Church morphing: a worldly church?

Let's start with a quick quiz to determine to what extent the twentieth century Evangelical church espoused philosophical modernism.
How many of these modernist adages did the 20th century Evangelical church assimilate into its ethos or praxis? If and when they were applied, what forms did they take?
“I think therefore I am”
“Dare to know”
“Knowledge is power”
“Seeing is believing”
“We can do this if we will”

How many of these modernist maxims did the 20th century Evangelical church adopt into its ethos or praxis? If and when they were applied, what forms did they take?
The intellect can deduce truth with absolute certainty
Man will act logically
Progress is inherently good
The real world is material
By and large the Evangelical church of the twentieth century (with the exception of some postmillennialists) did not adopt the modernist belief that reason, by means of ideology-embodying institutions, would create utopia on earth on behalf of the autonomous individual. But I contend that she did absorb more philosophical modernism than is generally admitted.

The three “I ”s of modernism were:
Intellect (manifested through the reign of reason),
Ideology-embodied in Institutions, and
the deification of autonomous Individual.
All three of these tenets of modernism can be seen in the 20th century Evangelical church. The focus on the INTELLECT could be seen in the centrality, even dominance, of the teaching ministry in contradistinction to teaching being dynamically intertwined with apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic and shepherding ministries, for the equipping of the people of God, as Ephesians 4:11-12 teaches.

I do not believe anyone would contest the assertion that 20th century Evangelical churches made an enormous investment of time in Bible study. This was good in and of itself. Often, however, this cultivation of a biblically informed intellect was disproportionate with, and to the detriment of investment in other equally biblical essentials such as prayer, evangelism, disciple making….

The 20th century Evangelical church’s morphing into ideology-embodying INTITUTIONS was reflected in the stanch denominationalism of members (“I am a Baptist, a card carrying Conservative Baptist!”). Exclusivist denominationalism of clergy reflected in the thinking, not that every ten thousand people need a believing church witness as missiologists claim, but that people needed a particular brand of collective witness to the saving grace of Christ. Thus every town needed a Grace Brethren, Assembly of God, Southern Baptist... church. (Some towns could get really crowded if every one of the more than 22,000 Protestant denominations were represented!).

The 20th century Evangelical church’s focus on the autonomous INDIVIDUAL is seen in the Lone Ranger, “Just Me and God,” approach to discipleship and the Superman approach to the ministry.

The Lone Ranger disciple read every “you” reference in the New Testament as singular, whereas many (most?) of these passages are plural, addressing the church collectively. Of course, most churches now recognize the absolute necessity of heeding the "one another" exhortations in Scripture.

The individualistic Superman pastor was modernist as well, expected to be the evangelist - theologian - teacher - preacher - counselor - shepherd - administrator - strategist - bulletin-producing janitor! Yet today we recognize that Scripture teaches a multiplicity of gifted people serving together in a coordinated manner.


So there are indications that many 20th century Evangelical churches embodied central tenets of philosophical modernism. Some even became reason-led, ideology-embodying institutions and catering to the autonomous individual.

In my discussions with pastors, a modernist approach is sometimes defended because in philosophical modernism absolute “truth” exists. They fear that a rejection of modernism means a rejection of knowable Truth. But truth existed, and people believed in God and the Bible before modernism, as some will do after modernism has passed.


No, the 20th century Evangelical church did not preach philosophical modernism's conclusion of utopia on earth, but it did adopt some of its values.

So to what extent did churches become guilty of worldliness by the assimilation of modernism's focus on the Intellect over the spirit, Institution over organism, and the Individual over the collective?

Seeing the rotten fruit of modernism (previous entry) and knowing of modernism's inimical relationship to faith (see May 10, 2006 entry), was the assimilation of modernist values without deleterious effects to the local church?

Were the modernist tenets systematically helpful for living and spreading the Good News of Christ?

Is it not possible that biblical essentials were filtered out of local churches ethos and praxis due to modernism's subversive influence?

My firm conviction is that this was indeed the case.