via TJC
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians 1:9-10
A cultural Christian is what I sometimes act like when I first get up in the morning. Just before I put on my armor. Just before I enter into the presence of the King. Just before I change my focus by spending time with Him. Many times it takes something even more serious (or ugly) to “jar” me into the reality of being a child of God, a disciple of Christ, and ultimately, a disciple maker. If you’re having difficulty moving out of “first gear” (cultural Christianity), understand...you can’t do this by yourself. Just as with salvation itself, you must surrender your will to Christ. Let him “drop the clutch”, so to speak.
To be honest, it has taken a long time for me just to get to this point. It’s hard some days to get up and do it all over again. It’s called perseverance, and there are times, even after 50 years, that I’m still really bad at it. I’m particularly thankful that it is the merciful Jesus who I call upon every time. But as followers of Christ, we can all “get there”. “How?” You say. I’m glad you asked.
One of the most important things about moving from cultural Christianity to full-fledged disciple making is recognizing that you cannot do this on your own. You need prayer... not just your own prayer, but the prayers of others (this is true intercession). So... how can your brothers in Christ, and particularly those of us in The Joshua Commission pray for you? Let us know how, and we will do it.
Daily Battle Order:
Next, we need to hear from you. Reach out and Connect with Us via the “Connect with Us” link on our website: www.joshuacommission.org. Building up the Kingdom of God via discipleship is serious business to the men at TJC. God is calling you (Matthew 28:18-20). Allow us to share and pray for you and your role in bringing men into the joy of making disciples.
Titles get sticky really quickly... but if we're gonna slap on the cultural Christian label (in terms of shedding that reputation), I believe two books address it superbly - Man in the Morror (p. 58 - 73) and True Measure of a Man
What does TJC really mean by “cultural“ Christian ? is that label to mean I go because I was raised going to church, I go on Christmas and Easter, I go because it’s good for my kids ?
Putting on armor of God seems to be a pretty mature decision for believers. My prayer request is to meet a man in his 70s or older, who is active in life and faith, and lives locally to lean into and learn more about transitioning into the next season of life well. As that is new to me there are aspects where I am new, cultural, prodigal etc all at the same time.