Engaging a Hostile Culture
Guests: Doug Sharp, Dan Janzen, Teresa Janzen
Description: Dan and Teresa Janzen are missionaries to South Sudan, and every time they come back to the United States, they observe each time the degree that the culture has changed to become boldly hostile to the Christian faith. In addition, the church has become weak, unresponsive, and unable to engage this culture. The majority of those in leadership in the church grew up as baby boomers and became Christians during the Jesus movement of the 60’s and 70’s. Though they have remained faithful, they are facing a culture foreign to the values they grew up with. Dan and Teresa share how they are able to enact positive change in South Sudan, a culture where there are Christian roots but a mix of Muslim and animist religions compete for attention, with problems of war, poverty and hunger. They give some advice how the church in the United States can apply principles of leadership training to facilitate transformation.