How Christianity Challenges Expressive Individualism

In this video, Trevin Wax and Alan Noble discuss how expressive individualism is a “common sense” idea in our culture, but one the church needs to challenge. Wax and Noble emphasize the importance of preaching that has an edge and which offers alternatives to the world’s wisdom. Instead of looking within first, to define the self, Wax suggests that the Christian view of identity starts with looking up to God. Noble highlights the chronic dissatisfaction which comes with constantly expressing yourself to the world (especially on social media), and how the focus on “I define myself” independence conflicts with the simultaneous need for constant affirmation from others.