July 1, 2026
Each morning, I start my day with reading. First comes scripture, along with prayer, followed by books that are helpful for life and ministry. The last few days, I’ve been reading Leadership and the Sin of Empathy. Most would be surprised to hear the words “empathy” and “sin” placed together in this way. It is about the push these days to weaken, jettison, or reinterpret scripture’s teachings because of misguided empathy for those who are offended.
In the book, three epochs in our country’s view of Christianity are referenced. The first was a period in which Christianity was viewed positively. Even when the church erred and Christians failed, the faith itself was seen as a positive part of society and even as necessary for a free people.
The next epoch was one of neutrality to Christianity. Our faith was seen as something fine if you believed it, but ultimately not essential for everyone. To the world, it became a matter of preference. It was assumed that those who believed did so because they wanted to, not for any other reason. Rejecting the faith, along with objective truth and universal morality, was of no more consequence than how one liked their steak—a preference and nothing else.
The third epoch, the one we are currently in, is one in which Christianity is viewed negatively. Whether it is most of the world or simply the most vocal who hold such a view is hard to discern. But more and more, our faith is portrayed as a problem. In movies and television, believers seem to pop up as villains. At the same time, those who live contrary to the faith are portrayed as virtuous heroes.
The world today loves to hear about the Jesus who said, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.” But they have no interest in the Jesus who then said to the woman, “Go, and sin no more.” They remind us that Jesus said, “Judge not.” They ignore the fact that he said, “Cast not your pearls before swine,” and one must discern (an act of judging) between those who are swine and those who are not. We are expected to abandon our convictions and scripture-based beliefs in favor of a new orthodoxy, the orthodoxy of the lost and rebellious.
When the world viewed faith positively, evangelism primarily involved proclamation. One might need to correct some errors, but for the most part, it was an invitation to act upon many of the values they already held. A rebuke for sin carried weight because they, too, believed morality was universal.
When the world became neutral, discussions needed more depth and time. Evangelism meant building relationships and living out the faith in a way that the world saw its value. When the world says, “That’s fine for you, but not for me,” it takes more than simple proclamation. They must be brought to see their need for Jesus.
In this age of a negative view of the faith, evangelism requires courage—it always has, but now more than ever. We must be willing to face ridicule and misrepresentation. When we speak about certain sins, we are called unloving. After all, “The heart wants what the heart wants!” They fail to understand that “The heart is wicked above all things.” We are told, “God is love,” but then they can’t biblically define love. We hear that we should not judge, while they judge us for our deeply held beliefs.
It can be disheartening to live in such a time. I’m sure those of us who lived during the positive-view era miss it. I know I do. But we are where God has placed us—or we should say “We are when God has placed us.”
It’s not without hope, though! The church in its earliest centuries faced a society with a negative view of the faith. It was so negative that Christians were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Do I think such a time is coming soon? I’ll leave such questions to God. We are called to obey where (and when) he has placed us. But not to worry, because we know our God is sovereign and only his will can prevail.
In Christ,
Pastor Ken