Changing the Culture | Greg Laurie – TPUSA Faith
How to Change the Culture: Lessons from Jonah and a Call for Spiritual Revival in America
Introduction: An Urgent Call in Changing Times
Every generation faces unique challenges, and today, many Christians are asking how we can truly impact our culture for Christ. We watch as our world is gripped by shifting morality, confusion, division, and distrust. The answer to our society’s deepest ills isn’t just found in politics, activism, or the latest trends. What America and the world really needs is a genuine spiritual awakening. This is the heart of the Christian mission and the challenge for every believer and church leader: to become vessels God uses to spark revival.
Drawing wisdom from the Old Testament prophet Jonah, we see how God can use even the most reluctant hearts to catalyze transformation on a massive scale. Jonah’s story is not just about surviving in the belly of a giant fish it’s about God’s relentless pursuit of lost people and the powerful results that come when we step up in obedience, preach the gospel, and fervently pray. Let’s explore what it takes to ignite cultural change that echoes into eternity.
Why Preaching the Gospel Still Matters
Amid shifting cultural winds and rising cynicism, it’s easy even for seasoned pastors and leaders to hesitate in sharing the gospel boldly. Sometimes we wonder if anyone will respond. Sometimes we question whether evangelism is even effective today. But Jesus is very clear: there is no higher joy in heaven than when a lost soul finds salvation. As Christians, we are called to carry a message that is both timeless and urgently needed.
Jonah’s story reminds us of this truth. God commissioned him to bring the message of repentance to Nineveh a city notorious for violence and wickedness. The very idea was shocking; the people of Nineveh were infamous for acts we’d recognize today as unspeakable terror and cruelty. Jonah’s initial refusal was rooted in fear, bias, and perhaps even despair he didn’t think the culture around him could be reached. But God saw differently. He pursued Jonah, even orchestrating miraculous events, because He loved the people of that city and wanted them to encounter His mercy.
Overcoming Reluctance: Lessons from Jonah
Maybe you’ve sensed God calling you to reach a particular person or community, and you’ve resisted. Perhaps the place God is leading you seems too dark, too stubborn, or simply too different from your comfort zone. Jonah’s transformation began not on the shore, but in the depths inside the belly of a sea creature where he repented and aligned his heart with God’s will. Out of that place of surrender, he stepped into his calling and witnessed the largest recorded revival in the Bible.
When Jonah finally surrendered and reached Nineveh, his message was simple: “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown.” While that might sound harsh at first glance, it was actually God’s gracious warning a call to wake up, turn around, and receive another chance. The people responded, and the city was spared. If God could use a reluctant messenger to turn a brutal society toward Him, imagine what He can do through you and your church today.
Two Weapons to Change the Culture: Prayer and Proclamation
Church history and Scripture both reveal two spiritual weapons often underutilized that are essential for impacting culture:
- Prayer: Before any movement of God, there’s always fervent prayer. Prayers for repentance, healing, awakening, and for God to soften hearts this is a foundation that can’t be skipped.
- Preaching the Gospel: The clear, unfiltered message of Christ’s death, resurrection, and the call to repentance is the power that transforms lives and societies.
Consider the words of leaders and authors who have observed today’s younger generations. They’re not hungry for a watered-down message or entertaining fluff they want the full truth of the gospel. As statistics reveal rising levels of depression, self-harm, and brokenness among Generation Z and Alpha, we are reminded that only the gospel can address the deep wounds of the heart.
Reaching the Next Generation
Psalm 78 reminds us not to hide God’s truths from our children, but to declare His works so that they may place their hope in Him. Every generation needs to hear about what God has done past revivals, personal testimonies, and, most importantly, the gospel itself. Older believers can remember the Jesus Revolution of the 1970s, a time when God’s Spirit swept through a disillusioned youth culture and ignited passionate faith. The need for such renewal has never been greater.
But here’s an essential reality: the steady lifeblood of any healthy church is the presence of new believers. Their energy, questions, and excitement rekindle seasoned Christians’ sense of wonder. Without ongoing evangelism, churches become stagnant choosing between “evangelize or fossilize.” If we want vibrant, growing communities of faith, we must dedicate ourselves both to reaching out and to nurturing those who respond.
The Simple, Powerful Message of the Gospel
Sometimes, in our desire to connect and be relevant, we can overcomplicate or dilute the gospel. The essential message remains beautiful and straightforward:
- God loves you.
- You and I are sinners, separated from Him by our own choices.
- Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins.
- When we repent and put our faith in Jesus alone, we are forgiven, made new, and given eternal life.
As the Apostle Paul declared, he was “not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16
