Billionaire Donald Trump, star of "The Apprentice," might be the American Dream personified. "The Donald" wears his overcoat garishly over his shoulders as he strolls through an empire of casinos, golf resorts and Manhattan high-rise buildings, each emblazoned with his name: TRUMP. Trump's hair is the unholy spawn of a comb-over and cotton candy. But it's no matter because "Trump style" is an enviable life. It includes limos, helicopters and a Manhattan penthouse apartment that's the ultimate "gilty" pleasure — gaudy with golden walls, pillars and fine art. Mmmmm ... Trumpliscious!

Trump's lifestyle is "The Apprentice's" window dressing, but his power is its point. Trump's minions seem in awe of the man who virtually wills magnificent buildings into being, against the forces of nature. No episode is complete until contestants enter Trump's boardroom to face the master. There, they beg him not to say the two simple words — merely 10 letters — that snuff this particular pursuit of the American Dream: "You're fired."

If Donald Trump is living the American Dream, then where does that leave those of us in the proletariat masses? We can fantasize about such riches when we watch The Apprentice or Access Hollywood, but in the end, we're just — gulp — average. No matter, we have our own, more humble "Everyman's" definition of the American Dream. We want a cozy house surrounded by a white picket fence that's a haven for our family. There, we'll enjoy a dog, or maybe a cat, or perhaps just Direct TV. Then we can kick back, remote control in hand, and nod knowingly — Yeah, this is the gooood life!

The American Dream is one of the greatest things about the United States. This is a country where anyone, regardless of race, religion, or economic status, has a chance to become wealthy and powerful, a la Trump, or even just an enviable Everyman — as most of us hope to be. This isn't lost on the rest of the world, as people still clamor to immigrate to America — more than a million in 2002, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

But for American Christians, the American Dream can easily become a stumbling block for our faith. It's so ingrained in our cultural DNA that we're easily dissatisfied if we don't achieve riches, power or even our more humble goals of material security. Plus, we have no finish line when we pursue the American Dream. There's no clear marker that tells us, "Enough is enough. You're successful and secure now. Be content." So we run like hamsters on a wire wheel, always striving for worldly progress — sometimes making it — but never feeling like we've achieved enough. We become worriers, obsessing about our academic standing, our salary, or our investment portfolio as if any setback would destroy our dreams and expectations. We fail to appreciate God's provision or experience the "peace that surpasses all understanding" that the Bible promises us because we're gluttons who always want more. In times like these, the American Dream is detrimental to our faith because we've made it — often subconsciously — into an idol. It's something we're pursuing instead of God.

The Bible commands us not to put our trust in worldly power, plaudits or possessions. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to his audience as "you of little faith" when he says:

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ... Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.¹

Sadly, I don't think many of us who claim to be following Jesus' teachings are applying them consistently. I often have lingering feelings of dissatisfaction about my career. I want a more lucrative and prestigious job so I can provide for my family and be at the top of my profession. There's nothing wrong with success, and God says we should do everything with excellence to bring glory to His name, but sometimes my focus isn't just on God. I spin my wheels trying to get ahead, without considering how God might guide me, and without appreciating God's provision. The result is feeling of vocational discontent that ebbs and flows. I identify it and excise it from my life, but then it creeps back again.

Christian students might be tempted to worry about their grades and test scores, thereby leaving a biblical perspective in the dust while pursuing noble achievements. For some students — maybe especially at Christian colleges that are proud of their academic excellence — academic success can then turn into a mark of importance and create the temptation to snub lesser peers. Of course it's important to do well in school, but some students treat grades like the utmost source of fulfillment.

The American Dream can also cloud our financial perspective. I know Christian twentysomethings so obsessed with their investments that their daily moods fluctuate with the whims of the New York Stock Exchange. Others cycle through their time, money and emotional energy by upgrading their clothes, cars, houses and home decorations — and then they do it all over again! And too many of us are deep in debt because we're using credit cards to maintain our desired standard of living. We should be lowering our standard of living to afford a debt-free life. I've known several friends who said God called them to missions, but they were too deep in debt to comply.

Some of our Christian leaders also advocate the pursuit of the American Dream. They say it's important for Christians to be successful and influential because God can use them to change the world. Such is the perspective of Hugh Hewitt, host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show and a committed Christian, who wrote the recent book, In, But Not Of. Hewitt's book, a how-to manual, features more than 40 short chapters of solid and practical advice to help young Christians succeed. The counsel ranges from moving to a major city and attaining status by attending a prestigious university — Hewitt's a Harvard grad — to avoiding debt and tattoos.

In the preface of In, But Not Of, Hewitt explains why he is offering the advice. Salvation depends on people's ability to hear the gospel, he says. Powerful Christians can use their position to protect religious freedom, which is essential for evangelism, he writes. "The effective and mass communication of the gospel depends upon the freedom to proclaim it.... Though it is possible to proclaim the gospel in the face of persecution, the unfettered freedom to do so is much, much preferred.... The creation and defense of religious liberty requires men and women with power and influence in the world."²

Hewitt says that Christians "of appropriate ability" should seek positions of power and use them to protect religious liberty. This also means protecting America from its enemies, Hewitt says, "and extending the influence of Western democracy around the globe, for no amount of religious liberty in America will assist in evangelizing closed and dictatorial societies around the world."³

Respectfully, I disagree with Hewitt. Before expounding on my critique, I'll say that there are those who disagree with me. Boundless has already run a positive review of "In, But Not Of." Fundamentally, I believe Christians should only strive for positions of influence if God is their guide. And to hear God's voice we must accept Christ and be committed to righteousness and our relationship with God. Hewitt makes cursory mention of things like being involved in church, but his book, by design, is more practical. "This is a book about acquiring influence,'' Hewitt writes. "[T]hus what follows is a very 'worldly' discussion, and not for the fainthearted who think worldly ambition is itself evil or who are repulsed by Alexander Hamilton's blunt conclusion that 'fame is the highest calling of the noblest minds.'"⁴ This seems to be Hewitt's justification for writing a book of advice for young Christians that stresses worldly ideals rather than Godly ideals.

Maybe I'm "fainthearted," as Hewitt says, but in the Bible it seems that the appointment of influential leaders was an act of God. Moses and Paul had the background to be leaders, but neither orchestrated his ascent to a position of influence. Moses is certainly no portrait of ambition. He tried to talk God out of appointing him a leader of the Israelites. Esther, a woman credited with saving the Jews, had no plans to attain her position of power. And Jesus' disciples — the men who founded Christianity — were a collection of misfits who obeyed Jesus when he said, "follow me." So what's the bottom line? Biblical leaders have faith in common, not ambition.

I have several other disagreements with Hewitt. First, communicating the gospel is certainly not dependent on the "unfettered freedom" to evangelize. According to the book Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power, by David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine, Christianity is thriving in Communist China, a country where Christians (and people from other religious groups) are commonly imprisoned for their faith. Despite the Chinese government's persecution of religion, Aikman said there are now as many as 100 million Chinese Christians. One-third of the country's population could be Christian in the next 30 years, he said.⁵

This does not mean that American Christians shouldn't appreciate and promote religious freedom. We must be thoroughly grateful for our democratic form of government, which may be the best in the world. And we should never sit idly when someone is suffering persecution or oppression. But this is the work of the Church as much as it is the responsibility of any form of government.

Certainly, Hewitt's book is full of sound advice. And perhaps his intent was that it applies only to people already in tune with God. But it also has potential to cause confusion, because the priorities of the American Dream — the "Trump style" version or the Everyman version — are ingrained in our culture. But God calls us to live a radical life as His servants. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he must do for eternal life, Jesus said, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." The young man went away very sad, the story says, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."⁶

I don't think this is an argument against power. I think Jesus is saying that rich people can easily misapply their faith. The American Dream emphasizes education, wealth and power. Jesus emphasized faithfulness, submission to the spirit of God, prayer and the values of the kingdom of God. Ultimately, it doesn't matter if we live the American Dream. We may not get the life that "The Donald" says we should have, and we may never experience financial security, own a home, or enjoy 2.5 children. But if we're faithful, our fulfillment will spring from our relationship with God.

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1. Matthew 6:25-34.
2. Hewitt, Hugh. In, But Not Of. Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville. 2003. VII.
3. Ibid. IX.
4. Ibid. 21.
5. Aikman, David. Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power. Regnery Publishing Inc. Washington, D.C. 2003.
6. Matthew 19:21-23.