I just finished reading ‘Unfashionable‘ at the recommendation of my senior pastor. I still am not sure how to pronounce his name, but I can definitely see where his heart is from the book! The reason Tullian wrote this book is to remind Christians to not be so like the world that there is no difference between the world and the church. It reminded me a little bit of some of J.C. Ryle’s exhortations in ‘Thoughts for Young Men‘ where he encouraged young men to not be like most young men who aren’t living the Christian life to which God has called them. Tullian does a good job of identifying a growing disparity between the Western Church and the Church at large-namely that ‘Christians’ in the West are not living the way Christ did, and the way God has called us to live. How exactly are Christians supposed to be “in the world but not of it”? Tullian answers, “The Bible makes it clear that Christians need to be people of double listening-listening to both the questions of the world and the answers of the Word.” (page 81) Amen! How different would it be if Christians really did seek the Bible first for the answer to all questions, not just the “theological” ones? (I would argue that all questions begin with a theological question/background) In trying to “fit in” and be like the world, “All of the bells and whistles in the church have caused us to forget the God whose church it is.” (page 165) That’s very true! Would your church be any different if God was not present in it? Have you given in to the influence of the world at the expense of the God who created and sustains the world? Thank you Pastor Tchividjian for the timely reminder to be ‘Unfashionable’ and live like it!