Antifragile Communities – A Roadmap for Negative World

Aaron Renn’s “three worlds” framework has been a useful reference for Christians discussing where they find themselves in American history. “Positive world,” where Christianity is looked at favorably and comes with certain social benefits, is gone. Nor are Christians in a “neutral world,” a place where being a Christian doesn’t provide benefits but also doesn’t carry any negative social implications. This “you do you” world was left behind some time ago. 

No, in 2024 Christians find themselves several years into the genesis of “negative world: where Christianity is viewed as a threat to social norms, and claiming the term “Christian” has considerable, negative social consequences. These negative consequences include, but are not limited to fewer job opportunities, unequal treatment under the law, and sometimes outright persecution.

Over the past few decades many American Christians have maintained a persecution complex, so there will undoubtedly be some who will take issue with that last statement. If you find yourself in that camp there is a large possibility that you may live in a town, county, or state that still resembles either positive world or neutral world as a direct result of your local politics. However, when we examine the country as a whole, it is undeniable that negative world is on the rise. H.R. departments in nearly all major companies do not allow a Christian to strongly vocalize orthodox beliefs, like opposition to LGBTQIA2+ lifestyles. Public schools in states like California will allow prayers to Aztec gods who demand child sacrifice, but they will refuse the posting of the Ten Commandments. Even conservative states are not exempt. We’ve seen traditionally red states, like Tennessee,  allow after-school “satan clubs.” In 2022 the relatively conservative state of Indiana removed a child from their parent’s home, only because the parent did not affirm the child’s ostensible change in gender. No US state has been untouched by negative world.

What are Anti-Fragile Communities?

So how do Christians combat Negative World? The answer is found in antifragile communities. As mentioned above, some pockets of America still appear as though positive world never left. This is due largely to the church culture of these locales. Many of these pockets are found in the Bible Belt, and often overlap with wherever we find a larger number of churches gathering each Sunday. These bastions of positive world prove that the American system allows for diversity in how people live and govern. However, even these pockets will be snuffed out by Negative World over time if they do not build antifragile communities. So what does an anti-fragile community look like?

Dictionary.com defines antifragile as “becoming more robust when exposed to stressors, uncertainty, or risk.” Therefore, an antifragile community is one that is not just resilient to negative world, but becomes stronger when faced with the world’s opposition. But how does one set up an antifragile community? The following list is by no means exhaustive as each individual point could have entire books dedicated to it. We are in uncharted territory, and anyone who tells you they have a silver bullet solution to negative world is lying, but I do believe the contents of this list will give a good starting point for anyone seriously looking to board up their house for the coming storm.

Know Your Neighbors

One of the blessings of a modern-day positive world was the ability to move about freely and share life with one another from afar. A student could leave his parents in Florida to go to school in New York and find a culture similar enough to the one that was left behind. Phone calls, Facetime, and social media allowed the family to remain well connected despite the miles separating them, and the student would be sure to make it home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break. As negative world progresses, we can expect that faithful Christians will find themselves boxed out of the economy in significant ways that may prevent their ability to communicate and move about freely (Proverbs 27:8). Cell phone companies and internet providers may cut off certain services to those who do not bow to the Spirit of the Age. Similarly, we’ve already seen individuals who oppose the current, secular regime too loudly be put onto TSA watch lists for future travel. This would have all sounded like alarmism if it weren’t for the fact that only a short time ago places like New York  City were refusing service depending upon one’s vaccination status. 

That said, you need to start thinking about where you live and who you’re in proximity to. If you were prevented from traveling anywhere by car or by flight tomorrow, would you feel safe with the support around you? If not, seriously consider moving near your family and close friends. If a move is not feasible then at least make a conscious effort to get to know and build trust with your neighbors now. Our nation is no longer a high-trust society, but we can do our part to build pools of trust where we live (Proverbs 27:10)

Own Your Stuff

Christians as a whole need to make a conscious effort to own their own space. Homeownership is becoming increasingly hard as inflation runs wild, but the window is not yet closed. Permanent renters will have a very hard time digging deep roots (Proverbs 22:7). Similarly, businesses that rely on someone else’s brick-and-mortar will find themselves under pressure to close up shop at the whims of a landlord. Timon Cline of American Reformer hits the nail on the head in his article on “Fortress Building In Negative World”: 

“Living in space (or territory) owned by others diametrically opposed to your flourishing or simply divergent in their aims and ends is akin to captivity. You do not know the landscape; it is not yours. Demoralization ensues…Life in space owned by others is like living behind enemy lines (think of the movie with Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman in Bosnia). And non-conformists live in prisoner camps, even if they are very nice ones.”

This same idea of ownership expands to things like production. An antifragile community should own the means of food production and manufacturing. There really should be excess production so that others in negative world are dependent upon your people. So often Christians wait around as the faucet is turned off by outsiders. Antifragile Christians should seek to have control of the faucet.

Vet Your Leaders

Christians that refuse to get politically involved err. The reason why 6 million Trump voters have been able to live in the most liberal state in the union has a lot to do with local political leaders. Churches like Calvary Chapel Chino Hills led by Pastor Jack Hibbs have been involved in the politics of their county for years and many members of their own congregation hold elected office (Jeremiah 29:7). On the flip side, most churches in California prior to 2020 did not have a history of local political engagement. When tin-pot dictator Gavin Newsome came after church gatherings, most pastors had a legal knife fight on their hands. Chino Hills on the other hand had the backing of their local Sheriffs, mayors, and county commissioners. Several churches stood bravely, but one church worked smart while the others worked hard. As a result of the state-funded attacks, Chino Hills gained a significant number of new members who were drawn to a pastor who knows what time it is. As pastor Hibbs has said before, many of these members drive long distances and cross theological lines just to know they have the support of a church that has a spine. That is antifragile.

Evangelize With Gusto

An antifragile, Christian community relies cruxes on this final point: an immense devotion to evangelism. However, this should not be a seeker-sensitive movement that placates the whims of every unregenerate person who walks through the church doors, instead, this should be a bold evangelism that seeks to shine a light in the darkest parts of town. If a pride parade comes to your town, be there with a bible in hand and a willingness to preach the whole counsel of God. If a mystic store opens up, be sure they are presented with the gospel. Many of these individuals may reject your efforts, but if we assume everyone involved in pagan practices is bad soil then we won’t even attempt to sow seed. Share the gospel and then kick the dust off your feet for those who have hard hearts. Last, be sure to reach out to the less openly hostile like your neighbors and coworkers. As Negative World increases in pressure many are beginning to ask questions about what went wrong and where we go next. The Christian has those answers. We cannot hope to keep antifragile communities and outlast negative World if we are not making new disciples. Disciple your neighbor, disciple your children, disciple your wife, and disciple yourself (Matthew 28:19-20).

Conclusion

Like Douglas Wilson has said, “What can’t go on won’t.” It is only a matter of time before negative world collapses under the weight of its own hubris. No one can buck the laws of God forever without being humbled. When negative world inevitably collapses there will be a vacuum left in its place. An arms race to fill that void will unfold. If the Lord allows it, there is an opportunity for a network of antifragile communities to pick up the threads of civilization and rebuild from the ground up. Those Christians who are currently building antifragile communities are laying the foundation now so that a new positive world can arise from the dust of negative World.

Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

“Let us burst their bonds apart

and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

“As for me, I have set my King

on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron

and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear, 

and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

or his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.