Cultural shifts in America may be a good sign for Christians, says Russell Moore

Recent cultural shifts in America could be a sign that God is rescuing the Church from captivity, said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC).

During the preacher's keynote speech at ERLC'S national conference last Friday, Moore suggested that Christians may be misinterpreting the cultural changes happening to the nation. Moore said that these changes in American life should not be seen as a warning that God has abandoned the Church.

"We have many Christians who are fearful and panicky because their illusion of a Mayberry-like, Christian America is falling apart," he said.

"Brothers and sisters, the shaking of American culture is no sign that God has given up on His church. The shaking of American culture well could be a sign that God is rescuing His church from a captivity we didn't even know that we were in," Moore added.

He called on Christians to "conserve a Gospel authority and a Gospel community." He also cautioned that other worldviews may take over if Christians do not preach the God's word consistently.

Moore also noted that Christians are becoming too obsessed with politics and this leads to cynicism and disillusionment. He believes Christians should "dethrone politics as a religion and as a source of identity" but he urged them to remain engaged in their duties to their community.

Moore is known to be a strong critic of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Last May, Trump tweeted that Moore was a  "nasty guy with no heart." This was after Moore appeared on CBS and called out conservatives who would vote for Trump despite his character.

Moore's criticism of Trump received mixed reactions from the southern Baptists. He acknowledged that some conservative evangelicals will vote for Trump because the Supreme Court is at stake. But Moore also believes that there will be many evangelicals who simply would not vote or opt for a third-party candidate.