Surrending to the Culture

In the Nov. 17 post (on this blogsite), the book, "Loving God with All Your Mind" by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. was mentioned and a quote from the book was included. And now Mr. Veith has a very thought-provoking column, Truth & Consequenses, in the Nov. TableTalk issue (published by Ligonier Ministries) considering where the Church in the West is headed and gives this observation:
"Even though biblical christianity must resist cultural conformity, many American churches have actually embraced cultural conformity as a strategy for church growth. They do not see that surrending to the culture means instead the disappearance of the church. That the current American culture is swallowing up the church - effacing its doctrines, ignoring its morality, and erasing its history - is precisely why the churches of the Third World see us as in need of their help.
Christianity is a missionary religion. Europeans learned the gospel from missionaries just as the Africans did. Evangelized Europeans and their American forebears would then send missionaries themselves, and now we are coming around full circle.
But we would do well to think of ourselves in the same way we used to think about the lost people of the mission field. We have beome the new heathen. We Americans are the ones now in thrall to primitive superstitions, such as believing in the power of positive thinking and having faith in ourselves. We are the ones held back by a materialistic worldview that has little conception of the supernatural. We are the ones with the brutal customs, such as aborting our infamts, neglecting our children, and abandoning and sometimes authanizing our elders. We have simple, pounding music, and we are uneducated about the realities outside of our tribe. With our limited mind-set, we have trouble grasping the truth of Scripture.
But the grace of God brings the light of Jesus Christ into heathen darkness - even into our heathen darkness." (emphasis mine)
How can we Christians, especially at this Holy time of our Christian calendar, keep from surrending to the culture? How can we proclaim that Jesus is the reason for this season? How can we make that difference that will direct others to follow the star that leads to the Christ? By letting the grace of God shine through our lives and letting the light of Jesus Christ shine into this heathen darkness! Hallelujah! What a Savior!!