This Christian Life

Preaching to a Postmodern World

The better seminaries have long included courses in the missions curriculum to help prospective missionaries ‘read’ the culture that are about to enter.’ observes Don Carson. ‘But such courses are rarely required of students in the pastoral track. The assumption is that these students are returning to their own culture, so they do not need such assistance. But the rising empirical pluralism and the pressures from globalization ensure that the assumption is usually misplaced. Apart from isolated pockets, Western culture is changing so quickly that the church now struggles to understand what is going on. Indeed, it is less and less easy to speak of ‘Western culture’ in such a monolithic fashion: there are a plethora of competing cultures in most Western nations, and many pastors will minister to several of them during their ministry. Indeed, in many metropolitan areas, pastors may find themselves ministering to several of them at once.

by Graham Johnston