Can Early Christians Inspire Today’s Definition of ‘Success’?

What does it mean to live out faith in today’s world?

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For author and journalist Greg Sheridan, the answer lies in looking back to the first followers of Jesus.

In How Christians Can Succeed Today, Greg draws on the experience of the early church to encourage modern believers facing an often sceptical “neo-pagan” culture.

“We’re not persecuted like Christians are in parts of Asia and Africa,” Greg told Hope 103.2’s ‘UNDISTRACTED’ podcast.

“But it’s a very unsympathetic environment, and we haven’t really been in that circumstance since the first Christians 2,000 years ago.”

Researching the early church brought Greg surprising insights.

“We’re not persecuted like Christians are in parts of Asia and Africa… but it’s a very unsympathetic environment.”

“The overwhelming feeling I had after reading loads and loads by, and about, the first Christians was not one of strangeness, nor even one of admiration – though I massively admired them – but one of familiarity,” Greg said.

“It was like talking to your brothers and sisters.

“They were passionately alive with the message of Jesus, the hope of eternal life, and the sense that this Christian life was the way to live.”

For Greg, the resilience of the early church is inspiring.

Greg Sheridan’s book How Christian’s Can Succeed is out now.

“They stayed during the plagues and helped people, and they won a reputation for kindness,” Greg said.

“Over time that had a tremendous effect on the society around them.”

The idea of “Christian success” now, Greg believes, is about holding fast to the faith and offering hope.

“Faith makes things possible, it doesn’t make things easy,” Greg said.

“But if Christians succeed, [it’s about] bringing balm and hope and reassurance and comfort and purpose and joy to more and more people.

The idea of “Christian success” now, Greg believes, is about holding fast to the faith and offering hope.

“You would see broken lives repaired. That would be a sign of Christian success.”

Greg also points to the openness of younger generations who are “looking for meaning”.

“Much of the crisis of meaning today comes from people who lack a sense of purpose” Greg said.

“If you are just broken and wrecked for whatever reason, any Christian community will offer your hand up.

“The Christian door is always open, really.

Listen to this episode of ‘UNDISTRACTED’ in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

“And we’re now seeing that Gen Z is much more religious than anyone expected.”

Ultimately, Greg sees Christian life as both challenging and deeply sustaining.

“I couldn’t be myself if I didn’t have the promise of God’s forgiveness,” Greg said.

Greg Sheridan’s book How Christian’s Can Succeed is out now.

Listen to this episode of ‘UNDISTRACTED’ in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feature image: Supplied (Allen and Unwin)