However, the reasoning he brings to justify the already troubling ‘the dream of a new India’ talk, is problematic. If I came away from the article as though it was all a vague kaleidoscopic dream, this video does better in that regard, but not by much. To boil it all down, the men were talking about the aspirations and dreams of this generation of the Indian people, and how the Gospel can help shape those dreams. They talk about how people’s outlook changes when they are saved, from taking things away from the city, to serving the city. A Gospel people should want to live out those Gospel realities in their vocations, neighbourhoods, and office spaces.

Overall, I get the sentiment of what they’re trying to say, and I agree with that sentiment. The Gospel must penetrate every aspect of our lives.
Having said that, the entire discussion however was a view of the Gospel’s influence on culture as seen from 40,000 feet above sea level. Consequently, one can’t be too critical about much that’s being said, but at the same time, it’s not like you can see much of anything from that high up.

Therefore, if the takeaway is that the Gospel must shape all our aspirations and dreams, I’ll say amen! But more on the relationship between Gospel and dreams a little later.

The warning that Scripture gives us when it comes to the believing and the unbelieving world is that there is a significant gap in partnership, fellowship, accord, portion and agreement. And this gap exists because of a fundamental separation between righteousness and lawlessness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial, the share of a believer and that of an unbeliever, and between the temple of God and of idols. The doctrine of common grace does not bridge this gap and certainly does not encourage you to dream for the new India as they do.

The point here is not that there is no overlap of desire or dreams between non-Christians and Christians, especially on subjects common to them like the advancement of a nation. But the unifying that the men suggest in this video is just fiction.

To that extent, it seemed to me that the article was a dream of a dream. 

Fault Line #2: Entrapment of Young Lives at the Altar of Economic Growth 

I have few quarrels here, and I understand what he’s trying to say.  

“In this exasperatingly driven world, Christians indeed have a glorious opportunity to be a compelling and winsome gospel counterculture—joyfully choosing service instead of selfish striving, a healthy work-rest-life balance instead of the rat race, and in living and displaying gospel attributes like contentment, peace, a wise fearlessness and the faith and courage to rest.” 

Amen! 

But may I add that the most important Gospel tool in this formula, not mentioned specifically in the article, is preaching the word of God.  

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 

Romans 10:14-15

May I also add that counterculture is what got Jesus killed, His apostles killed, the early church fathers killed, and created generations of Christian martyrs down through history.  

So, let’s do this, but let us also count the cost. 

Fault Line #3: The Ruthless Crushing of Dreams in Cities 

Here again, I find that the problem is not so much in crushed dreams, but in poor dreaming. The fix of these fault lines requires a change in people’s dreams.  

The author rightly says, “Christians must avoid the error of triumphalism—we can solve all the problems if we pray and work together; and the error of defeatism—we cannot do anything because the problems are too big.” 

But in coming together to solve these problems, what should we do?