{"id":3654,"date":"2010-08-26T14:40:14","date_gmt":"2010-08-26T19:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stonescryout.org\/?p=3654"},"modified":"2010-08-26T14:40:14","modified_gmt":"2010-08-26T19:40:14","slug":"passing-the-evangelical-torch-that-illuminated-a-path-and-scorched-the-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stonescryout.org\/?p=3654","title":{"rendered":"Passing the Evangelical Torch that Illuminated a Path and Scorched the Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Two generations of evangelical leaders are beginning to step aside for a younger group of thinkers, doers, and potential leaders. Evangelicalism has been led by a group of remarkable social entrepreneurs that built new churches and organizations and movements beginning in the 1950s by familiar figures such as Graham, Schaeffer, Henry, Ockenga, and Engstrom; and then by those that splashed across the front pages and airwaves from the 1970s to today\u2013such as Falwell, Dobson, Colson, Robertson, and Bright. The giants are passing or getting long in the tooth, and tomorrow will belong to the often brash and confident young Christians who are somewhat anxious to carry the torch.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0The evangelical torch that is being passed has illuminated a spiritual path for billions of people over the last 40 years. But that same flame has been wielded at times in a scorched earth policy that has left little good will for orthodox Christians, and insufficient cultural connections to the millions of people who still need to touch the hem of Jesus\u2019 garment. Today\u2019s warriors are left with the good, the bad, and the ugly results of the bold engagement of their predecessors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0New generations rarely recognize the magnitude of the accomplishments of those who precede them. Today\u2019s norms seem, well, normal, although they have often been achieved at a heavy price over many years: \u00a0<\/p>\n