Let’s get something straight: the world is doing exactly what the world has always done. It's chasing self, sin, and satisfaction — and it makes no apologies for it. The real problem? The Church has stopped making apologies, too — not for sin, but for holiness.
At some point, we decided it was more important to be liked than to be holy. It felt more urgent to blend in than to stand out. It became more socially acceptable to be “nice” than to be truthful. But God never called His people to blend. He called us to burn — brightly, boldly, and without shame.
Jesus didn’t die just so we could be culturally relevant. He died so we could be spiritually unique.
And the world? The world is starving for that kind of authenticity. It doesn’t need another Church that looks like it. It needs a Church that looks like Him.
What Does “Come Out From Among Them” Mean?
In 2 Corinthians 6:17, God speaks clearly:
“Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’”
This isn’t just a verse — it’s a commission. It’s a line in the sand. It represents the kind of truth we once built our lives on, but now we seem afraid to state it out loud for fear of offending someone. But here’s the deal: truth offends before it transforms. The Church isn’t meant to reflect culture; it’s meant to reflect Christ. The enemy isn’t threatened by a Church that looks like the world. He’s threatened by a Church that looks nothing like it.
I know this personally. I come from being deeply immersed in Hollywood culture: TV, famous friends, red carpets, private planes, constant access, and always being invited. That was all fine and dandy until I realized that as a Believer, I resembled the world around me more than the God I serve. That didn’t sit well with my soul. That’s when I knew it was time to change playgrounds and playmates if need be.
My desire to live more purely is discussed in my new book, The Naked Truth: Reclaiming Sexual Freedom in a Culture of Lies. I wanted a purer mind, heart, body, and soul. I recognized that I resembled the culture around me, which offered a glamorous appearance, and that was fine, but I aspired to look like Jesus. I realized that He would be far more alluring to embody than designer clothing. I wanted the light of Christ to shine brighter because I was in a room.
The Disappearance of Holiness
We talk a lot today about grace—and we should. Grace is a gift that saves and sustains us. However, grace without holiness becomes permission, and holiness without grace becomes legalism. The balance is found in Jesus, who welcomed sinners but never compromised on truth.
The Church today often preaches a gospel of comfort instead of a gospel of consecration. We’ve traded repentance for relevance and turned sin into a lifestyle brand. The result? A generation of believers who don’t know what they believe — or why it even matters. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, we’re reminded:
“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
Be holy. Not trendy. Not tolerant. Holy. That doesn’t mean perfect — it means set apart. So let me ask: if the people of God resemble everyone else, how will the lost ever find their way?
The Church Should Be the Counterculture
Jesus was - and is - radically countercultural. He flipped tables in the temples. He confronted hypocrisy. He spoke with authority. He loved with conviction. He stood alone, even when it cost Him everything.
But today, we’ve softened His edges to make Him more palatable to the culture. We’ve edited His words to make them more “inclusive,” when in fact His truth has always been exclusive:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6
The gospel isn’t just one of many paths; it’s the only path. This message has always been offensive to a world eager to believe in everything - except surrender. If the Church is truly the body of Christ, then we must also be willing to be countercultural. Not out of anger. Not out of judgment. But out of love - a love that tells the truth even when it’s unpopular.
Love Doesn’t Mean Agreement
One of the biggest lies being preached today - even from some pulpits - is that love equals agreement. But that’s not love. That’s appeasement. Jesus loved people enough to tell them the truth. He didn’t shame the woman caught in adultery, but He also didn’t pretend she hadn’t sinned. Instead, He said in John 8:11,
“Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”
That’s love. That’s truth. That’s grace and holiness walking hand in hand. But too often today, we stop at “neither do I condemn you.” We thereby leave people trapped in chains that God died to break. The Church must reclaim its role not just as a sanctuary, but as a refinery - a place where hearts are softened, minds are renewed, and lives are transformed.
We’ve Become Afraid to Be Different
Let’s tell the truth: we’re afraid! Afraid of causing offense. Afraid of being misunderstood. Afraid of being labeled intolerant or “too religious.” Yet, Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy - He promised it would be worth it. John 15:18 says clearly, “
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.”
Why do you think your life should be any easier? Jesus is the Savior of the world. He is the Son of God. Yet, the world hated Him and still hates Him. Who are you? Do you value yourself more than God, believing that your life should be comfortable and free from criticism or exclusion from those whose approval you seek?
Our faith isn’t measured by how comfortable we are; it’s measured by how consecrated we are! It’s measured by how different we are and how uncompromising we are in the face of those who manipulate the Word of God to fit their comfort zone. When we stand in truth—in genuine, Spirit-filled, gospel-rooted truth—it draws in those who are hungry for something real.
My life has demonstrated this repeatedly. I often say I am so blessed to see the fruit of my life and testimony blossoming in so many young people God has given me to disciple. I easily let go of those who cannot face the reflection my presence brings to their lives. I concentrate on how many people, both young and old, are attracted to me because of the light of Christ that I have willingly embraced. That light makes me different. The difference that light creates is what you should crave. 1 Peter 2:9 says it all so beautifully.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
The world doesn’t need another Christian influencer — it needs disciples. It doesn’t need trendsetters. It needs Truth-tellers. It doesn’t need copycats. It needs Culture-breakers. It needs no more echo chambers. It needs Voices crying out in the wilderness. The world does not need another church that looks like the world or another Christian dressed like the world while pursuing anything but modesty or holiness. It needs a church that looks like Jesus.
What the Church Must Do Now
It’s time for the Church to remember who She is. We are:
-The Bride of Christ - not the mistress of the world.
-The salt of the earth - not sugar to make the culture more palatable.
-A city on a hill - not a flickering candle afraid to shine.
The only thing we should urgently ask ourselves today is how we return to our rightful place. The answer requires you to genuinely desire Jesus more than the approval of your friends, colleagues, and those who have the life you think you want.
5 Ways We Can Stand Out Like the Church Is Designed
1. Preach the Whole Gospel
Not just the feel-good parts. The truth about sin, repentance, salvation, and surrender must once again be front and center.
2. Pursue Holiness, Not Perfection
Holiness means being set apart: living differently, thinking differently, and speaking differently. This is not out of pride but out of love for the One who saved us.
3. Embrace the Cost
There will be backlash. There will be rejection. There will be misunderstanding. But there will also be revival. Because God always blesses the bold.
4. Love Radically Without Compromise
Real love speaks the truth. Real love says, “I will walk with you, but I won’t lie to you.” Real love brings light into darkness - not silence.
5. Stand Together in Unity
A divided Church cannot stand. This is not the time for denominational pride - it’s time for kingdom unity around the essentials of the faith. Romans 14:4 puts it plainly.
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
The world is neither our friend nor ally, nor is it our enemy; it is our mission field. However, if we continue trying to win it by becoming like it, we will lose both the mission and the message. Jesus never asked the Church to fit in. He called us to stand out. So let’s stop blaming the world for getting darker and start asking why the Church has stopped shining. Why are we not getting brighter if the Light of Christ supposedly burns in us?
The short answer is simple: the problem isn’t the world; it’s a Church that’s afraid to be different. But we don’t have to be. You and I, together, can change this right now. Let’s be the remnant that remembers who we are.
We are Bold.
We are Set apart.
We are Unashamed.
We. Are. Holy.
Just like He is, say it daily until it sinks in. I am bold and enjoy being uniquely set apart from the ways of the world around me. I am unashamed to speak the truth of the Gospel, and I strive for one thing only: to be holy as Christ is. If I must be alone, change friends and lifestyles, or die so that Holiness can live in me and through me, then let me die to myself and my own mind, will, and emotions daily. Starting now. In Jesus' name!
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Diana Mialik
Cynthia Garrett broke barriers when she became the first African American woman in the U.S. to host a network late-night show, NBC’s Later with Cynthia Garrett. She is currently seen on TBN and Salem Media networks, as well as on Fox News and other news outlets, addressing cultural issues and today’s news. The Cynthia Garrett Podcasts premiere weekly on all major podcast platforms.
A highly sought-after speaker, author, TV host, and ordained minister, Garrett is the author of The Naked Truth: Reclaiming Sexual Freedom in a Culture of Lies (2024), I Choose Victory: Moving from Victim to Victor (2020), and Prodigal Daughter: A Journey Home to Identity (2016). For more information, visit www.cynthiagarrett.org
