How Do We Change A Culture?

How do we change a culture?  In an article by Marvin Olasky quoting Ross Douthat (the conservative voice of the New York Times) he writes of “an Obama coalition “created by social disintegration and unified by economic fear.” Douthat wrote of “the growing failure of America’s local associations—civic, familial, religious—to foster stability, encourage solidarity and make mobility possible.”  Without a solid Judao-Christian framework the culture crumbles. As an earlier writer has said, “If the gold rusts, what then will the iron do?”

There is no changing culture without changing hearts. That is why corporations fail when they attempt culture change. It is usually an outward change while the marrow inside is still rotting. As Jesus indicated a shiny sepulchre still holds a dead body.

The change can’t be political or legal. It needs to spread one by one until a wave rolls forward changing the landscape. Christ changed the world through the disciples and change through the gospel is responsible for countries changing and walls falling. Simply look at the history surrounding this country’s establishment or the fall of the Berlin wall. Each was a result of a spiritual movement spurred by spread of the Gospel.

Changing a culture is difficult work. For those of us who are serious Christ followers there is no other option. It is a one by one, person to person quest. The walls are going up. We must struggle to break them down again. Like Israel rebuilding the wall in the days of Nehemiah we do it with sword in one hand and trowel in the other. Only we tear down the walls to build a better framework.  We have no choice. To arms!