The Younger Evangelicals

This is a book about an emerging generation of Christian leaders, called “The Younger Evangelicals,” who are ministering to the “New World” of post-modernity with great success, by reverting back to the practices of Christian community and service from the past (e.g. Wesleyan movement, 16^th century Reformers, and the ancient past of the first three centuries of the church).

Webber implies that the “modern-church” of the 20^th Century has become irrelevant to the culture it now finds itself in, and more focused on gaining, “control, power, and certainty,” with how it has always done things, believed things, and taught things. Webber believes that rather than attempting to reach the culture they now find themselves in, by focusing on “love, stewardship, and faith” that glorifies God in this world, they have pulled the drawbridge up, and have refused to dialogue, unless the culture they are dialoguing with is in agreement with their particular dogmas. 

Webber states that for the younger evangelical, “the road to the future runs through the past”, when it comes to practicing authentic Christianity. Webber argues that the younger evangelicals do not want to practice church like the mainline megachurches have been doing things in the 20^th Century, but instead they are returning to the past and looking for inspiration and wisdom on where to lead the church in the future. Webber argues that the “traditional” and “pragmatic” evangelicals are having a negative impact upon the world by pulling up the drawbridge to its ever-changing culture, and that the church will be more effective in communicating the gospel when Christians understand their culture, and are able to use the “medium” in which their culture is communicating in to share the gospel, and to live out an authentic Christian life in the midst of their culture.

Webber does a phenomenal job describing this “New group of leaders who are shaping the future of a movement.” In an easy to follow format, he clearly demonstrates the importance of Christianity immersing itself within the culture they find themselves in, and at the same time being able to effectively use the cultural medium to share the gospel message in a way that not only gets into the ears of the world, but takes up residence within their hearts to create lasting and eternal change. 

Webber presents a compelling argument for the traditional and pragmatic churches of the 20^th Century to lower their current drawbridges of fundamentalism and pragmatism, and adopt the ways of the ancient past, which is authentic Christian community within the church, and sacrificial service to the world. The younger evangelicals want a faith that is biblically informed and historically tested as well. But, because they are products of a new culture, the younger evangelicals explain and present the faith differently.