About 25 years ago, Chuck Colson wrote an impactful book called How Now Shall We Live, which is a follow up to Francis Schaefer’s How Should We Then Live. In this book, Colson challenged Christians to “boldly and confidently recommit to engaging contemporary culture with a fresh vision of hope.”

Should we as Christian healthcare professionals be engaged in our culture? Some may be concerned about being too political because of how that might affect relationships personally and professionally. These are not minor issues and should be taken seriously. Again, Colson says in his book, “Turning our backs on the culture is a betrayal of our biblical mandate and our heritage because it denies God’s sovereignty over all of life.”

This is not to say that we should all run for office or participate in protests, but it does say when God gives us opportunities, we need to take them and, with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can make a difference.

The prevalent worldview is one of individual autonomy, the belief that what I think is right, or what I want is right. People are struggling to find real answers because the “what I want is always right” is not working. Their questions are: Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Does life have meaning and purpose? People may not realize this is what they are searching for, and their God-shaped vacuum remains empty.

We are living under common grace. As Colson states it, “God’s power sustains creation holding back sin and evil because of the fall and that would otherwise overwhelm his creation like a great flood.” We can be incredibly thankful for that common grace, but what is our role? What is our responsibility in holding back evil?

God is calling us to be involved in His cultural commission—it’s a call to create culture under the Lordship of Christ. Our job is not only to build up the church, which is certainly part of this, but also to build up society to the glory of God.

Now is not the time to be silent. God has placed you here in this cultural moment for a reason. It is not by chance. Seek His guidance, listen to what He is saying and obey.

If you are interested in pursuing this line of thinking, I would highly recommend the Colson Fellowship. I completed it last year and it was a life-changing experience.