FOREWORD by John Stonestreet

Worldview matters.

Whether or not we realize it, everyone has a worldview. We all see the world through our most basic beliefs about life and the world. To be human is to live from a worldview. This feature of humanity separates us from all the other animals. Not only do we exist, we think about existing. We wonder why we are here, and what it all means. We imagine how the world could be different, and work to change it. We ask big questions like, Does life have purpose? Is there such a thing as right and wrong? Who decides?

We may not have thought much about our worldview, but it’s there. Everyone we meet has a worldview too. This is why our disagreements can be so sharp. A worldview makes a big difference in how we think, how we make decisions, and how we relate with others.

It’s common today to hear silly slogans like, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long you believe in something.” But, what we believe matters. Our ideas about life and the world have real consequences. After all, we live from our worldview. Our worldview will either help us see the world clearly or will keep us from seeing the world clearly. Our worldview will either help us live well or lead us astray.

Christians should have a Christian worldview, of course, but many don’t. It’s quite possible to have a sincere, private faith and to think and live like a pagan (or an atheist). In fact, many do. Many others struggle to make sense of life, which is a real shame. After all, if Christianity is indeed the true account of the world, it’s more than big enough for life’s toughest questions and the most controversial issues of our culture.

Christians not intentional about what is true will still have a world- view, but it will do more harm for them than good. People will often, in fact, catch a worldview like they catch a cold. Too many Christians have been infected in their hearts and minds by the culture around them. Theirs is more of a whirled view made up of random and wrong beliefs collected from the culture around them instead of from Christ. Which is why it’s important to know that…

Culture matters too.

All humans are, in many important ways, shaped by cultures. Our fashions, tastes, beliefs, and so many other things about us reflect the social environments into which we are born and live. In fact, a culture is most powerful in shaping us by what it makes seem normal.

If you’ve ever traveled to another country, you’ve likely experienced the feeling of, seemingly, being in a different world. You’re not, of course. You’re in a different culture, a place imagined and built differently by a different group of people. This is what humans do. We build worlds within the world.

In recent decades, the Western world (which includes the United States) has shifted in dramatic ways. Things once unthinkable are now unquestionable. Beliefs and behaviors once unimaginable now seem so, well, normal. Christians who aren’t discerning will quickly find themselves embracing things that are wrong.

That’s why this book, Faithfully Different, is so important and, if you read it carefully, will be so helpful. Natasha is a clear thinker and a captivating writer, with this knack for explaining things most essential, such as worldview and culture. Not only does she help her readers understand what they need to know, she helps them act in ways faithful to truth.

As parents of four kids, my wife and I are big fans of Natasha’s previous books. As someone who has spent the last two decades studying worldviews and culture, trying to convince Christians to take both seriously, I’m a big fan of this one too.

Faithfully Different covers an incredible amount of crucial ground without cutting any corners. It’s one of those rare books that is both faithful to biblical truth and honest about our cultural situation, a work of sound cultural analysis from a solid and distinctly Christian worldview. It’s just so very helpful.

Because of this, Faithfully Different is a real gift to God’s people. Indeed, if we are to follow Christ in this cultural moment, we’ll need to know what it means to be faithful to biblical truth while being honest about our cultural situation.

So jump in, and bring others along with you. You’ll be glad you did.

John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center and coauthor of A Practical Guide to Culture

“Natasha Crain’s Faithfully Different offers a brilliant assessment of our current cultural moment—loaded with insight, yet perfectly practical—in prose that is lucid and crystal clear. Crain strikes a healthy balance between her native kindness and gentleness and her sharp biblical thinking, helping you discover, finally, how all the crazy cultural pieces fit together and what to do about it…In my opinion, Crain’s latest work is a masterful achievement, her best yet. If you read just one book to help you understand the present-day secular assaults on Christianity—and the biblical answers to them—make it Faithfully Different.”
—Gregory Koukl, President, Stand to Reason (str.org); author of Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions

“This book is faithfully different! Clearly written, relevant, and winsome, it is a fair-minded defense of the Christian worldview. Read it, and you will find it to be of great benefit in understanding how you can withstand the cultural pressures that are swirling around you. A great book to help Christians, but also a wonderful gift to those who are on the margins, dealing with doubts and wondering how Christianity compares with the secular answers of our culture. Read it. Share it. And live it!”
—Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, Pastor Emeritus, Moody Church, Chicago; author of We Will Not Be Silenced

“In her earlier books, Natasha Crain has shown that she possesses a rare gift for unpacking complex ideas and making them clear and accessible. In Faithfully Different, she focuses on the struggles Christians face as society grows ever more secular. Those who follow Jesus are now a minority in Western culture, increasingly cast as extremists and treated as obstacles to social progress. Crain offers a reliable guide to navigating these new challenges.”
—Nancy Pearcey, author of Total Truth and Finding Truth

“If ever there was a time to reaffirm biblical morality, revitalize our notions of biblical justice, and recommit to speaking the truth of the gospel, now is that time. Natasha Crain’s new book, Faithfully Different, is the right book written at the right moment. It will help you understand the challenges we face as a community of believers and equip you with the skills necessary to rise to these challenges. It’s a must-read book for a time such as ours. Get a copy for yourself and every Christian you care about.”
—J. Warner Wallace, Dateline-featured cold-case detective; author of Person of Interest and Cold-Case Christianity

“Are you being deceived? How would you know? The inherent problem with being deceived is that you don’t know you’re being deceived. Natasha Crain brilliantly exposes how our secular culture often deceives us about God, Jesus, the Bible, social justice, sex, love, and morality. She then points us back to truth so we can live faithfully different lives to achieve our most important mission—knowing God through Jesus Christ and building His kingdom. Read this now!”
—Frank Turek, President, CrossExamined.org; coauthor of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

“At Summit Ministries, we train tens of thousands of young adults every year in worldview and apologetics. I can tell you this: Natasha Crain gets it. She doesn’t shy away from a biblical response to tough questions. Just as important, she has her finger on the pulse of the culture. She knows its language and how to speak truth into it. Faithfully Different makes a powerful and very readable case that if Christians will learn to think Christianly—that is, with a Christian worldview—they can have a powerful impact in our confusing times. A bracing and timely challenge for the church.”
—Jeff Myers, PhD, President, Summit Ministries

“Until recently, Christian ideals in America have gone largely unchallenged. But this is rapidly changing, which has left many Christians feeling opposed, silenced, and marginalized. How can we stand for biblical truth in a culture that views that truth to be bigoted, hateful, or harmful? Faithfully Different will give you the tools, resources, and inspiration to live out your Christian values in an increasingly secularized culture. This is the book every Christian needs in this cultural moment.”
—Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity; host of The Alisa Childers Podcast

“Faithfully Different is a timely wake-up call for Christians who want to live out their faith in our secular culture. This book is well researched, full of interesting stories, and grounded deeply in Scripture. I highly recommend it for Christians who want to know what it means practically to follow Jesus today.”
—Sean McDowell, PhD, professor of apologetics, Biola University; author or coauthor of nearly 20 books, including Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture