One doesn’t have to look too hard or too far to recognize the church’s shortcomings. But according to Brad Edwards, author of The Reason for Church, these obvious flaws aren’t the main reason people dismiss the idea that church helps humans flourish. Edwards argues that both Christians and non-Christians have absorbed two powerful assumptions: anti-institutionalism and radical individualism. These beliefs make many view the church with cynicism and suspicion, preventing people from recognizing how its work and witness can help address our deepest needs. In this episode, he joins Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss these cultural assumptions and how even committed Christians can mistake these ideas for genuine biblical faith.

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