Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:5 (KJV)

One of the forces that propelled me from former home in Central Florida was my grief over its lack of culture. I was hungry for it every. single. day.

As an English Literature major, an amateur musician, and an  Art History teacher, I live for it. When I first moved there, one of my coworkers tried to convince me there was culture, but I just had to get used to the local kind. Anyone passing through Daytona can see the temple to what he’s talking about–it can hold half a million people who live to watch people drive in circles, really fast.

No. That is not culture.

What it is not:

Culture was NOT shirtless overall-wearin’, gin-jug totin’, toothless gator-shooters celebrating their lawn trash and waving checkered flags. *

Yet, culture is NOT the high-minded post-modern celebration of human depravity such as Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary– a collage of Mary incorporating cut-outs from pornographic magazines and shellacked clumps of elephant dung. Art is often tasked with raising controversy, but in every literal way, this is just crap.

And still, culture is NOT, as Franky Schaeffer writes in Addicted to Mediocrity, ** “the contents of your local Christian bookstore-accessories-paraphernalia shop.”  I know Allen has talked about the cultural differences between Central Florida and Marin County, and the rarity of Christian retail is one of the most startling differences. In Central Florida, the abundance of it often caused Christians to to accept its mediocrity because of its ubiquity. It’s important to examine the tendencies of Christian retail in Marin County because of the opposite: its rarity and our hunger for it may cause us to overlook the insipid and superficial.

I’m a recovering Christian retail-worker from an area saturated by cultural Christianity, so this list really resonated with me:

“For the coffee table, we have a set of praying hands made out of some pressed muck. Christian posters are ready to adorn your walls with suitable graffiti to sanctify them and justify the expense… Perhaps a little plastic cube with a mustard seed entombed to boost your understanding of faith… And if this were not enough, there’s a toothbrush with a bible verse stamped on the plastic handle… And a comb with a Christian slogan or two impressed on it.

…On a flimsy rack are stacked a pile of records. You may choose one at random, blindfolded, for most of them will be the same idle rehash of acceptable spiritual themes, endlessly recycled as pablum for the tone-deaf, television-softened brains of present-day Christians…
…And finally, the publishing houses churn out (measured by the ton) a landslide of material which can scarcely be called books, often composed of the same themes which are viewed as spiritual, slopped together by ‘writers’ who would be better employed in another trade.”

Schaeffer’s list shows that “Christian versions” of art, literature, and music are not without hazards.

For rednecks, post-moderns, and especially Christians, it is crucial for the redemption of all things that we know the meaning of true culture.

What is it really?

Matthew Arnold, an English Victorian poet, social-reformer, and critic defined in his book Culture and Anarchy, “Culture is, or ought to be the study and pursuit of perfection; perfection of beauty and intelligence, where Sweetness and Light are the main characters.”

Arnold goes on to argue that only culture of this kind has the power to shape a society–to correct the worst effect of laissez-faire capitalism among social classes, the neglect of the common good. With a collective celebration of Intellect and Beauty for their own sakes, people would be reminded what was good and so be motivated to strive for it.

Arnold was talking about culture chiefly for pseudo-political purposes, the stabilization of a turbulent British society. I think he has the right definition of it, a correct assessment of its power, but aiming toward the wrong end.

What should we do?

Instead, Christians should be working within culture to redeem it and use the best of it to point people back toward the Source of all good things. Christians should break down the sacred-secular divide with their participation in and celebration of all things excellent.

Our post-modern society is marked by individualism and its only end is man’s right to do as he pleases for himself. We need something more powerful than that if we are going to make a transforming difference.

Beauty and Intellect are the meeting point between this kingdom where man is god and the Kingdom of God as described by the Gospel.

The beginning of this celebration of intellect and beauty, Sweetness and Light, is marked by the Hellenistic Golden Age in Greece. Greek humanism held intellect and beauty as its highest virtues. We need Christians to be nourished by this tradition of humanism, without being Humanists. As Christians, we know man is not the measure of all things, the Son of Man is.

All things will be made new. God’s kingdom will reverse this world’s momentum of decay. People, nature, politics, art, relationships–all of it– will be redeemed.

Christians have an immediate role to play in this redemption: We must use the Truth we have to stop the best of this world from spoiling We must not be content with the mediocre or foul!  The Gospel deserves the highest creativity and human expression we can muster, and we must use the high accomplishments of creativity and expression as pathways to the Gospel.

We are called to be the Salt and Light, after all. Let’s get to work.

*a considerable generalization which does not truly summarize my former county.

**Addicted to Mediocrity was written 25 years ago. Since then, it’s important to fairly note the strides Christians have made in music and art–however small.

In an effort to streamline and bring consistency to our efforts here at Epic Rantings, we have recognized the need for editorial focus as well as an increase in contributors to the discussion. We began this strategic effort back in July by adding Stephen Saucier to the team.  Jessica Ruscello is a welcomed part of this strategy and under her editorial leadership we expect a higher level of excellence and consistency to the site.

Jessica is a former teacher and student of everything–especially Art, Literature, and History. She has worked on the editorial board for two publications. She believes culture is and ought to be the study and pursuit of perfection, and that we can honor God in the celebration of beauty and intellect. She recently moved from Orlando, Florida and is eager to experience the exciting landscape and interesting people of Marin County.

Epic Rantings is a production of Epic Faith Church.

Epic Faith is a inter-denominational, Christian church located in San Rafael, CA. We are a community following Jesus Christ, committed to embracing our mission of engaging culture. We are living to see its redemption, to be known by love and to be a voice of hope in Marin County. The diversity of our members represents a broken and fragmented humanity which can become a work of beauty under the artful hands of God. We welcome people from all walks of life, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey.

What’s Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.

The Gospel Coalition Council members Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris ask Francis Chan why he stepped down as senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, and what he plans to do next.

Given Allen’s somewhat controversial assertion from a few weeks ago that truth is the foundation upon which true unity stands, I found the following words from C.H. Spurgeon to be incredibly timeless and yet timely. There truly is nothing new under the sun… is there? Modernize the language contained here and you really could draw no indication that this sentiment was penned well over a century ago.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

-John 14:6

There seems to be growing up amongst us an idea that a man is of a persecuting spirit if he does not think that the one who flatly contradicts him is as right as himself. If we do as some wish, we shall in time reach that blessed state of charity which had been attained by the courtiers of the Sultan, who, when he said at mid-day, “It is midnight,” replied, “Yes, sire, there is the moon, and there are the stars.”

Today, we are expected not to protest against Popery, lest we should be considered bigots; we must subscribe to all that men teach, if only they are sincere. Suppose a man, traveling due North, was sincere in thinking that he would get to the South, do you think his sincerity would bring him to the desired destination? If a man was sincere in thinking that prussic acid was a wholesome food, would the poison do him no injury? If a man starved himself while he sincerely believed himself to be feasting, how long would it take him to get fat?

You say “these things are contrary to the laws of nature.” Just so, and the laws of God’s gospel are as fixed and true as are the laws of nature. If you are honest and sincere in keeping to the road of ruin, you will reach the natural end of that road, eternal destruction. Sincerity in believing a lie does not change that lie to the truth. There is only one way to heaven; there is only one Savior, Jesus Christ is exclusively “the way.” This excludes all by-paths, all cross-roads, and all short cuts. Scripture knows nothing of the new theory, that we may be all right though we are in direct opposition to the Word of God.

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon-

(Taken from a sermon delivered at New Park Street chapel in 1856)

In general, the culture that we live in has little to no appreciation for deep thought. Most popular media such as music, television, books and movies are filled with trivial garbage that excises little mental effort in keeping pace with its shallow themes and typically sketchy content. Our world feels more like a carnival littered with distractions than a serious and contemplative endeavor at understanding reality.  Although, every once in a while something glistens among the garbage.

Tonight I watched Gran Torino, directed by Clint Eastwood, at home with my wife. It was the second time I’ve watched the film as I did see it when it was still playing in theaters. It’s been a long time since I was so moved by a film and so staggered by its message. I really hope that it proves to be Eastwood’s swan song. Eastwood, whose intense and forceful presence filled many westerns  with a sense of above-the-law justice, should ride off into the sunset leaving us with this gripping picture of the Redeemer who rights all injustices and turns our perversion into His praise.

Now, sacrifice and sin are certainly not themes that people flock to theaters in masses to see on the silver screen. No where could this have been more evident that in the theater where I first saw Gran Torino. The overwhelming sentiment by those who sat through the film was one of disappointment and frustration.  They wanted to see Eastwood do what Eastwood does, namely, take vengeance into his own hands.  But what Gran Torino gives us isn’t what we expect.  It is pure, unadulterated Gospel.  It may be one of the clearest portraits of the work of Christ that I have ever seen in film.

The folks who were in the same theater as I were indicative of a culture that  totally missed the deep truths that were staring them in the face from the screen.  We read in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  Glimpses of that glory were on the silver screen a few years ago and on my TV last night, but very few have the lenses to see.

If you haven’t seen it yet, it needs to be said that the film does have quite a bit of nasty language, many, many racial pejoratives and one brief glimpse over a man’s shoulder as he looks at a dirty magazine.  So if you haven’t already, you should see it with your eyes open (or maybe closed).  But I will tell you now, when all is said and done, you will have your heart stirred and your mind fixated on the Gospel.  So I recommend it with the mentioned caveats, but the truth is it may be one of the most meaningful pictures you will have seen in a while.  After you watch it, pull out your Bible and read 2 Corinthians 5:21, bow your head and thank your Abba for the glories of the Gospel.

Don’t be casual about your life. It’s a gift from God. Sense of destiny pulsates through every great carrier of the Gospel.

David had it. He said “You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Jeremiah had it. He said “Before the world was created You gave me a job to do.”

Paul had it. He said “You set me apart for the Gospel before I was born.”

Jesus had it. He said “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because You’ve called me to proclaim the Gospel.”

When Billy Graham was in Bible College he went into a field one night to pray with a few of his closest friends. At some point they lost track of Billy and began to look for him. They found him face down in the grass, pounding the ground with his fists, crying out “God, let me do something great for You. Let me do something great for You!”

One thing that drives me crazy, one thing that makes me rant, one thing that seriously causes me to twitch is when those who don’t know our great Jesus have a greater sense of destiny for their short life than we do. These people who know nothing of the eternal purposes of God, who don’t know Jesus, they have more passion, more zeal, more fire to live out their short lives than a thousand christians. That’s something to get fired up about.

Winston Churchill wrote to his mother from the front, “Today I rode into the enemy and dispatched two with my revolver. I turned my pony around, rode back in and dispatched two more. n’er a bullet touched my person, my tunic, my pony. I believe I was preserved for higher things.”

That gets me! Churchill had a sense of destiny that we often lack. We have been preserved for higher things… for the advance of the Gospel.

If you’re reading this you were probably born upside down in a brightly lit room. You came out and the first thing that happened to you was a solid slap on the bum from a nurse. WHACK! You started crying. At the sound of your cry the Doctor would have thought “Good. That’s one more successful delivery.” The nurse would have thought “I better get something to cleanup this mess.” A social worker may even have been thinking “Great! One more mouth to feed.” Your mother almost certainly thought “I’m glad that’s over!”

At the sound of your first cry, your Father in Heaven silenced the angels and said to them “Do you hear that cry? The plan has begun.”

This is not an accident, you being on planet earth. And it’s certainly not an accident that you’re in Marin, a part of Epic Faith, reading this blog right now. Live like you’re set apart for, and called to, the Gospel. You are.

Epic Rantings is a production of  Epic Faith Church.

Epic Faith is an inter-denominational, Christian church located in San Rafael, CA. We are a community following Jesus Christ, committed to embracing our mission of engaging culture. We are living to see its redemption, to be known by love and to be a voice of hope in Marin County. The diversity of our members represents a broken and fragmented humanity which can become a work of beauty under the artful hands of God. We welcome people from all walks of life, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey.

Persecution in India: Francis’ Response from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.

*Footage courtesy “The Voice of the Martyrs”
*Music courtesy “The Champion and His Burning Flame”

Orissa has one of the worst records for violence against Christians, due in part to the activities of a religious fundamentalist group. Many churches have been destroyed and Christian workers continue to be attacked. There is a law prohibiting conversion and, since 2000, baptism requires the permission of the government. About a year ago, Hindu radicals went on a “bloody rampage that left 50,000 Christians fleeing for their lives into the state’s forests.” (GFA, 2009).

LINKS:
Voice of the Martyrs: www.persecution.com
Gospel for Asia: www.gfa.org
Our Brother’s Burden: www.ourbrothersburden.org