Kerby Anderson
For more than a decade, my radio program has had a millennial roundtable discussion to help the next generation learn to navigate the culture. One resource I recommend is the book, A Practical Guide to Culture, written by John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle. The rowboat on the cover illustrates that the younger generations will have to navigate through choppy waters.
John has been on my radio program many times to talk about culture and share his experiences from Summit Ministries and the Chuck Colson Center. Both authors have ministered to thousands of students and their parents. They are facing a range of challenges from digital media to pornography to drugs to transgender issues.
They not only focus on the hot-button issues we hear about and read about every day, but they also focus on the undercurrents in the culture such as consumerism, materialism, addiction, the sexual revolution, and racial tension.
The younger generations face significant challenges, especially in an age with greater hostility toward Christianity. They also must do so in a digital world that moves much faster than in previous generations.
Another helpful aspect of the book is the attempt to answer or refute many of the cultural lies in our society. Technology helps spread these lies quickly. Christians will need biblical discernment to deal with so many lies that are assaulting biblical truth.
They say that young people can either celebrate, create, confront, co-opt, or correct cultural trends and habits. We must stand for biblical truth and correct cultural trends, but we also must do it with love and compassion. This book provides a model for all of us to follow.