The Next Christians

Lyons, Gabe. The Next Christians: The Good News About The End of Christian America. New York: Double Day, 2010.

In Gabe Lyons new book he sets out to describe a new breed of Christians, the next assortment of believers.  This is a group of Christ followers who have left behind the old methods and thinking of a previous generation, but not a love for Jesus or Scriptures.  These Next Christians “want to be a force for restoration in a broken world even as we proclaim the Christian gospel. They want the label Christian to mean something good, intelligent, authentic, true and beautiful.”

Throughout the book Lyons reveals facts about the Next Christians as he compares them mainly with a group he calls, “Separatists.”  As the name implies they are the segment of the Church who chooses to live out its faith not by engaging culture, but by condemning, being critical of and separating from it.  In addition Lyons lightly compares the Next Christians to those in the church who seek to blend the church and culture together.  Mainly this is done at the end of the book as Lyons reveals his views on the dangers of the church trying to be “relevant” in style and not in substance.

Lyons has learned the Next Christians are willing to do things differently than before. They are holistic, in regards to the gospel and biblical story. This story, they believe, does only have two chapters: Fall and Redemption, but several chapters: Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration (in addition to Consummation).  It is the restorative element of the biblical story that drives these Christians most Lyons believes.  The Next Christians value:

• The long view,
• Relationships,
• Finding the third way (see post),
• People and the process of spiritual formation,
• Justice (the partner to evangelism),
• Getting messy with other people's dirt,
• Conversations,
• Believing in Jesus and being Jesus,
• How the world ought to be, not simply how it is.

It is with these values Lyons sees hope for the future of the Christian church.  The rapidly changing culture does not scare Lyons, knowing there are Christians seeking to proactively engage our world.  These Next Christians understand the death and resurrection of Jesus was “not meant to save people from something.” But God, “wanted to save Christians to something.”  Ready with the whole restorative gospel message the Next Christians have not given up on the church or culture. They are seeking authentic, true and accurate ways of awakening the mistreated, underrepresented and left behind to a newly branded and redrawn picture of faith in Jesus the Christ as seen in the Bible.