Something Strange and Wonderful is Happening with Young Men
Have you noticed how many well-known men are expressing interest in Christianity lately?
I’m not talking about Christians. I’m talking about non-Christians who are discovering that all the freedoms and blessings of Western society, which are being attacked and undermined at every turn, came from Christianity. People are starting to realize that we’ve been running on the fumes of Christianity, a fuel which cannot be replaced with secularism or atheism without disastrous consequences.
Culture is Religion Externalized
Christianity provides the rational basis for a high trust society, including personal virtue, human dignity, freedom, the role of government, art, beauty, and so on.
In my Cincinnati neighborhood, we have a large inventory of beautifully detailed urban buildings dating back to the late 19th century. We don’t make buildings like this anymore. Yet their presence is a haunting reminder of what a high-trust society was capable of accomplishing not too long ago. Behind my house, construction on a new apartment complex was recently completed. It’s an ugly, concrete cube with no character or beauty.
Modern society is less capable of building beautiful things because our worldview no longer recognizes it. Beauty is the fruit of belief, and the modern mind believes in nothing.
Henry Van Til famously observed that culture is “religion externalized.” The modern world is haunted by the ghost of Christianity in the cultural relics from previous generations that still live on in our collective memory.
Many have begun to notice and are calling for a return to the old ways of our Christian fathers.
High Profile Men are Openly Appreciating Christianity
Have you noticed a strange trend where prominent men are expressing appreciation for the Christian faith? I’m not saying these men have become born-again believers, but they seem to be hungry for something more than our fake, plastic world of gimmicks and marketing can offer.
Russell Brand is a British comedian, actor, author, and social commentator who has recently professed faith in Christ. It is difficult to determine the genuineness of one’s faith from a distance, but whether or not he’s truly converted is not my point. My point is that he has a massive social media following with young men who are watching his public conversion to Christianity in real time.
One hopeful sign is that Brand is reading good books, such as Dr. Joe Boot’s “The Mission of God,” which was highly recommended to me by a trusted friend. Boot’s book isn’t the typical saccharine, pop-therapeutic, fluffy faith, Christian reading. The subtitle for this 674-page book is “A Manifesto of Hope for Society.” In other words, Brand is reading a book that serious Christian leaders should read. On Brand’s YouTube channel which boasts (6.83 million subscribers), he spoke with Tucker Carlson, and read a quote from his well-worn copy of Boot’s book about the problems associated with statism.
Speaking of Tucker Carlson, whose own Youtube channel has 3.23 million subscribers, he has become very open about his own Christian faith, his sinfulness, his need for grace, and belief in the Bible. Carlson has interviewed a number of well-known, Bible-believing, conservative, reformed Christian leaders, such as Doug Wilson, Voddie Baucham, and John MacArthur. I’ve listened to many episodes, and Tucker speaks like a man of genuine Christian faith.
Jordan Peterson is another example. His incredibly popular lectures on Christianity and the Bible attract millions of young men around the world, hungering for someone who will help them and speak directly to them like a father. I see no evidence that Peterson is a genuine Christian, and while his Bible lectures are insightful, they do not reflect a proper understanding of scripture. Yet he now claims that he is “no longer an atheist.” And doesn’t it tell us something that millions of young men all over the world will pack into giant assemblies to hear Bible lectures from a man who isn’t even a Christian (yet!)? These men are hungry for truth.
And how could I not mention Elon Musk, who has made no profession of Christian faith, yet he frequently expresses admiration for Christ and Christianity. For example, he once posted on X, “Jesus taught love, kindness and forgiveness. I used to think that turning the other cheek was weak & foolish, but I was the fool for not appreciating its profound wisdom.”
Richard Dawkins, well-known atheist who has been called one of the “four horsemen of new atheism,” blew people’s minds recently when he described himself as a “cultural Christian” because he loves the hymns, Christmas carols, cathedrals, saying he feels “at home in the Christian ethos.” This shocking admission from a man who built a career opposing Christian belief nevertheless indicated a longing for the benefits only Christianity can provide. Dawkins made these comments while discussing the advance of Islam in England, asserting that it would be “truly dreadful” if any other religion were substituted for Christianity in England.
The Fertile Mission Field of Conservative Young Men
Recent surveys indicate a clear trend of young men becoming more conservative. If culture is “religion externalized,” then the growing popularity of these “cultural Christians” signals a massive opportunity for the church. A number of cultural factors have led to increased feelings of “despair” with young men, who believe their economic opportunities are more limited than previous generations.
They are seeking answers. They are reminded through various cultural relics of the ghost of Christianity that once dominated our society, passing down to them great freedom, prosperity, and opportunity that now seems to be slipping away. That memory would incline them to Christianity, as evidenced by the figures noted above, but our gospel appeal to them cannot be limited to abstractions that have no practical benefit.
In other words, these men are winnable for Christ if they can see that Biblical Christianity presents a vision for the world that truly appeals to their God-given masculine desires to build, create, organize, govern, and take dominion for the glory of Christ.
I saw a post on X the other day (which is actually what prompted me to write this essay) from Mike Shelby. He’s not famous like the men listed above, but he seems to have a decent following on X. I know nothing about him, other than his post, but he expressed something that well illustrates the point I’m making:
long post on religion, for those interested. //
i recently started going to church.
one thing in particular has nagged at me for a while, and it's the reason why i'm going back.
i would actually prefer not to go to church.…
anyway, i've had this nagging feeling for a while...
each night, i pray with my son, teaching him that it's right to give thanks to God and be thankful for the many blessings.
i've since started saying a prayer for donald trump and elon musk, too.
and i always ask God to protect our family from the judgment He's pouring out over our country.
it may seem odd that a guy like me who questions his faith and is never satisfied with the answers, says a prayer like that.
but I do believe in God. at least a higher power. there's something there, i do not question that.
maybe it's the God of the Bible. if there is any God, i would believe it's the God of the Bible, as opposed to some cow or monkey god from another religion.…
or maybe all this really is just some simulation, in which case i recognize my own insignificance.
or maybe all these various gods and religions are just man's attempt to describe an omniscient entity that we don't fully understand, nor can we comprehend.
but if God is real, i will worship Him.
and so i actually am fearful for myself, my family, and my nation, which is why i'm back in church.
it's like that old thomas jefferson quote: "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep for ever."
Pray for Mike Shelby. I have no idea who he is but I like him already. Why? Because he’s a man taking on grow up responsibilities for his family and is scared of the same crap that scares me.
But I know who created the world, what went wrong, what God did to fix it, what I’m supposed to do about it, and how it all ends. I pray Mike finds a solid church that gives him real answers to these questions, because he seems open. The problem, however, is that many churches are hesitant to speak boldly about cultural issues because they fear backlash from their church members. This fear seems to be overblown.
Speaking Bold, Biblical Truth is Key For Reaching Young Men
In my opinion, a simple way churches could increase their appeal to young men is by preaching sermons with more theological depth, more personal application to real life, and more confrontation with the sins of the world. And there’s data to back this up.
A recent Lifeway survey of evangelicals sponsored by the Institute for Faith & Culture indicated that 80% of Christians want their churches to address cultural issues from the pulpit. According to the Baptist Standard’s reporting on this survey, “American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many say they expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.”
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research said, “As American culture increasingly includes fewer overtly Christian elements and more non-Christian ideas, churchgoers are hungry to know what the Bible says about life’s issues.”
Conclusion
In short, as our society has abandoned Christianity in favor of secularism, those who are paying attention see the terrifying worldly horrors that are taking its place, and they are hungry for answers. Christians have the answers they need, because we have the word of God, who is Himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Bold and unapologetic Christians who speak the truth of God’s word will find an audience for their message. Christ called us to be the “light of the world” (Matt 5:14), why hide it? People are starving for truth, let’s give it to them.
