What Ministry Approach is Best?

I recently had the opportunity to attend a very large, well known Christian convention. I was there helping to represent my publisher, Leadership Books, by doing book signings and sharing with others about my experiences with this publishing company. In addition to that, I had the opportunity to meet many people who were involved in various kinds of mass media – everything from TV, radio, podcasting, advertising, and even other book publishing companies.

While there, I had the opportunity to participate in a couple of interviews, and to have discussions with some other individuals about my ministry. Some of those I met were interested in having me on their shows as a worldview expert to talk about the topic of Christian worldview. There were others, though, who wanted me to consider creating my own radio show or podcast.

Believe me, I have a very high regard for people who develop ministries using the various mass media possibilities. They have reached many people for Christ and have been the vehicle for helping to strengthen the body of Christ. In fact, over the years, some of these folks have had a powerful influence on my life. Beyond that, I still do radio and podcast interviews with those who have their own shows in order to express myself in this medium.

Additionally, in the past, I have dipped my toe into the podcast waters and have given some thought to the possibility of developing a radio show of my own. But God has never really opened those kinds of doors for me, and while at this convention I gained a new level of clarity about that. I am now convinced that the reason God never opened those doors to me is because I need to serve the body of Christ in a different way.

The topic of worldview is so important for Christians in our modern pluralistic society. Traditionally, throughout its history, America has, philosophically, been a very homogeneous society. The nation was founded on Judeo-Christian worldview beliefs, and biblical values have dominated the development and expression of all of its societal institutions. This, by no means, implies that everyone was a Christian, or that everyone, or every entity, in society’s institutions faithfully followed those values. But there was at least broad agreement that biblical values were right, and that when they were violated it constituted wrong.

So why would I now think that developing a strong mass media presence would not be the best way for me to go? Well, while Judeo-Christian beliefs used to dominate American society, that is no longer the case. There has been a massive shift so that now a different worldview dominates society’s institutions – a naturalistic worldview.

So, you might ask, what does that have to do with anything? And the answer is that helping Christians transition to profoundly different societal environment, and helping them learn to actually operate in that new environment, is not well suited for a mass media approach. Mass media is suited for making people aware of the massive change that has taken place, and for sharing insights about navigating it. In fact, it can have a very profound impact in that arena. But equipping Christians to truly understand and interact with the massively pluralistic society that is now the dominant environment in modern society requires a more personal touch. It is for that reason that I feel compelled by God to mostly work directly with churches and other Christian organizations to equip them at a significantly deeper level.

A worldview is a way of understanding how reality is structured. At this point you may wonder why I would say that here. I say it because it is virtually impossible for a person to take seriously that which they believe to be fantasy. If someone told you that you could see living unicorns flying over the skies of Atlanta, would you take that seriously? If someone told you that if you utter the word “abracadabra” that you could turn a peanut into a hamster, would you take that seriously? The answer to both questions is, of course, “No!”

So what if someone told you that God does not exist? If you are a Christian and actually know a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you wouldn’t take that seriously, either. But a large, and growing, number of people in modern society do believe it. In fact, they believe it to the extent that they consider your faith in God to be fantasy. There are others who actually believe in “the force” (as in Star Wars), and still others who believe that “Mother Earth” is a living organism. They really believe these things because their worldview beliefs are such that those beliefs make sense to them.

In the past, Christians haven’t had to deal so much with those kinds of beliefs. Today we do. In fact, there are many cases now where if you advocate for Christian values you will be reviled, or even cancelled – and it is getting worse.

Worldview training provides the tools Christians need to stand strong in our current post-Christian society. It is the key to understanding not only what is the truth, but WHY the Christian faith represents that truth. It is the key to having confidence in that fact. It is the key to effectively sharing our faith in that environment. It is the key to not only defending our own faith, but to put others on the defensive by making them defend the false beliefs they hold.

This kind of deep training can’t be done in sound bites. Helping people grasp a different way of understanding reality, and equipping them to express their faith in that kind of world, takes a more intense approach. Contact me at MarketFaith Ministries and let’s see what we can do to help equip you and your church to operate in our current post-Christian environment.

Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.

You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.

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