Well, I seem to have struck a nerve with my last post and it has caused me to reflect on and attempt to clarify some of the topics brought up in my previous post. The inherent danger in extracting a couple paragraphs from a 15 page paper is that it is very easy (as I've observed) to be misunderstood.
The purpose for the post needs further clarification.
1. It is part of a larger paper on how a missional perspective critiques, challenges, and in many ways encourages the Purpose-Driven church model of ministry (of which I am a part).
2. The section posted did NOT in any way deal with issues of salvation, sin, regeneration, sanctification, or the message of the cross, (Those themes are dealt with elsewhere in the paper) but to identify how a consumeristic nature has become part of church culture that in many ways resembles the American dream more than New Testament kingdom principles.
3. The section then seeks to identify how a postmodern culture (which is becoming more and more dominant in our society) is coming to the question of faith with vastly different questions, assumptions, and aspirations than previous generations. This is not to say that their views are any less corrupted by sinfulness and rebellion from God (for that permeates everything mankind is and does). What I was attempting to make a case for was that the church, as a people representing God's kingdom to mankind, must find themes that are important to the culture to which they have been sent, and to demonstrate God's ability to move through those themes.
This is exactly what Paul did on Mars Hill in Acts 17. Paul, arriving in a culture not his own, found common ground on which to speak about and introduce the true God revealed through Jesus Christ. He spoke in used language and symbols that the Athenians could understand and respond to (i.e. the Unknown god). For a postmodern culture, the unknown god to which they worship are causes (social, economic, or otherwise) that they can invest themselves in. I was in no way saying that these causes take precedence over the cause of Christ (i.e. God's mission), but that a church which seeks to speak the language of a postmodern culture must consider service a part of the language that God will use to redeem a postmodern society. Therefore a church which proclaims the gospel, but never has care to demonstrate the kind of love for one another taught in the Bible, will seem shallow and inauthentic to a people who want to know how what you believe impacts your life today.
This is not to say that "saving souls" is not important (it feels strange to even make that statement). In fact, I have spent my ministry career in that very endeavor. I believe that evangelism is both the responsibility and privilege of anyone who follows Christ. Part of the way we undertake evangelism however is by being a contrast community that demonstrates the kind of love and reconciliation that repentence and regeneration in Christ stimulates. Jesus prays for this very thing for his followers in John 17:21 "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Our oneness as a community of people called around the death and resurrection of our savior is what puts the world on notice that Jesus is the Son of God and that we belong to him. That is why community formation is so vital to our witness, especially to a culture desperate for genuine community. Community is not what saves people, even within the church it is broken and sinful. At the same time, God's people gathered in oneness around the cross is the incarnation of God's activity that shows people the way to that cross. This is the kind of contrast community that was the hallmark of the early church in Acts 2:42-47.
Thanks for your challenging comments. I hope to continue the dialogue with gentleness and respect.
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"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." Titus 3:1-3
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2 comments:
"The inherent danger in extracting a couple paragraphs from a 15 page paper is that it is very easy (as I've observed) to be misunderstood."
I didn't misunderstand you and your clarification dug you deeper into a hole. The problem with postmodernism, emerging/emergent church ideology, Purpose Driven methodology, and any other man made contrivance for church building, is that they start all wrong. We do not approach ministry and church building with our methodology and then work in some Bible as it is convenient to do so. We start with God's word, end with God's word, and everything we do in between should spring from God's word. Theology. Methodology. Doxology. That MUST be our approach to any spiritual endeavor. Who is God? What does He command I do? All glory to Him. If we are faithful to God's plan, Christ has promised to build his church. He's probably much better at it than we are.
My friend, we preach a transcendent message called the gospel. It transcends every cultural barrier and we need not tweak it in any way. We do not need to make it more palatable to sinful humanity because they are not going to like it any more. It is foolishness to the world, but to those being saved...Those being saved will hear the word and respond and their lives will be transformed.
Postmodernism, Purpose Driven, emerging/emergent, missional, contextualization, etc. etc. etc. These ideas will all be added to the same evangelical scrap heap where the Prayer of Jabez and other fads were discarded. But in the end, God's word will stand firm. It should be our model for ministry.
I could go on, but I work today so I better wrap up. To conclude, are you sure Acts 17 is saying what you think it says? Read these posts that are a summary of a message preached by this gentleman (with some side posts and comment interaction mixed in)this past March at the Shepherds' Conference:
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/03/context-and-contextualization.html#links
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/03/paul-on-mars-hill-part-1.html#links
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/04/paul-and-culture.html#links
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/04/coffee-klatsch.html#links
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/04/paul-and-conversation.html#links
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/04/paul-and-contextualization.html#links
Thanks.
I think the point I'm trying to make is that all these things that are necessary for a strong and good Christian walk grow out of of one thing and one thing only....GOD. Yes, Christ wanted us to be one, but that oneness could come from one thing and that is our belief and dependence on Him. Without that common ground, without that understanding that the death and the resurrection of Christ is at the center of the faith, we have NO faith. We have nothing to be unified about. If we have first submitted ourselves to that, to Christ and his grace, and His mercy, and let ourselves fully be washed in his blood on a daily basis, allowing the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and guide, community will come.
Community should not be our focus, getting people into healthy relationships with God...yeah, that's what its about. The rest, again, frosting. It happens naturally as a bi-product of surrendering our lives, and getting into a close relationship with Christ. You come to a point where your Christian family is the one place you know you will always want to be no matter the circumstance.
And, yes, postmodernism is an issue. It is. Huge. It is an obstacle of outstanding proportions. If absolute truth is out the window according to society, then what do we have? We've got God. GOD. The omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, holy, perfect, loving, sovereign, immutable, LIVING God.
I apologize, but I feel as if these posts are totally underestimating that fact.
People are hungry, some humanitarian cause, or cool gimmick, or good music might draw them to us, but its only the TRUTH of who God is that will satisfy them. If we do not supply that in short order, we will loose their interest fast, because people who walk into our church doors are ready, and are looking for something new and different from this world, not the same old thing.
After salvation- glorifying Him should be our SOUL (purposely misspelled) PURPOSE in life. In all we do.
All the rest follows, and once again-its just frosting.
Peace.
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