Spiritual Warfare and Christian Quietism

According to the Emmy winning novelist and scriptwriter of Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, “‘Winter is coming” expresses the sentiment that there are always dark periods in our lives, and even if things are good now – “summer,” we must always be ready for a dark period where events turn against us – “winter.’”

Winter is coming for us as Christians in America. For decades we have enjoyed religious freedom and relative peace to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. But it appears as if the “summer” of easily and freely sharing that gospel is quickly coming to an end. The warfare of winter is coming. It’s already here.

These are some of the questions we discussed:

• How have we Christians been doing in fighting a defensive war against Satan’s forces?
• Read Ephesians 6:10-17. We are called to go on the offensive with the weapons of the Lord. What does going on the offensive in the public square of our culture look like?
• How can we as the Church of God reclaim “political” issues as cultural, moral, and theological issues so we can apply God’s Word to these issues?
• How do we make ourselves and our church ready for this spiritual war – not a coming war … but a war we are already in?
• How have you witnessed the Christian Church become infected by Christian quietism?
• What happens in the culture when Christians remain quiet? • Why is “holding the line” in the culture war never going to be an offensive strategy?
• Read Hebrews 13:33-38. Why does confessing Christ always require courage in every age?