Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

• Christian ideas have ruled and dominated the public square.
• Those days are moving behind us.
• How will we realize this vision of being Christian in a very post-Christian setting?
• The church might not be as highly regarded as it once was; Christians might not be looked at as favorably as they used to.
• We have one of the greatest opportunities ahead of us.
• God has a plan we are walking into.
• God has been guiding us and helping us better understand our world in order to do great works for Him.
• There’s hope in the new generation.

Characteristics of the Next Christians

1 –Provoked

• Instead of being offended they are provoked to engage.
• They don’t condemn people, they get with them.
• They have a mentality that governs that…the stories that come out of the Gospel.
• Luke 19, Zacchaeus. Jesus didn’t avoid, He engaged.
• He did one of the most intimate things you could do in that culture, eat with people.
• In John 4, he engaged with the woman the well.
• He healed lepers.
• He healed the Roman centurion’s son.
• Jesus engaged people where they were at on their journey towards Him and helped them move forward.
• The Next Christians don’t run away form the problem, they run into it.

2 – Creators

• They aren’t critics, they are creators.
• When they show up they create things that correct systemic issues that have led to injustice or brokenness.
• Next Christians don’t talk about what’s wrong, they do something about it.

3 – Called

• A generation is starting to recover the idea of calling and starting to understand vocation.
• They aren’t working for a paycheck, they are looking at how they are investing themselves and bring a new mentality to their work, how they invest their talent and resources, etc.
• It changes the way people work and approach their work.
• They see their work as their calling.
• This is happening in every channel of culture.
• The church is the only channel that convenes the other six channels of culture.
• When we start to support one another, can you imagine what is possible?
• It’s one of the greatest opportunities we have.
• It’s the dawning idea that’s coming to bear.
• What does it mean to send people into the various channels of culture equipped and called to bring Christ to bear in their work?

4- Grounded

• We can’t do any of this without our anchor in Christ.
• In Christ we immerse ourselves.
• We have to immerse ourselves in Scripture; we have to be intimate with God.
• We realize without a deep connection to Christ we will be lost.
• That grounding only comes through discipleship and community.

5- in Community

• We must have a community, the church coming around us.The church may look different.
• The church is coming back to life in new channels and new locations.

6- Countercultural

• We’re not a subculture, we are joining the existing communities and networks in the world.
• New Christians are showing up and adding value to the conversations that are happening.
• We’re being a counter culture for a common good.
• The common good was an idea that, as Christians, we should care for all people regardless of race, class or relgion.
• We care for anyone.
• New Christians care about the good of all people regardless of whether people get saved or not.
• It’s not counter-cultural in an antagonistic way.
• We’re dong things that advance the good of everyone.
• They’re showing up in every place and every corner of society and it’s creating a new experience with Jesus and Christians.

what the soul is in the body, that Christians are in the world - Letter to Diognetus

• We have to be creative and provoked, and when we do that, good things happen.
• Christianity is no longer the center with everything running through it… we are the periphery.
• Our best days lie ahead.