Most authentic Christians would say that our culture is in decline. It seems that we are ever moving toward a philosophy that says that there is no real truth. The days of prayer and Scripture in schools are quickly coming to an end. Things that once were seen as shameful, or at least hidden, are now out in the open. Morally and Spiritually, we may be as far away from God as a culture as we’ve ever been. Consequently, we have a huge challenge as believers to share to truth in our society today. We may even wonder if anyone has ever faced these kinds of challenges. The truth of the matter is that the world in which Paul and the Apostles shared the gospel was even more challenging. As we continue our study in the book of Acts, we find Paul and other believers sharing in the cultural milieu of Athens. This proud city was in decline as well, but was still full of godless philosophies, educational elite, and hedonistic lifestyles. There were more false gods and ways of living that we can imagine. How would Paul have the courage to present such a difficult message? How could he overcome the temptation to water down the message to better fit the godless culture? How would he find a way to meet these people right where they were? All of these challenges are ours as well, as we minister in a culture very much like Athens. We will learn from this great missionary our motivations, our message, and our methods, as we seek to point our struggling culture to the only real answer.

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