The book of 1st John (2:15) says to not love the world or anything in the world. John elaborates in the next verse by describing what is considered "worldly"--"the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does" (2:16). How, then, should Christians interact with culture?

Mark Driscoll illustrated the point best by portraying "culture" as a "river." Here's what he said:

"Culture is made upstream and people consume culture downstream. What happens is Christians tend to be a downstream bunch. We don't live near the cities--we get out of the cities; we don't get involved in the media--we complain about the media; we don't get involved in the film industry--we protest the films; we don't get involved in the music industry--we lament the downward spiral of pop culture. So [Christians] are downstream fishing all the garbage out of the river as opposed to being upstream and determining what gets dumped in the river."

Very well said, Mark.

He continues...

"What I see with classic fundamentalists is they look at the steam and say, 'It's all dirty and polluted--who cares?' Here's why it matters...millions of people drink from that river."

To grasp the notion that millions, or perhaps, billions, of people drink from the polluted waters of culture is a harrowing thought to a follower of Christ. If Dricoll is correct in asserting the nature of the church has been to stay downstream, we as Christians (individually and corporately) have the task of changing culture from upstream. Our tendency (at least my tendency) is to stay downstream with others who think like me, therefore minimalizing my effect on culture.

How have you noticed Christians staying downstream lamenting about culture? On the other hand, how have you seen Christians upstream creating culture?

Until the river is clean,

Jake