Is the church meant to change the world? Those of us approaching this from the POV of Postmillennialism and the Reformation would say yes, the blood of Christ is capable of redeeming everything affected by the Fall, flowing outward from the repentant/obedient soul, compounded by the number of repentant/obedient souls, effecting a progressive change in culture and politics and art and everything produced by man. In fact, some believe that the Bible gives us guidelines in how to behave, as redeemed individuals, in each of these areas. Can a man repent of his old behavior, unless he has a new set of behaviors to substitute for them? And what should he expect from those new behaviors?
Many (but not all) approaching this from other POVs, especially Scofield-flavored Dispensational Premillennialism would say no, leave the culture alone. The culture will not (cannot?) be redeemed by anything - including a wholesale repentance and conversion of the population - other than the physical return of Christ. "You don't polish the brass on a sinking ship!" said evangelist Dwight L. Moody. If your theology teaches that Christians shouldn't "polish the brass on a sinking ship", you will probably discount or avoid altogether other ship-related disciplines as hull & sail repair, mastering sea-sickness, and simple navigation. Which is all fine and good, if you don't expect anyone to have an impact beyond making more converts, who themselves have no impact beyond making more converts, and so on.
In short, can we expect Christians to have a "biblical worldview", if we simultaneously tell them that they won't be having any lasting impact on that world anyway?
Alex, I think you make some good points. I have done a lot of reading in the post-millennial community of late, and have enjoyed it. I am not fully committed to this point of view yet, but I do understand the inherent problems with complaining about the lack of a Biblical worldview whilst telling the congregation that it will make no difference anyway.
Scofield-flavored Dispensational Premillennialism would say no, leave the culture alone. The culture will not (cannot?) be redeemed by anything - including a wholesale repentance and conversion of the population - other than the physical return of Christ.
I am one of those, and I think, for me, you have mischaracterized our position. What you have stated does not at all represent our perspective.
But, let's not get into this...the author's point is much broader than that - a biblical worldview sees the entire world, economics, history, ethics, family, community - you name it, from a biblical perspective. In other words, how does God see it. It is not just evangelism, it is a biblical perspective on my job, my recreation, my friendships...everything I do, from God's perspective, and how can I do what I do to His glory.
I listen to the Bible Broadcasting Network while I commute, cocooned in a time-warp dominated by the America of 1900-1950. It's a shabby and claustrophobic little subculture, glad to proclaim a Jesus who is "Lord" over the inner "universe," but irrelevent to the universe around us. Had to turn off one preacher this morning, his message was so vapid, empty, and B-O-R-I-N-G. How many times can you assert the need for rebirth, and remain oblivious to the purpose of regeneration? Hey, it's fun to think of myself as the axle of the universe, and my salvation is the reason the rings of Saturn spin ... but I think the Bible has a lot more to say about a King, and a Kingdom, and a purpose for living that extends beyond my feeling good about myself!
I don't have a worldview...I have a 'heaven' view...You can sail the ship...I'm enjoying the cruise by sitting in the lifeboat...
That's all well and good, except that Jesus himself said there will be few that find the narrow way. So with so few people 'changed' it's not likely the culture will as a whole be redeemed. So even though I'm not entirely dispensational/premillenial etc. as you suggest in your second paragraph above, I tend toward that point of view. Still, we are supposed to "PUSH the rock" as that old internet story suggests: