The future is now. Philip Jenkins has chronicled how the next Christendom has shifted away from the Western church toward the global South and East.
Likewise, changing demographics mean that North American society will accelerate its diversity in terms of race, ethnicity and culture. But evangelicalism has long been held captive by its predominantly white cultural identity and history.
In this book professor and pastor Soong-Chan Rah calls the North American church to escape its captivity to Western cultural trappings and to embrace a new evangelicalism that is diverse and multiethnic. Rah brings keen analysis to the limitations of American Christianity and shows how captivity to Western individualism and materialism has played itself out in megachurches and emergent churches alike. Many white churches are in crisis and ill-equipped to minister to new cultural realities, but immigrant, ethnic and multiethnic churches are succeeding and flourishing.
This prophetic report casts a vision for a dynamic evangelicalism that fully embodies the cultural realities of the twenty-first century. Spiritual renewal is happening within the North American church, from corners and margins not always noticed by those in the center. Come, discover the vitality of the next evangelicalism.
3.8 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
Length: 230 pages Word Wise: Enabled Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled
AUD 15.99
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Biography
Soong-Chan Rah is the Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary.
Soong-Chan received his BA from Columbia University; his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; his ThM from Harvard University; his DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and his ThD froM Duke University.
Customer reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
46 customer ratings
5 star 55%
4 star 15%
3 star 6%
2 star 5%
1 star 19%
Top Reviews
Mark D. Twombly
3.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Sometimes MisleadingReviewed in the United States on September 6, 2017
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Dr. Rah makes many fine points regarding the cultural captivity of the church in America and calls us back to our biblical roots. A most compelling point is the growth of ethnic evangelical churches in America which often goes undocumented and unnoticed statistically. Certainly that is consistent with what we know of Christianity around the globe. Throughout the book he seems to make huge logical leaps with major conclusions that are largely unsupported, or supported simply with anecdotal evidence. This was surprising to me for an academic, and it left me wanting to know more regarding what was behind those conclusions. Having grown up in the Northeast and with my initial introduction to Christianity as a child in a church which is part of the denomination of his seminary, I found many of the stories of bias quite foreign to my experience, although I have no reason to doubt they are true, other than to wonder how widespread such experience is. Dr. Rah often paints a broad brush on Christians, particularly white Christians, which reinforces the very kind of stereotypes he rightly rails against. A distinction between the 'visible' and 'invisible' church - i.e. professing believers and true Christ followers - would have been extremely helpful in this tome. I recommend the readers watch some of Dr. Rah's talks on YouTube to get a sense of his love for Christ and heart for the Church.
5 people found this helpful
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Jack
5.0 out of 5 stars Great and ChallengingReviewed in the United States on November 14, 2017
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Soong-Chan Rah did an excellent job explaining the challenges facing the North American Church. I loved how he placed evangelism within a cultural and socio-economic context. Generally, here in the West we focus on "preaching" and nothing more. There is very little sense of "community" among the believers especially across racial lines.
If you are Caucasian and considering this book I would say two things: 1) It will offend you but 2) keep reading and finish it. What Rah says is timely and much needed in the modern day church, especially here in America.
7 people found this helpful
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Paul O. Bischoff
1.0 out of 5 stars Devoid of theology; based on racism onlyReviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I had high hopes when I book this book for a theological discussion about evangelicalism and the future. My disappointment in the book is its theologically-weak and racially-charged argumentation. Rah never defines the theological, spiritual or unbiblical nature of his repeated phrase, "Western white evangelicalism." Is it wrong geographically? Is it evil racially being white? Or, is there something theologically wrong about evangelicalism? Nothing about his argument for a "next evangelicalism" makes Jesus or the Holy Spirit necessary. What he makes necessary is all about race and ethnicity. If Western white power is captivating the church, does he allow for the fact that someday Eastern non-white power might do the same? In other words, Rah doesn't get to the core issues theologically and remains throughout his book only within race, ethnicity and culture. Will the next evangelicalism be better because it is Korean, or because the church has a new experience of God's Word and a revitalization which can only be explained spiritually and theologically. Or, is it all about racial diversity. Are racially diverse churches experiencing the same spiritual issues or theological weaknesses as Western white congregations? Is white inherently sinful and Eastern yellow Christianity holy? The broad-sweep cultural generalizations tied up in terms like North American Christianity, Western white evangelicalism or American evangelicalism may make sense in a sociology class, but fall short of saying anything theological for a professor in a theological seminary. Any ideology which makes multi-culturalism its gospel doesn't need to be theologically, biblically, spiritually or Christianly grounded. The basis for Rah's argument, outside of a few biblical, Christian and theological references, doesn't require going much beyond cultural sociology. This means there is nothing which compels an already theologically-challenged evangelicalism to change. A recommended re-write of Rah's book might better define terms left open, reduce the victimization and support his argument less with politically-correct vocabulary with theology. Paul Bischoff
One person found this helpful
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Andrew M La.
1.0 out of 5 stars This is a waist of moneyReviewed in the United States on July 20, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
There was a good nugget in this book about the church speaking to the evil of society, but other then that it was a terrible book.
i am a Chinese kid who grew up in a Chicago neighborhood where the dads of the kids on my block just got back from vietnam. it was very tough at times but i’m not crying about. All this guy seems to do is cry over how bad white America is and the materialism it represents. I would like to know what kind of car he drives and how big his house is.
3 people found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars An important challenge to the mainstream worldview.Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Rah argues compellingly that when we define the Church in America, we define the white church. Is the church shrinking? The white church is, but the church overall is growing. He notes that 2/3 of the world's Christians are from the global south, and asks why the vast majority of theologians are white. As I look back on my seminary studies, I can count the number of non-white theologians I've read on one hand, not using my thumb (and that includes Augustine). I did find Rah's harping on the social faux-pas of whites against Asians annoying after a while, and distracting to his message. But the message is a good one, and raises an important question: Is the white church shrinking because it has lost something important, and of so, can it rediscover that in the growing churches of color?
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Greg Preston
4.0 out of 5 stars the white evangelical church in the USA.. culturally (and now politically) captiveReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity
This is a very useful book by a Korean – American pastor giving an account enriched by his own personal experience of the cultural and social change and enrichment that has been brought to the church thanks to globalization and migration. It is rightly highly critical of the western and white cultural captivity of the North American (indeed western or Global north as a whole) that is grounded in systemic racism. He writes powerfully of how much church growth thinking has led to a consumer religion. Even the emerging church movement, which tends to pat itself on the back for its commitment to an inclusive gospel remains captive to western white culture. It is a book rich in hope that God is mightily at work in most of the nations of the world and their diaspora communities. Sadly, almost 10 years on since it was written the signs in the USA at least are of a reverse as large sections of the evangelical church seem to have been taken into political captivity of the nativists who wish to make America white / great again. It could serve as a warning to white Christians in the UK that God is only going to answer prayers for our nation if we are able to embrace all the nations of His world with thanksgiving and hospitality.
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Tom Stuart
5.0 out of 5 stars Explodes the arguments Western Cultural hegemony of the churchReviewed in Australia on December 29, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I used to be frustrated that it seemed my denomination had given up mission to the western cultural community in favour of simply embracing existing non-western Christian communities. This book effectively argues that it is as western culture looses its grip on the expression of Christianity that it will become again an effective witness to all cultures, including western culture!
HelpfulReport abuse
In this book professor and pastor Soong-Chan Rah calls the North American church to escape its captivity to Western cultural trappings and to embrace a new evangelicalism that is diverse and multiethnic. Rah brings keen analysis to the limitations of American Christianity and shows how captivity to Western individualism and materialism has played itself out in megachurches and emergent churches alike. Many white churches are in crisis and ill-equipped to minister to new cultural realities, but immigrant, ethnic and multiethnic churches are succeeding and flourishing.
This prophetic report casts a vision for a dynamic evangelicalism that fully embodies the cultural realities of the twenty-first century. Spiritual renewal is happening within the North American church, from corners and margins not always noticed by those in the center. Come, discover the vitality of the next evangelicalism.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Soon-Chan Rah calls the North American church to open their eyes to the great evangelism possibilities of our time. While many mainline white Christian congregations are struggling hard to add just one member, our immigrant and multiethnic churches are flourishing. This book is well written, comprehensive and the best of the subject. Mr. Rah is equal parts pastor, teacher and activist. He calls us to take a hard look at our sins against the immigrants and those not of white privilege." (Jan Arkills, The Lamplighter)
"A needed wake-up call to Western Christians, many of whom have failed to come to terms with the implications of the drastic changes taking place. Pastors and leaders of immigrant congregations will be enlightened by the author's second generation insights. Although the primary audience is the Western Church, the author's message is relevant for the immigrant Church as well as for Christian communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America." (Roger E. Hedlund, Dharma Deepika, January-June 2010)
"Rah skillfully tackles topics even those regularly engaged in racial reconciliation evade in public settings, and addresses how captivity to White privilege and Western cultural pressures (individualism, consumerism, materialism) have influenced the Church's theology, bibilical priorities and interpretations, and ministry strategies. Rah's unique argument intersects with his call to mutuality and reciprocity, underscoring the importance of what Western Christianity must learn from immigrant and ethnic minority groups, and from the global South, in order to maintain a vibrancy in the next evangelicalism." (Deborah Hearn-Chung Gin, Religious Studies Review, March 2010)
"Two unambiguous reactions will surely be provoked by Soong-Chan Rah's message in The Next Evangelicalism. Some people will embrace it enthusiastically; others will cringe and cover their ears. As I read through the book, I often compared Rah to a biblical-era prophet--people will either want to follow him or assasinate him. Rah's book does not seek to inspire the superficial reconciliation of people but to realize true reconciliation within the body of Christ." (Ning Zhang, PRISM, 2009)
"An insightful and challenging book. I highly recommend it. The Next Evangelicalism is a good wake-up call for how we need change." (Thomas T. Turner, Generate, Autumn 2009)
"The book is not a race-based rant but a heartfelt plea that Christians receive all the gifts God has for them, including those that don't confirm their culture's values. He also challenges American believers to examine critically the version of Christianity they are exporting to the world, sometimes with unfortunate results." (Steve Rabey, YouthWorker Journal, November/December 2009)
"While Rah's tone is challenging, his message is ultimately one of hope. If we heed his message, a renewed vision for this kind of multi-cultural Christianity can bring new life to Christ's church in the United States." (Greg Taylor, Leadership, Summer 2009)
"A strong read for those who want to prepare their church for cultural transformation." (James A. Cox, Wisconsin Bookwatch, August 2009)
"Challenges North American Evangelical Christianity to throw off the chains of its oppression--what he calls the 'Western cultural captivity of the Church'--and embrace a multi-ethnic and diverse evangelism that reflects the church's contemporary constituency." (Henry L. Carrigan, Jr., ForeWord Magazine, May/June 2009)
"A needed wake-up call to Western Christians, many of whom have failed to come to terms with the implications of the drastic changes taking place. Pastors and leaders of immigrant congregations will be enlightened by the author's second generation insights. Although the primary audience is the Western Church, the author's message is relevant for the immigrant Church as well as for Christian communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America." (Roger E. Hedlund, Dharma Deepika, January-June 2010)
"Rah skillfully tackles topics even those regularly engaged in racial reconciliation evade in public settings, and addresses how captivity to White privilege and Western cultural pressures (individualism, consumerism, materialism) have influenced the Church's theology, bibilical priorities and interpretations, and ministry strategies. Rah's unique argument intersects with his call to mutuality and reciprocity, underscoring the importance of what Western Christianity must learn from immigrant and ethnic minority groups, and from the global South, in order to maintain a vibrancy in the next evangelicalism." (Deborah Hearn-Chung Gin, Religious Studies Review, March 2010)
"Two unambiguous reactions will surely be provoked by Soong-Chan Rah's message in The Next Evangelicalism. Some people will embrace it enthusiastically; others will cringe and cover their ears. As I read through the book, I often compared Rah to a biblical-era prophet--people will either want to follow him or assasinate him. Rah's book does not seek to inspire the superficial reconciliation of people but to realize true reconciliation within the body of Christ." (Ning Zhang, PRISM, 2009)
"An insightful and challenging book. I highly recommend it. The Next Evangelicalism is a good wake-up call for how we need change." (Thomas T. Turner, Generate, Autumn 2009)
"The book is not a race-based rant but a heartfelt plea that Christians receive all the gifts God has for them, including those that don't confirm their culture's values. He also challenges American believers to examine critically the version of Christianity they are exporting to the world, sometimes with unfortunate results." (Steve Rabey, YouthWorker Journal, November/December 2009)
"While Rah's tone is challenging, his message is ultimately one of hope. If we heed his message, a renewed vision for this kind of multi-cultural Christianity can bring new life to Christ's church in the United States." (Greg Taylor, Leadership, Summer 2009)
"A strong read for those who want to prepare their church for cultural transformation." (James A. Cox, Wisconsin Bookwatch, August 2009)
"Challenges North American Evangelical Christianity to throw off the chains of its oppression--what he calls the 'Western cultural captivity of the Church'--and embrace a multi-ethnic and diverse evangelism that reflects the church's contemporary constituency." (Henry L. Carrigan, Jr., ForeWord Magazine, May/June 2009)
Review
"In this manifesto for change, Soong-Chan Rah calls for the church to break free from limiting and exclusive paradigms and fully embrace the dramatic cultural diversity that is rapidly defining the twenty-first century in the United States. His powerfully persuasive pen engages and challenges the reader in ways that radically transform how church life is to be understood, shaped and lived. Everyone who cares about the Christian church in the United States needs to read The Next Evangelicalism. This book ignites hope for reconciliation in the world through the church."
3.8 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
Length: 230 pages Word Wise: Enabled Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled
AUD 15.99
Next
Follow
Biography
Soong-Chan Rah is the Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary.
Soong-Chan received his BA from Columbia University; his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; his ThM from Harvard University; his DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and his ThD froM Duke University.
Customer reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
46 customer ratings
5 star 55%
4 star 15%
3 star 6%
2 star 5%
1 star 19%
Top Reviews
Mark D. Twombly
3.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Sometimes MisleadingReviewed in the United States on September 6, 2017
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Dr. Rah makes many fine points regarding the cultural captivity of the church in America and calls us back to our biblical roots. A most compelling point is the growth of ethnic evangelical churches in America which often goes undocumented and unnoticed statistically. Certainly that is consistent with what we know of Christianity around the globe. Throughout the book he seems to make huge logical leaps with major conclusions that are largely unsupported, or supported simply with anecdotal evidence. This was surprising to me for an academic, and it left me wanting to know more regarding what was behind those conclusions. Having grown up in the Northeast and with my initial introduction to Christianity as a child in a church which is part of the denomination of his seminary, I found many of the stories of bias quite foreign to my experience, although I have no reason to doubt they are true, other than to wonder how widespread such experience is. Dr. Rah often paints a broad brush on Christians, particularly white Christians, which reinforces the very kind of stereotypes he rightly rails against. A distinction between the 'visible' and 'invisible' church - i.e. professing believers and true Christ followers - would have been extremely helpful in this tome. I recommend the readers watch some of Dr. Rah's talks on YouTube to get a sense of his love for Christ and heart for the Church.
5 people found this helpful
HelpfulComment Report abuse
Jack
5.0 out of 5 stars Great and ChallengingReviewed in the United States on November 14, 2017
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Soong-Chan Rah did an excellent job explaining the challenges facing the North American Church. I loved how he placed evangelism within a cultural and socio-economic context. Generally, here in the West we focus on "preaching" and nothing more. There is very little sense of "community" among the believers especially across racial lines.
If you are Caucasian and considering this book I would say two things: 1) It will offend you but 2) keep reading and finish it. What Rah says is timely and much needed in the modern day church, especially here in America.
7 people found this helpful
HelpfulComment Report abuse
Paul O. Bischoff
1.0 out of 5 stars Devoid of theology; based on racism onlyReviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I had high hopes when I book this book for a theological discussion about evangelicalism and the future. My disappointment in the book is its theologically-weak and racially-charged argumentation. Rah never defines the theological, spiritual or unbiblical nature of his repeated phrase, "Western white evangelicalism." Is it wrong geographically? Is it evil racially being white? Or, is there something theologically wrong about evangelicalism? Nothing about his argument for a "next evangelicalism" makes Jesus or the Holy Spirit necessary. What he makes necessary is all about race and ethnicity. If Western white power is captivating the church, does he allow for the fact that someday Eastern non-white power might do the same? In other words, Rah doesn't get to the core issues theologically and remains throughout his book only within race, ethnicity and culture. Will the next evangelicalism be better because it is Korean, or because the church has a new experience of God's Word and a revitalization which can only be explained spiritually and theologically. Or, is it all about racial diversity. Are racially diverse churches experiencing the same spiritual issues or theological weaknesses as Western white congregations? Is white inherently sinful and Eastern yellow Christianity holy? The broad-sweep cultural generalizations tied up in terms like North American Christianity, Western white evangelicalism or American evangelicalism may make sense in a sociology class, but fall short of saying anything theological for a professor in a theological seminary. Any ideology which makes multi-culturalism its gospel doesn't need to be theologically, biblically, spiritually or Christianly grounded. The basis for Rah's argument, outside of a few biblical, Christian and theological references, doesn't require going much beyond cultural sociology. This means there is nothing which compels an already theologically-challenged evangelicalism to change. A recommended re-write of Rah's book might better define terms left open, reduce the victimization and support his argument less with politically-correct vocabulary with theology. Paul Bischoff
One person found this helpful
HelpfulComment Report abuse
Andrew M La.
1.0 out of 5 stars This is a waist of moneyReviewed in the United States on July 20, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
There was a good nugget in this book about the church speaking to the evil of society, but other then that it was a terrible book.
i am a Chinese kid who grew up in a Chicago neighborhood where the dads of the kids on my block just got back from vietnam. it was very tough at times but i’m not crying about. All this guy seems to do is cry over how bad white America is and the materialism it represents. I would like to know what kind of car he drives and how big his house is.
3 people found this helpful
HelpfulComment Report abuse
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars An important challenge to the mainstream worldview.Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Rah argues compellingly that when we define the Church in America, we define the white church. Is the church shrinking? The white church is, but the church overall is growing. He notes that 2/3 of the world's Christians are from the global south, and asks why the vast majority of theologians are white. As I look back on my seminary studies, I can count the number of non-white theologians I've read on one hand, not using my thumb (and that includes Augustine). I did find Rah's harping on the social faux-pas of whites against Asians annoying after a while, and distracting to his message. But the message is a good one, and raises an important question: Is the white church shrinking because it has lost something important, and of so, can it rediscover that in the growing churches of color?
HelpfulComment Report abuse
See all reviews from the United States
Top international reviews
Greg Preston
4.0 out of 5 stars the white evangelical church in the USA.. culturally (and now politically) captiveReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity
This is a very useful book by a Korean – American pastor giving an account enriched by his own personal experience of the cultural and social change and enrichment that has been brought to the church thanks to globalization and migration. It is rightly highly critical of the western and white cultural captivity of the North American (indeed western or Global north as a whole) that is grounded in systemic racism. He writes powerfully of how much church growth thinking has led to a consumer religion. Even the emerging church movement, which tends to pat itself on the back for its commitment to an inclusive gospel remains captive to western white culture. It is a book rich in hope that God is mightily at work in most of the nations of the world and their diaspora communities. Sadly, almost 10 years on since it was written the signs in the USA at least are of a reverse as large sections of the evangelical church seem to have been taken into political captivity of the nativists who wish to make America white / great again. It could serve as a warning to white Christians in the UK that God is only going to answer prayers for our nation if we are able to embrace all the nations of His world with thanksgiving and hospitality.
HelpfulReport abuse
Tom Stuart
5.0 out of 5 stars Explodes the arguments Western Cultural hegemony of the churchReviewed in Australia on December 29, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I used to be frustrated that it seemed my denomination had given up mission to the western cultural community in favour of simply embracing existing non-western Christian communities. This book effectively argues that it is as western culture looses its grip on the expression of Christianity that it will become again an effective witness to all cultures, including western culture!
HelpfulReport abuse
