I’ve put together a short list for any evangelicals open to considering a few course corrections in 2020:
- Stop disparaging digital bibles (if you find yourself helplessly distracted, learn how to use “do not disturb” and/or airplane mode). The “only paper bibles!” crowd sounds like big band lovers raging against Elvis.
- You know how you periodically throw smartphones under the bus as a major cause of society’s ills? Spend even a quarter of that time instead reading a legitimate (paid) news source.
- Rather than lamenting the death of face-to-face conversations, spend time observing and learning about how kids and teens socialize online.
- Certainly keep praying for firefighters, but make your prayers more effective by supporting political candidates and causes working to slow climate change effects (which are worsening these fires in the first place).
- Be a grain of sand in the oyster when it comes to harmful purity culture, female leadership roles and LGBTQ support in the church. Listen to the marginalized. Force these conversations to happen.
- It’s great that you support the police, but open your eyes to the message that your “Thin Blue Line” window decal actually sends to black members of your congregation. Then scrape it off.
- Find someone you strongly disagree with (raises hand) and publicly engage with them online as often as possible. Constant conversation/re-evaluation is healthy for both participants, as well as those quietly watching from the sidelines.
House of Kyle 