The Next Christians 2

Added: 9:40AM CT: Gabe at CNN.com.

Gabe Lyons is proposing that there is a “Next Christian” and that next set of Christians he calls “Restorers.” We all want to ask two questions: Who are they? What do they look like? If you answer the second question, you can figure out the first one.

The book is called The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America, and in my estimation this book sketches what I also find to be central and defining attributes of followers of Jesus today who both have grown tired of old ways and know there is a better way.

What are the major characteristics of followers of Jesus today who are both faithful to the past but proposing fresh ventures into how to live out the gospel today? Who do you see that represents this movement? What do you think of Gabe’s six characteristics (after the jump)?

Gabe provides six characteristics of the Restorers:

1. They are Provoked, not offended. When folks are offended, they are reactive and withdrawn; those who are provoked are proactive and engaged.

2. They are Creators, not critics: They run back to see the great tradition and tap into that for something fresh and new. Gabe is tapping into the sketch of culture making by Andy Crouch. Faithfulness is both word and deed, and not just evangelism. Beauty, truth, goodness, service … these are the themes.

3. They are Called, not employed. This is a big one. Vocations are being reshaped among Restorers so they do something significant. They work these out in media, education, arts/entertainment, business, government, social sector and the church.

4. They are Grounded, not distracted: he finds the biblical example of Daniel to be the model for the Restorers: they are grounded and know the challenges they face. Gabe sees this grounding in their immersion in Scripture (not entertainment), observing Sabbath (not just being productive), fasting for simplicity (not just consuming), embodiment (instead of division), prayer (not power).

5. They are in Community, not alone: big one again. In community there is intimacy, proximity, permanence; communities restore not just individuals; the church is the community.

6. They are Countercultural, not relevant: they are not separatist but countercultural. But this is not antagonistic but “relevant” countercultural. They preserve; they are inverted (beatitudinal)