with scattered Christian influences) rather than a completely post-Christian society.

However, there is no denying that Christianity's influence on Western society is generally declining.
Every generation is moving further and further away from the Christian faith.
More than two-thirds of American churches are already stagnant or in decline.


While 'religion' does not benefit or harm society, there are a growing number of people who believe that 'churches' are not only harmful and evil, but also hinder social development.
Traditional Christian positions on sex and gender are also seen as restricting or threatening basic human rights.

Creating new contact points
difficulties

When we face this reality of Christianity's declining influence on Western culture, we become concerned.
But especially in times like these, we must examine ourselves, pray, and consider how we can create new contact points with the gospel and enter that culture.
And we must proclaim what the Christian faith is and model it, and do so in a way that is persuasive and understandable to those around us.

The process of establishing these contacts has always been fraught with similar difficulties.
One of them is ‘spiritual pride.’
Jonathan Edwards examines how human pride undermines revival, explaining that spiritual pride manifests itself through unnecessary strife, division, and factions among Christians.

Another difficulty is syncretism.
This occurs when Christians mix their faith with the idols of the culture, as seen in Judges 2:11-15.
A true Christian today would not make the mistake of wandering among various religions.
However, the temptation of idols created by culture remains, and we must reject it.
We must be especially careful with idols that promise political power and social appeal.

While there are difficulties that accompany every era, there are also unique difficulties that each era faces.
When we look at the church today, we find ourselves faced with challenges that never before existed.
The challenge lies in dealing with a culture that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith.
The culture we are talking about here does not simply mean non-Christian culture (as seen in China, India, or the Middle East), but post-Christian culture.
So what is the biggest challenge we face in this culture?

---From "Entering"