SPRINGFIELD, IL – Our Midwest churches and people are different from other regions in the US. I think that is why I love the practical nature of churches that are moving forward and accelerating Gospel movement in their community and state.
Every two years twelve Midwest states come together and have a Midwest Leadership Summit. These Midwest states send their pastors and church leaders to Springfield, Illinois to hear from several great national speakers and choose from 60+ breakout sessions. They also hear testimonies from practitioners and how they are spreading the gospel message in our Midwest settings.
There was such a good list of speakers and breakout group leaders that it was difficult to choose the one that inspired me the most this year. I think Trevin Wax, North American Mission Board (NAMB) VP of research and resource development and former missionary to Romania, compelled me the most. He spoke at the opening night plenary session, and I went to his breakout group the next morning called Meeting the Challenge of Discipleship in a “You Be You” Culture.
The relevancy of the postmodern subject of the You Be You culture was spot on. I’m a member of Treeline Church in Ann Arbor whose focus is to reach students for Christ at the University of Michigan. They have a strong discipleship program. I’ve seen that the You Be You mindset is not just with the new generation, but it is a culture that spreads into all age groups and is even in our churches across the US. The focus is on “express individualism” which believes humans are inherently good, institutions are suspect, and external authority is rejected and internal authority is exalted. “Express individualism” allows you to be your own boss.
Trevin spoke from his great depth of understanding of the culture. He had sources to back his conclusions. He looked at trends, and gave verbiage and meanings of those mantras. He pointed out openings in the culture today where Christians should step up and share the solid foundation of the Word of God, and lovingly share the Gospel with a world that is lonely and lost without Christ.
A few things that caught my heart in the You Be You culture was their beliefs of:
Be true to yourself is the utmost goal.
Look inside for who you are, then to others, and finally up to a deity.
Greatest sin is not being yourself.
You must applaud others who are being themselves.
There’s an explosion of pseudo-religions to choose between.
We’ve moved from institutional religion to intuitional religion.
It’s sad to know these all lead to loneliness. We were created to be relational, to have a relationship with God. That is the only thing that will satisfy our souls. Trevin shared opportunities that the church has in sharing the gospel with this You Be You culture:
To step into the culture and beckon people into a Kingdom much bigger than oneself.
The gospel pushes us out of center and puts God where He belongs.
The gospel invites people into a bigger world of adventure, to expand their horizons to a Kingdom that is everlasting.
The gospel is a more exciting non-conformity! To not conform would be NOT listening to yourself or expressing yourself. Jesus says to deny yourself and follow Him.
Some of the phrases that have crept into our churches from the You Be You culture are:
You are enough.
Follow your dreams.
You do you.
Trevin suggested that we can recognize that we’re affected by self-expression by staying connected to the Global Church, going on mission trips, and being around international Christians and churches. See how they pray, share, and testify of following God while denying themselves for the sake of others. We know that the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges any way of life that says, Me first!
I found myself grieving for this culture that thinks they have nowhere to lay their sin-guilt (the cross). Their first commandment is to be yourself and the second is like it, affirm your neighbor’s self-expression. Thank God that He knows us. He knows us even better than we know ourselves. God, help us be open to sharing your foundation of truth in this pervasive culture that is slipping away from coming to see You as the Authority, Creator, and our only Salvation and Guide in life.
The 2024 Midwest Leadership Summit video recordings of the sessions are at https://vimeo.com/showcase/10932605. Trevin Wax’s plenary session video is at https://vimeo.com/showcase/10932605/video/905845827
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Lynn works at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. She's a member at Treeline Church in Ann Arbor (new church start that is focusing on university students). It's her joy to mentor several young women. Jamie loves spending time with her husband Tony, her three kids and spouses, and nine grandchildren.