From The Moral Majority to the Missional Minority

The days of the Moral Majority are long gone.  There was a time when America was a Christian nation.  The moral majority was more than just a vocal group of evangelical leaders. For centuries our values were anchored to The Bible.  Sex outside of marriage was considered wrong.  Co-habitation before marriage was frowned on.  Same-sex marriage was not even on our moral radar.  All of the above have now become acceptable behavior.  The conservative, evangelical voices are still there, but they are mere clanging bells.

All is not lost, however.  There is a new voice: The Missional Minority.  I was not even aware of the term until this weekend when I read an article on www.churchleader.com.  The author, Trevin Wix, actually tried to put a positive spin on the value shift.  He pointed out that Christians have been in the minority in other parts of the world, like Great Brittan and much of Europe, for centuries. The world-wide trend has just caught up with us. 

Being the minority might discourage us or make us uncomfortable.  Outside of our worship communities we might stick out.  It's more than just the fact that we might wear a cross or be seen praying before meals.  The lifestyle we live and they way we run our lives should be making a statement.  Hopefully, they don't have us labeled because of our "judgmental" attitude.  It's OK to have our personal moral compass focused on The Bible, but when it comes to those whose lifestyle differ from our, we just need to love and accept them.  We need to have a relationship with them, before we can impact their lives.  We need to view them in the same way that God views us, as broken sinners.

If you are struggling with this concept consider the New Testament church.  The disciples and other followers of Jesus were a Missional Minority.  Their desire was to share the Good News of salvation.  They were also out of step with the rest of their community.  All you need to do is read the first few chapters of the Book of Acts to realize their impact.  How ironic that after centuries we find ourselves in the same position, and we don't even need to worry about being thrown to the lions or losing our heads over it.