The world around us continuously is at work molding and forming us as it sees fit. You may push back on that statement, but think about your hairstyle or your style of clothing, or the design of the car you drive. Our culture defines for us what is acceptable and what is obsolete or “out of style.” In the 1980s, when I was in college, nobody would have dreamed of wearing bell-bottoms, which were very much in style just a few years earlier, but we wore parachute pants. In the 1970s, long straight hair was popular for guys and girls. I remember my uncle tried to straighten his naturally wavy hair with a clothes iron — let me just say, it was not a good idea! That look was followed by “big hair” in the ’80s.

Fashion trends come and go, and that is fine — we get tired of wearing the same old things and having the same old look, and the fashion industry has to sell new clothes, so the look changes and we cycle through the fashion trends time after time. It just shows you how much we are influenced by our culture.

Not all of the influence is so benign, though. If we are not careful, we will also be influenced in ways that are contrary to what we say we believe. We have seen very clearly how the culture can influence even the views of the church, rather than the church having the kind of influence that it is meant to have on the culture. The culture around us has a way of squeezing us into its mold and forming our way of thinking. That is why spiritual formation is so vital to our faith.

In recent years, I have seen many articles and books about how we as the church must change because fewer people are coming to church. I am not averse to change — 20 years ago, I always wore a suit and tie to church on Sunday morning; today I choose to usually dress more casually. That is a rather benign change, but there are those who would have us fundamentally change our beliefs in order to match where the culture is in their thinking. I maintain that while there are changes that can and should be made to the way the church does church, we must allow ourselves to be changed by the Holy Spirit, not be squeezed into the mold of our culture.

Our culture has come to the place that although we do not necessarily call them gods, we find people worshipping many different gods nevertheless. We find people in our culture worshipping at the altar of financial gain. We find people worshipping at the altar of technology and of knowledge. We find people worshipping at the altar of science and secular humanism. We find people worshipping at the altar of entertainment or political leaders. Today, we find that many in our culture are worshipping the god of their self-identity. Sadly, if we are not careful, we find ourselves worshipping these “other gods” as well. It is futile to think that we can continue to live our lives just like the culture around us and be the people God has called us to be.

God gives us the power to be overcomers who faithfully follow His leading if we will trust Him to do so. It is my prayer that we will love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves.