An intriguing, substantive look into the relationship between the church and the world of art.

Every day, major headlines tell the story of how Christianity is attempting to influence American culture and politics. But statistics show that young Americans are disenchanted with a faith that has become culturally antagonistic and too closely aligned with partisan politics. In this personal yet practical work, Jonathan Merritt uncovers the changing face of American Christianity by uniquely examining the coming of age of a new generation of Christians. Jonathan Merritt illuminates the spiritual ethos of this new generation of believers who engage the world with Christ-centered faith but an un-polarized political perspective. Through personal stories and biblically rooted commentary this scion of a leading evangelical family takes a close, thoughtful look at the changing religious and political environment, addressing such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage, environmental use and care, race, war, poverty, and the imbalance of world wealth. Through Scripture, the examples of Jesus, and personal defining faith experiences, he distills the essential truths at the core of a Christian faith that is now just coming of age.

Think Christianly is about seizing the opportunities we have every day to speak the life Jesus offers into our culture. Tragically, many such opportunities pass us by unclaimed—either because we don’t notice them or we have not prepared ourselves to enter into them. And those around us seem to grow increasingly unwilling to hear anything the church has to say. Jonathan Morrow helps church leaders envision and implement ways for their congregations to “think Christianly” about contemporary questions and to speak in informed, engaging ways. Morrow explores many of the important issues that Christians often hear raised with regard to faith—questions about who Jesus was, the good and bad of religion, pain and evil in the world, the reliability of the Bible, sexuality and intimate relationships, and hope for change, among others. The life and faith issues that Think Christianly addresses lead to cultural moments where Christianity and contemporary culture intersect. This book will help churches take vital steps toward cultivating compassion and competence in speaking faithfully to a questioning world.

Engaging the Culture will inspire a greater understanding and participation in the Great Commission by Christians of all ages empowering people to engage their world with the "Good News" right where they are. Most American Christians are unable to explain their faith to a non-believer. Studies have shown, seventy percent of Christian young people fall away from their faith once they enter college. Right now, the Christian church has an unprecedented opportunity to be right where the action is. It's time to speak up. The gospel not only confronts us spiritually with the cross but also equips us practically for its cause. Jesus started it, Paul and subsequent generations continued it, and it is now left to us to finish it. In God's eyes, sharing our faith has never been, nor shall ever be just an option. One day we will stand before God for our generation. Engaging the Culture examines the biblical mandate for evangelism, identifying the common challenges people face sharing their faith while equipping the reader to be ready to give an answer to the skeptic or Bible critic with confidence, clarity and compassion.

Brett Ullman takes on some of the most challenging questions young people today are struggling with, such as how, as Christians, they are to approach the media and culture they are surrounded by, and how media and culture are affecting their faith. He helps his readers better understand their faith heritage, and encourages them to engage their culture through the lens of a knowledgeable and discerning Christian worldview.

Christianity Today "Beautiful Orthodoxy" Book of the Year in 2016. Keep Christianity Strange. As the culture changes all around us, it is no longer possible to pretend that we are a Moral Majority. That may be bad news for America, but it can be good news for the church. What's needed now, in shifting times, is neither a doubling-down on the status quo nor a pullback into isolation. Instead, we need a church that speaks to social and political issues with a bigger vision in mind: that of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christianity seems increasingly strange, and even subversive, to our culture, we have the opportunity to reclaim the freakishness of the gospel, which is what gives it its power in the first place. We seek the kingdom of God, before everything else. We connect that kingdom agenda to the culture around us, both by speaking it to the world and by showing it in our churches. As we do so, we remember our mission to oppose demons, not to demonize opponents. As we advocate for human dignity, for religious liberty, for family stability, let's do so as those with a prophetic word that turns everything upside down. The signs of the times tell us we are in for days our parents and grandparents never knew. But that's no call for panic or surrender or outrage. Jesus is alive. Let's act like it. Let's follow him, onward to the future.