Gabe Lyons, The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America. Doubleday Religion, 2010.
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Referenced in: Generational Issues in Churches
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Lyons was one of the authors of unChristian, a ground-breaking research on the attitudes of American 16-29 year-olds toward the church. Here he offers a more hopeful look at the future as leaders emerge from the younger generation, expressing Christianity in a way that is aimed toward “restoring” the faith.
He begins by describing the younger mentalities that dot the Christian landscape and how they interact with the current culture. Some are more separatist: the insiders, culture warriors, and evangelizers. Others are more culturally engaged: blenders and philanthropists. He proposes a third way beyond separatism and engagement, the way of the “restorers.” Restorers are those of the new generation who feel optimistic and empowered to envision the world as it was meant to be and then work toward that vision. (47) They redefine restoration by affirming the whole story of God in four key parts: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration (and ultimately consummation). This is over against the “half story” or the truncated gospel promoted by many churches that is faithful merely to the fall and redemption pieces of the story, but largely ignores the creation and restoration components. (52) This reveals one of the most significant differences between the newer generation of believers and the older generations:
The next Christians believe that Christ’s death and Resurrection were not only meant to save people from something. He wanted to save Christians to something. God longs to restore his image in them, and let the loose, freeing them to pursue his original dreams for the entire world. Here, now, today, tomorrow. They no longer feel bound to wait for heaven or spend all of their time telling people they should believe. Instead, they are participating with God in his restoration project for the whole world.
They recognize that Christ’s redemptive work is not the end or even the goal of our stories; redemption is the beginning of our participation in God’s works of restoration in our lives and in the world. Understanding that one idea literally changes everything. (53)
This is reflective of the teachings of authors that are popular among this generation such as Dallas Willard, Brennan Manning, Scot McKnight, Chuck Colson, N. T. Wright, Michael Metzger, Todd Hunter, Nancy Pearcey, Chris Seay, Lauren Winner, Tim Keller, and Richard Stearns.
He describes the six characteristics of these “revolutionary” types that come from a wide variety of faith traditions. They are:
- Provoked, not offended
- Creators, not critics
- Called, not employed
- Grounded, not distracted
- In community, not alone
- Countercultural, not relevant
Alongside chapters on each of these six aspects, other helpful features include seven ways the gay movement influences culture, and how the new revolutionaries may tap into the same: media, education, arts and entertainment, business, government, social sector, and church. Also, he presents five practices or disciplines that will help these “Next Christians” maintain their distinctive witness while interfacing so squarely with culture:
- Immersed in Scripture (Instead of Entertainment)
- Observing the Sabbath (Instead of Being Productive)
- Fasting for Simplicity (Instead of Consuming)
- Choosing Embodiment (Instead of Being Divided)
- Postured by Prayer (Instead of Power)
This book has a downside typical of books in this genre, it often portrays the “Next Christians” as being so different from their predecessors that they will embody all the good and avoid the pitfalls. This may be overly optimistic and even presumptuous. Nevertheless, for all who want to understand the hope that drives the more missionally engaged youth of our culture, this is a good read.
From the Publisher
Turn on a cable news show or pick up any news magazine, and you get the impression that Christian America is on its last leg. The once dominant faith is now facing rapidly declining church attendance, waning political influence, and an abysmal public perception. More than 76% of Americans self-identify as Christians, but many today are ashamed to carry the label.
While many Christians are bemoaning their faith’s decline, Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity’s best days are yet to come. In the wake of the stunning research from his bestselling book, unChristian, which revealed the growing disenchantment among young generations for Christians, Lyons has witnessed the beginnings of a new iteration of the faith. Marked by Lyons’ brutal honesty and unvarying generosity, Lyons exposes a whole movement of Christians—Evangelicals, Mainline, Protestants, Orthodox, Pentecostals, and others—who desire to be a force for restoration even as they proclaim the Christian Gospel. They want the label Christian to mean something good, intelligent, authentic, and beautiful.
The next generation of Christians, Lyons argues, embodies six revolutionary characteristics:
“When Christians incorporate these characteristics throughout the fabric of their lives, a fresh, yet orthodox way of being Christian springs forth. The death of yesterday becomes the birth of a great tomorrow. The end of an era becomes a beautiful new beginning. In this way, the end of Christian America becomes good news for Christians.”
In THE NEXT CHRISTIANS, Lyons disarms readers by speaking as a candid observer rather than cultural crusader. Where other people shout, Lyons speaks in a measured tone offering helpful analysis of our current reality while casting a vision for how to be a Christian in a world disenchanted with the faith. Both a celebration and a reckoning, THE NEXT CHRISTIANS combines current day models and relevant research with stories of a new generation of Christian leaders. If you are worried by what you see transpiring around you, this book will take you on a surprising social exploration in hopes that you too will restore confidence in your faith.
About the Author
Gabe Lyons was at the top of the Christian food chain several years ago. He was a graduate of Liberty University, Vice President of a prominent Christian organization, and co-founder of Catalyst, the nation’s largest gathering of young Christian leaders. There was only one problem: he was embarrassed to be called Christian. So Lyons set out on a personal journey, leaving his comfortable job to found Q (qideas.org), a learning community that mobilizes Christians to advance the common good. He also commissioned stunning research, which became the basis of his landmark book, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity and Why It Matters. As a respected voice for a new generation of Christians, he has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, Newsweek, and USA Today. Gabe, his wife Rebekah, and their three children live in New York City.
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