Dissatisfaction with Either Alternative

Too often when churches do "engage in culture", the desired result is to use culture to affirm church culture or to make church culture acceptable to the wider culture instead of any real engagement with it.

From my own experience, the very few churches who are actually involved in their local culture and context (not the watered down idea of culture that passes for a Friends episode) are also the ones that value theology, discipleship, and pursue truth with passion. I don't know if it is a pursuit for truth that makes these communities more comfortable with dealing with the issues of culture (rather than the facial features on a lion) or if their engagement with culture leads them to pursue theology and discipleship but I take less offense with them than I do with the pursuit of culture as a way to boost attendance or to appear cool.

[via Jordon Cooper]