In recent years, the idea of “culture care” has gained traction in Christian circles. It’s a concept that sounds good on the surface—after all, who wouldn’t want the church to be a healing presence in a broken world? As believers, we are called to be salt and light, to love our neighbors, and to work for the good of the city (Jer. 29:7). The church should be a force of beauty, truth, and nourishment for the culture around it.
But there’s a growing trend to embrace “culture care” in a way that subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, replaces the gospel call to repentance with a vague message of affirmation. In the name of compassion, some have redefined healing as affirmation—particularly when it comes to the sexual revolution, gender identity, and other deeply moral issues of our day.
The problem? Healing never comes through the affirmation of sin. Healing comes through the gospel—and the gospel begins with a call to repentance.
Jesus Didn’t Say “Affirm and Flourish”—He Said “Repent and Believe”
When Jesus bursts onto the scene in Mark’s Gospel, His message is not vague or soft. It is sharp, clear, and urgent:
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” —Mark 1:15
The modern movement of “culture care,” when it becomes untethered from the message of repentance, fails to account for this fundamental truth. Christ doesn’t simply come to soothe; He comes to save—and salvation begins by confronting our need for it.
To be clear, the church should indeed be a refuge for the weary and a balm for the broken. But the deepest healing Christ offers does not bypass repentance—it begins there. The church cannot heal what it refuses to name as broken. Nor can it nourish a world that it is too afraid to call to the table of repentance and faith.
False Healing Is No Healing At All
When “culture care” leads us to soften or silence the moral clarity of Scripture—especially on contested issues like sexual ethics or gender confusion—it ceases to be care at all. It’s counterfeit compassion. Affirming what God calls sin isn’t merciful; it’s misleading.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 that those who persist in sin—sexual immorality, idolatry, theft, greed, etc.—will not inherit the kingdom of God. But he also proclaims the good news:
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ…”
That’s real culture care. Not the affirmation of sin, but the announcement of transformation. The church is not a spa offering affirmation therapy. It’s a rescue mission, armed with the gospel that heals by calling sinners—like all of us—to the repentance that leads to life.
The Church’s Call: Care Through Proclamation
Culture care, if rooted in the gospel, is a beautiful thing. Christians should be artists, storytellers, educators, and peacemakers who bring truth and beauty into the world. But we cannot forget that the truest beauty we bring is the message of the crucified and risen Christ who calls the world to repent and believe.
When the church loses her prophetic voice—when she substitutes gospel proclamation for cultural affirmation—she loses her ability to care at all. The world doesn’t need more soothing words. It needs saving grace. And grace only makes sense in light of sin, judgment, and the call to turn and live.
Healing Comes Through Repentance
Yes, the church should be a healing presence in the world. Yes, we are called to nourish and renew culture. But let’s be clear: healing comes through repentance, not around it. Jesus didn’t come to affirm us in our sin. He came to deliver us from it.
If we want to be a church that truly cares for culture, we must recover our confidence in the gospel. That means calling all people—ourselves included—to the life-giving message that healing begins when we bow the knee to Christ, confess our sins, and receive His mercy.
Culture care is good. But gospel care is better. Let’s not confuse the two.
