A Cultural Cult

Recently, a co-worker, who is a Methodist, asked me, "What's the biggest cult in the South?" I quipped, "Southern Baptists!" "Close! It's cultural Christianity," he responded.

If you don't live in the South, you may not understand what he meant by cultural Christianity. These are the people who have "I love Jesus" on their Facebook accounts but are the first people we hide from our newsfeeds because of all the f-bombs they drop in status updates or half-naked pics they post. These people use the sinner's prayer, baptism, and church membership as fire insurance. These people are our neighbors, co-workers, close friends, and family members.

What do Christians need to do about this cult? We need to love the lost people who have fallen prey to our religious culture in the Bible Belt (whatever that is!). We do not need to treat them in a condescending manner, which only makes the problem worse by sending these people far away from church yet still "believing" in Jesus. We need to help them see a true relationship with Jesus is more than feeling guilty, praying a prayer, getting dunked or sprinkled with H20, and halfway attending the local church. A true relationship with Jesus is just that--a relationship. Any relationship has it ups and downs, but one with Jesus is constant, meaningful, and life-altering.

This might not be just a Southern thang (one could argue that even Benjamin Franklin was a cultural Christian), but living my whole life here makes me partial to our issues. An article on David Platt's views about about the dangers of cultural Christianity can be found here. Peruse it at your leisure, and become aware of the cult that's living in your very own church, your very own family, and maybe your very own heart.