How Christianity Challenges Expressive Individualism – The Gospel Coalition

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Shane & Shane perform two songs from their recently released album.
Sam Allberry and Gavin Ortlund discuss the staggering lack of grace and kindness among Christians on social media.
Alan Noble and Trevin Wax discuss whether contemporary Christians should use the word ‘exiles’ to describe their place in a hostile culture.
Trevin Wax and Alan Noble discuss how expressive individualism is a “common sense” idea in our culture, but one the church needs to challenge. They emphasize the importance of preaching that has an edge and that offers alternatives to the world’s wisdom. Instead of looking within first to define the self, Wax suggests the Christian view of identity starts with looking up to God.
Noble highlights the chronic dissatisfaction that comes with constantly expressing yourself to the world (especially on social media) and how the focus on “I define myself” independence conflicts with the simultaneous need for constant affirmation from others.

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The following is an uncorrected transcript generated by a transcription service. Before quoting in print, please check the corresponding audio for accuracy.
 
The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians share the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. We want to train Christians—everyone from pastors to parents to professors—to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age.
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Trevin Wax is vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed to The Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, and Christianity Today, which named him one of 33 millennials shaping the next generation of evangelicals. He has taught courses on mission and ministry at Wheaton College and has lectured on Christianity and culture at Oxford University. He is a founding editor of The Gospel Project, has served as publisher for the Christian Standard Bible, and is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, and Gospel Centered Teaching. He and his wife, Corina, have three children. You can follow him on Twitter or Facebook, or receive his columns via email.
Alan Noble, PhD, is author of Disruptive Witness, You Are Not Your Own, and On Getting Out of Bed and is associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University.
Well over 40 percent of our New Testament papyri come from the single site of Oxyrhynchus. And there’s been a major new discovery.

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