7 main cultural drivers to Christianity

By Joseph Mattera, Op-ed Contributor Thursday, May 11, 2023

Churches need to focus on 'more Jesus' — or risk “not being in the game” within a few decades amid a nationwide decline in church attendance, a pastor and church planter has said. — Churches need to focus on "more Jesus" — or risk “not being in the game” within a few decades amid a nationwide decline in church attendance, a pastor and church planter has said. | Pexels

In this article, the term “cultural drivers” means any societal factors that motivate people toward Christianity and a biblical ethos.

The Twittersphere is filled with atheistic and progressive liberals now looking for a church to ground their children in moral values. The “far left” ideology and practice regarding children motivate many parents to long for moral stability for their offspring. The following points are the seven main “cultural drivers” of Christianity:

1. Public schools are acting as indoctrination centers

In many liberal enclaves of the USA, the public school system is more about ideological indoctrination than true education, as seen by the teaching of “far left” sex education. This is also in addition to the immense cost of education per child ($38,000 per child in NYC public schools).

Many parents would rather spend this tax money educating their children in a charter or private school with higher quality education. These same people are enraged that liberal, elite leaders, such as Randi Weingarten, oppose the distribution of school choice vouchers. In addition, the rabid “far left” ideology taught in these schools has motivated parents (even non-believers) to prefer to send their children to Christian schools where moral values are taught.

2. Gender transition policies promoted by the left

Many classical liberal, moderate, and conservative-leaning people are outraged at the Biden administration's attempt to normalize gender transition surgeries for children. This policy position is backfiring and, in my opinion, will drive many people to look for a biblically based church to ground their children in a Christian ethos.

3. Men identified as women competing against women in sports

There is a growing backlash against policies that allow men who identify as women to compete against biological females in sports. Even a historically liberal national newspaper (USA Today) has published opinion letters against men identifying as females, and competing against biological women in sports.

Former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar said, “I can assure you that there was nothing fair about transgender woman, Lia Thomas, competing for the University of Pennsylvania in NCAA swimming.”

This unfair transgender policy in women’s sports will motivate people to investigate the biblical understanding of binary gender, as seen in Genesis 1:27 and affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4.

4. Bleak national presidential options

Democrats and Republicans are alarmed at the possibility of another rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump for the presidency. President Biden (far-left policies aside) seems to be in cognitive decline. Former President Trump is (in my opinion) a narcissist who would be willing to burn down the proverbial house to get re-elected. The lack of political solutions has caused people like Tucker Carlson to say we must pray for our country.

In the aftermath of 9/11/01, everyone prayed, and churches were filled. As things continue to collapse politically, those who formerly looked to elections to save their country will begin to look to God as the only hope for the nation (2 Chronicles 7:14).

5. Financial instability

With the rise of interest rates, many midsize and regional banks were destabilized, and now another one needed a bailout. Furthermore, in response to the USA weaponizing monetary power against other countries, many nations have formed an economic alliance as an alternative to the US's unipolar monetary status. This can have long-term implications for the economy of the United States.

“BRICS de-dollarizing represents a great threat to the Dollar. All the infrastructure is being built to de-dollarize the world economy. The Chinese Communist Party’s newspaper calls for pushback against the Dollar’s hegemony.”

I believe people will turn to God and Christian churches as the economy increasingly squeezes their budget and the global economy continues to transition and destabilize.

6. Totalitarian crackdown on free speech

The rise of so-called “cancel culture” and totalitarian thinking in America is causing many to run towards more conservative values related to the first amendment (freedom of religion and free speech).

In my opinion, people will become more aware that the only way to limit the rise of any totalitarianism is the understanding that, ultimately-only, God can truly give us human rights, as is stated by our nation’s Declaration of Independence.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Preamble to the Declaration of Independence).

Consequently, I believe an increasing number of people will look to biblical truth, which limits human government and can motivate them to seek Christian churches to find like-minded (concerned) people (1 Samuel 8:10-18).

7. Ideological bias in advertisements and sports

There is a significant increase in people getting fed up with the infusion of what they classify as “woke” ideology and politics being promoted in sports. Recently, sports network ESPN celebrated “Women’s History Month” by pushing an ideology that aims to erase women.

Furthermore, the recent 5 billion dollar decrease in income for Bud Light is the latest example of what happens when advertisers cross the line and promote a “far left” agenda.

The folly of promulgating causes and lifestyles antithetical to biblical values will cause entities and people that promote them to collapse due to their own fruitless deeds (Proverbs 1:29-33). As the cords of sin get tighter around people, they will cry out to God as the only one who can give them true freedom. In the words of Jesus, “if the Son sets you free, you shall be free, indeed” (John 8:36).

Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally-known author, consultant, and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church, and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition.

To order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter, go to josephmattera.org