July 2017
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For some years I have talked about the coming political-economic reckoning I call, “The Great Reset.” As the culture continues to erode, we see widening cracks in our civil foundations slowly manifesting. While increasing numbers of people are sounding alarms, I see nothing of consequence reversing the situation. The reason for that is simple: You cannot change what you have not correctly diagnosed nor charted as a viable pathway for correction. This is especially true when a national social system is imperiled. Genuine change can only take place when a sufficient number of leaders, properly positioned in leveraged positions, can sway the opinions of a larger mass of concerned citizens to be willing to pay the price to go “all in” to bring the essential changes. This cannot take place until the crisis first triggers a national “Great Debate.” We are not there yet. It must get significantly worse, that is, problematic enough to demand a conversation willing to put the very survival of the nation on the table. Both other leaders and I see this reality and are doing whatever appears to offer the best chance of igniting The Great Debate. Other leaders, unfortunately, are trying to put out fires that cannot be extinguished yet. The disillusionment of social systems follows a general sequence of the following five phases: denial, anger, bargaining, apathy, and finally acceptance if no genuine remedy intervenes. It is similar to the five stages of grief commonly experienced when confronted with death or great loss. In my opinion, most of our social and cultural leaders are in the phase of denial. They are not denying the real crisis, but are still clinging to the idea that remedies need not be severe nor even foundational. The bargaining phase will manifest itself by the beginning of The Great Debate. Then comes the anger. While it’s true that anger is increasing in multiple ways in our nation, it is not yet the needed anger because the needed anger is not fueled by blame. Rather, it must come from the realization that the situation cannot be handled by semi-pointless reform, but only by some very painful lifestyle interruptions. If we are to survive as some kind of healthy republic-democracy, that anger must be deep enough to be fashioned into a white-hot resolve to “take the life-saving medicine.” If you think I am an alarmist beyond cause, may I politely suggest that you may be in denial of the severity of the problems. Am I expecting Jesus to arrive and rescue mankind, in general, or Christians, in particular, from having to battle our way through our social-economic self-inflicted wounds? No, no, and no. Why would God short-circuit the obvious reality that this crisis will necessitate a cut-to-the-bone analysis of the secular world’s incompetency as the manager of the earth’s current social systems devoid of the application of Kingdom truth and principles undergirding our global social systems? This is the very point of God’s patient, hands-off policy of neither preventing this crisis nor rescuing us from it. For Christians, especially Christian leaders and influencers, this spiritual insight is of non-negotiable importance. The Great Reset and Great Debate are a critical opportunity God will use to reinject the Kingdom of Christ as the only viable option to humanity’s need for just and loving community, both now and into eternity. In this sense, the crisis, debate, and challenging “cures” are part of God’s evangelism finale prior to His return. Make no mistake: The Church itself will be forced to radically “reinvent” much of itself in this catalytic, strategic drama wherein God uses modern man’s self-reliant illusions to prove his need for both personal and social salvation. So where do I want to take this conversation? To the core issues we must begin to prepare for our part in the Great Debate, of course. From a Kingdom point of view, what are the pillars of true freedom, successful government, and sustainable and appropriate undergirding of individual rights and social responsibility? This is where I want to go. How do we handle so-called “racial tensions,” competitively driven capitalism contrasted with “planned socialist society,” and the usual suspects clogging our media with one superficial secular analysis after another? It’s time to refocus on what is essential and non-negotiable in terms of where the Holy Spirit wants to prophetically empower the Church to influence the Great Debate. That, folks, is not only the bottom line, but the fishing net God has called us all to cast as we are able. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 13:47-50 And that is… |