Making an Impact in 2022

We all desire to make a difference in the world around us. As we round out the opening month of 2022 it’s easy to settle into the new or old routines and forget the resolutions we have made or fall back into our bad habits. Add to that the pressure of a brand new year and all the news and events that we will be confronted with and it’s easy to throw in the towel. When we begin to think about another year being affected by the pandemic, local elections for positions like school board or city council, state elections, and then Midterm elections in November it can seem as if it might be easier to hide under a rock. If that isn’t enough to cause us to withdraw, we remember that 2022 will once again have major landmark decision from the Supreme Court. When we look back at the past few years we see contention and strife around every corner and for Christians it can seem like it’s safer to not engage. So how can we have a greater impact on our city, state, country, and world? How can we effect positive change not just culturally but on Christ’s behalf. Here are three practical suggestions:

More Time Spent in the Scriptures, Less Time Reading News

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The reality of these days is such that if we desire to make an impact, we must be informed by the Scriptures more than any other source. The issue of the Christian life is a mind that is constantly being changed to be more like Christ.

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans, calls them to offer all of who they are to God as a holy and acceptable sacrifice to God. Paul calls the Roman Christians to not conform to the world around them but to transform and as transformed people they will be able to discern what God’s desire for their life will be. How can Christians not conform to the world? They renew their mind. Regular, intentional Bible reading is one of the primary means that God uses to renew our mind. The temptation is to let political pundits or candidates inform the way that we think about an issue. The reality is that you and I don’t need to think like the politicians or cultural commentators. Christians must be committed to thinking the way that God thinks.

More Time Reading News informed by Christianity, Less Secular News

Once we are informed by the Scriptures we face the problem of still needing to be informed about what is going on in the world around us. How can we do this without being tempted towards despair or divisiveness? The simple answer is to find good cultural commentary and news coverage from a Biblical worldview. The one thing that, regardless of your political affiliation, major news outlets all share in common is their lack of a Biblical worldview. It can seem in this moment that more Christians are informed politically by people who do not approach their worldview with the same convictions that Christians have. So where do we turn? This is not a exhaustive list by any stretch, but it is enough to get us started. Here are some suggestions (clicking on the headings will take you directly to their sites):

The Pour Over

This is a newsletter with current news, but it is only delivered three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The writers remind Christians of ways that they can pray in light of the stories and the newsletters have a healthy balance of content throughout.

The Briefing with Al Mohler

This is the daily podcast of Dr. Al Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Each Monday-Friday Dr. Mohler tackles current cultural and political issues. It is less than 30 minutes each day and he has recently added a Mailbox segment on Friday where he takes listeners questions.

World News Organization

World News might be one of the best kept secrets in Christian journalism. They have a daily news podcast, The World and Everything in It,  which is their own news program. They also have a magazine that you can subscribe to, World Magazine. Finally they have World Watch, which is a video news program that is 10 minutes and is designed for kids to watch with their parents. With World News this is just the tip of the iceberg as they offer so much more, all informed with a Christian worldview.

More In Person Conversation, Less Online Engagement

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15)

It is safe to say that after all this work it would be easy to post some of the articles that we are reading on social media and declare that we have made an impact. The truth of the matter is that we need to get out from behind our screens and back to engaging people face to face. While online engagement certainly is “easier” it is often fraught with misunderstood tone, care, and motivation for those that we comment back and forth with. Add to that struggle the amount of outside voices that can suddenly chime in and reinterpret what we are saying or add a tone to it that doesn’t exist and we have a recipe for a disaster.

1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. Acts 17:1-4

The tactics of the Apostle Paul are still relevant today if we desire to have an impact. Daily he reasoned with people according to the Scriptures in order to persuade them to believe in the Gospel. As much as we desire for people to agree with us politically it is even more important that they come to know Christ. When we engage with someone in person, not only can we talk about the political issues that we disagree on but we can tell them of the one who changed our eternal destiny. You and I must always keep in the front of our mind that the greatest need that people have is to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In lieu of a comments section, we accept and encourage letters to the editor. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so by sending them to impact@crosswaybc.org