How Much Does Culture Influence You?

Bunny pointed me to this video a couple of weeks ago. It frankly stunned me to see how easily the lone person in the clip was influenced by the mob. After years of watching culture both outside the church and inside, I'm convinced we follow the crowd more often than not. Pastors go to a conference and come back with demographic envy and a determination to do what Rick Warren, Bill Hybles, Perry Noble, or whoever did in their context. People look at what their friends own, or hear what they listen to, or check out their schedule and decide to be like them.

Friends, the reason the early church exploded in growth is because the message of Jesus was counter-cultural. Our values were not set by a look around to see what everyone else was doing. They were fixed by the Holy Spirit.

What about you? Is your church trying to become Saddleback, or Willow Creek, or Fellowship? Get over it. Can you learn from them? Absolutely. But imitation is death to what the Spirit of God wants to do through you right where you are.

And you, follower of Jesus - are you caught in the trap of trying to be like someone else - trying to fit in to the point you are running yourself ragged? What is that to you? You follow Jesus.