Expressive Individualism in the Church

The predominant religion in many parts of the world today is expressive individualism. It shapes the religious intuitions of our non-Christian neighbors, our children, and even ourselves in the church. Understanding expressive individualism and how it has impacted the church is crucial for pastoral ministry.


Table of Contents

Editor's Note

Introducing Expressive Individualism
Why Pastors Need to Understand an Abstract Topic Like "Expressive Individualism" by Justin Harris
Do 9Marks Churches Foster Expressive Individualism? by Ben Wright
Summary of Carl Trueman's, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by John Benton
Book Review: Carl Trueman's Strange New World reviewed by Allen Duty
How Do We Find Our Identity in Christ? - An excerpt from Brian Brosner's How to Find Yourself

Expressive Individualism and the Church
Expressive Individualism and the Church by Carl Trueman
Preaching in the Age of Expressive Individualism: Telling the Story of Our New Identity by Michael Lawrence
Pastoring Singles in the Age of Self by Sam Allberry
Youth Ministry and the Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Walt Mueller
You're a Pastor, Not a Therapist by Jeremy Pierre
Church Discipline and Expressive Individualism by Jonathan Parnell
The Ordinances: A True and Better Identity Politics by Bobby Jamieson
Raising Children in an Age of Expressive Individualism by Abigail Dodds
The Pastor and an Unmessianic Sense of Non Destiny by Carl Trueman

Expressive Individualism and the Internet
"You've Got Self:" How the Internet Cultivates Expressive Individualism in All of Us by Samuel D. James
Social Media Is Designed to Divide Churches—So What Do We Do? by Clare Morell

Gender, Sexuality, and Expressive Individualism
Questions about Gender Should Send Us to Scripture by Tom Schreiner
If You Want to Address LGBTQ, Address Expressive Individualism by Ryan Fullerton
Expressive Individualism, Embodied Telos, and How to Be an Anti-Winfrey by Andrew Walker

Elder Meditation: An Elder Must Not Be Quarrelsome
Are You Principles or Just a Contentious Jerk? by Paul Martin
Are You Contending for the Truth or Quarrelsome? by Paul Alexander
What Does Proverbes Teach about Being Quarrelsome? by Mark Redfern
What Does Paul Mean by Quarrelsome? by Will McKinney
How Do We Recognize Quarrelsome People? by Nathan Loudin
What Is the Root of Quarrelsomeness and How Does It Get Fixed? by David Dunham


About 9Marks
At 9Marks, we help pastors, future pastors, and church members see what a biblical church looks like, and help them take practical steps toward becoming one. We believe every local church should be characterized by expository preaching, biblical theology, a biblical understanding of the gospel and of conversion, biblical evangelism, church membership, church discipline, discipleship, and a biblical model of leadership. In order to inform and influence churches, 9Marks creates a wide variety of practical resources including books, articles, podcasts, book reviews, and a quarterly Journal. We also host regular events around the world—almost all of them geared toward equipping and encouraging pastors.