Seven Steps to Societal Transformation

Seven Steps to Societal Transformation
By Joseph Mattera www.josephmattera.org

For the church to obey the Cultural Commission of influencing every realm of culture as salt and light (Genesis 1:28 and Matthew 5:13-16) it is essential that believers learn how to think biblically and articulate biblical principles in the language of contemporary hearers.

All the biblical covenants point to believers taking the lead in secular society and redeeming cultures for the kingdom and glory of God.

From Genesis 1:28, 3:15, 12:1-3, 17:1-5, 22:17; Deuteronomy 28:10-13; Psalm 2 and 110, and consummating in Revelation 21:1-3 and Isaiah 65:17-25 we see the word of God pointing us to actual engagement, penetration, and transformation of society for Christ.

Jesus called Himself the King of Kings (Rev. 19:16), and called His followers the “ecclesia” which is the equivalent of assembling together to rule in Greco/Roman culture (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus also told us to disciple whole nations (Matthew 28:19).

The following are steps we must take to accomplish this for the purpose of societal transformation:

I. We need to have a biblical worldview for every realm of contemporary life

Because we are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) we need to learn how to think God’s thoughts after him. In other words, our thoughts should be derivative of Father God’s word and not merely our own subjective autonomous opinions.

When we fully explore what the Bible says and agree with its general principles regarding history, law, psychology, education, religion, politics, economics, family, and science then we can have a biblical worldview that serves as our lens to interpret all the data we inhale.

Unfortunately, most Christians don’t have a biblical worldview but only a cursory knowledge of pet Bible verses they recite for physical and emotional health. This limited, fragmented knowledge of Scripture has resulted in believers acquiescing to secular humanistic views in all practical matters dealing with the stewardship of the earth. This leaves the church relegated to dealing only with matters of religion and spirituality. Consequently, although we have an abundance of Christians serving in secular society and record numbers of people attending Sunday church services our culture continues to reflect a humanistic worldview which brings us to the next step.

II. We need Christian thinking not just more Christians in societal leadership

Everywhere I go in society I meet an abundance of Christians serving in public schools, universities, hospitals, politics, businesses, and so on. With so many Christians already placed in influential positions in this nation, we need to recognize that the major challenge we face in regards to experiencing a biblical reformation is not a lack of Christians but a lack of Christian thinking in all these prominent realms.

We have to realize that the Bible is not just a book of promises, pithy sayings and moral commandments but a blueprint for how to manage and disciple whole nations (Matthew 28:19)! God has something to say regarding economics, how to aid the poor, health care, immigration, politics, science, history, etc.

Even when our nation experienced revival in certain places there was never long lasting effects regarding law and politics because Christians without a biblical worldview are only ready to go to heaven but do not know how to fulfill the Lord’s prayer of God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2).

III. The church needs to speak the language of Babylon

After gaining a biblical worldview, believers need to speak the language of the culture they are in. Every discipline in life has its own subculture with its own nomenclature (vocabulary describing nuances in each discipline).

For example, in the same way football utilizes words associated with their game like “touchdown” the disciplines of political science, economics, sociology, education, and non-profit charities all have terminologies we must master if we want to speak prophetically and connect with each disciplines’ mind molders. A methodology that involves quoting Bible passages and preaching at high-end influencers doesn’t usually work unless someone is in a personal crisis and is open to the gospel.

Consequently, believers already successfully immersed in a particular discipline then need to think through the biblical concepts that apply to their field of work and articulate them in secular terms that unchurched people can connect with. Since the Bible has the best ideas because it reflects God’s thinking mature believers who do this skillfully can expect to be elevated to the highest places of prominence in their respective fields.

Furthermore, pastors and leaders who want to reach the unchurched in their communities not only need to continually study their changing community demographic and provide social services people need to be healthy, but they also need to adequately represent themselves when making announcements from the pulpit. Pastors need to lose some of the unnecessary religious jargon that the average attendee cannot understand or connect with.

(When speaking in public or preaching sometimes every other word out of the mouth of some pastors is “amen” or “praise the Lord” or “Hallelujah”. This turns off the unchurched because they think that part of the salvation package is adopting a weird religious nomenclature that doesn’t mesh with their present lifestyle. This is an unnecessary stumbling block which can be removed if church leaders can learn how to streamline religious lingo and talk as normal as they do when in the workplace environment.)

IV. Christian parents need to prepare their children for leadership not followership

This step in the process needs to be done concurrently throughout all of these steps. Thus I don’t really know where to place it in this article. Having a multi-generational plan of training our children to be Christian thinkers and practitioners is the most important calling a parent and church has! Unfortunately, most Christian parents rarely take time to pray and teach their children the Bible. Even when they do, it is not enough to nurture them to be world-class leaders. To nurture world-changers, as a general rule, young children between 3-10 years old should be immersed in scripture memorization. Once children are in middle school and preparing for high school parents and churches need to begin to teach their children how to understand and apply their scripture knowledge in regards to evolution, history, education, government, and business. They should also encourage them to excel in school and to attend the best universities and colleges available. In this way, we are not just teaching our children how not to backslide but how to take the lead in culture and society.

The Bible teaches that we need to have an intergenerational approach in which we catechize our biological and spiritual children with the slogan to think biblically and speak secularly so they will always be trained to apply the Bible to everyday life. By doing this we will nurture the greatest leaders the world has ever seen, just as the church of old did with the greatest artists, scientists, writers, politicians, and educators that transformed Europe and North America! Up until the mid 1800’s the church not only cared for the down and out but also nurtured the “up and in” cultural elites that became the mind molders that influenced culture. Nowadays, instead of starting world class universities like Harvard or Yale the church shuns higher education and encourages emerging leaders merely to attend their little Bible institutes! As long as we are afraid of higher education we will never ascend to the head of culture. It is time for believers to become the cultural elites of society so that we can lead our communities with wisdom and justice!

V. When we welcome unbelievers into our church communities even before they accept Christ as Lord and Savior

Churches that think biblically but speak secularly are in the habit of embracing their community even before they accept Jesus Christ as Lord! Instead of getting the community to come into the church we need to send church members out to our communities as servant leaders. The church can become a hotbed of community activity in which those outside the church believe that the church building is now their community center for a wealth of information, resources, and even community board meetings. In this way, the people on the outside of the church will feel comfortable with the people in the church and will be more inclined to step inside the sanctuary for a Sunday service.

VI. When we produce problem solvers for the greatest global challenges

I believe the time has arrived when the world will come to pastors and believers for advice and answers on how to deal with the pressing problems they are facing in their communities. The church should not only produce the greatest prayer warriors and worshippers the world has ever seen but it should also produce the greatest thinkers, entrepreneurs, and strategists the world has ever seen. Presently the world is waiting for a person to articulate answers regarding our failing economy, global tensions between Iran and the rest of the free world, a cure for cancer, a cure for AIDS, environmental issues, and disaster relief strategies. Why can’t it be people representing the Kingdom of God who come up with these solutions?

VII. When we increase the quality of life by bringing community transformation

Talk is cheap. The world doesn’t need another book about the dire problems we have in our cities. We need people to produce lasting change that will greatly benefit the quality of life who will then write books and teach us. I am sick of hearing people prophesying and preaching about reformation. God is looking for churches and people to at least create a community model others can look to for replication in their own cities.

Our Relevant Biblical Model and Application

Following are twelve immersion principles to transform a secular society. (These principles are based on the life of Daniel. Note that we have no record of Daniel ever preaching against a king or preaching against witchcraft.)

1. God allowed the Jews with the highest leadership potential to be chosen and set apart (Daniel 1:4).

Notice their qualifications: Good appearance, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom (biblical worldview, not just fragmentary knowledge), endowed with wisdom and understanding, and the ability to serve in the king’s court as his advisors, the highest political positions.

2. Daniel and his friends were trained in higher education to be placed as the heads of societal positions (Daniel 1:5).

3. Daniel and his friends were trained in all the literature and language of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1:4).

Effective biblical worldview thinking means knowing and understanding popular and contemporary literature so the Bible can be applied skillfully to it. Daniel and his friends were trained to speak the language of Babylon.

4. Daniel allowed himself to be renamed (Daniel 1:7).

Effective Christians don’t walk around looking like Christians; they fully identify and acclimate themselves to their surrounding culture.

Paul said that his method of soul winning included becoming all things to all people that he may win some (1 Corinthians 9).

We are called to be sheep in wolves clothing in certain aspects of our calling. We don’t have look or talk religiously to act godly in regards to fulfilling the Cultural Mandate and Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20.

5. Daniel didn’t compromise his faith or his internal identity (Daniel 1:8).

When Jesus became a human He limited Himself to our humanly attributes without ever compromising His divinity and holiness.

6. Daniel and his friends trusted God to grant favor and lift them up every step of the way in their journey into prominent positions of influence (Daniel 1:9, 20; 2:48).

7. Daniel seized every opportunity presented him to personally minister to those in influence (Daniel 2:16, 47; 4:4-8).

8. Daniel and his friends lived as exiles in a foreign world (Daniel 1:1).

Daniel and his friends lived in the place God called them to influence. God loved the Babylonians so much he allowed His people to be taken captive and live in their land so that His word could transform the empire.

9. Daniel knew that the Kingdom of God and Lordship of Christ was his ultimate goal (Daniel 7:13-14).

Some believers and churches only do community development projects but never connect the folks they help to the gospel. While I believe in cultural presence I also believe we need to intentionally share the gospel at some point as God gives the opportunity.

10. Daniel never compromised his integrity by serving for earthly rewards (Daniel 5:17).

11. Daniel fasted and prayed for the Kingdom of God to be restored to his nation (9:2-3; 10:2-3).

12. In everything Daniel did he had a spirit of excellence (Daniel 5:10-12; 6:3).