Sunday, January 17, 2010
"Journey to the Center" considered
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/december/31.40.html
As I read this article, which my former mission supervisor shared with me, I saw great potential for discussion, and wanted to pass it on! It brings to mind many questions, some which have been raised before in our discussions.
Please read the article, and add your thoughts to the blog !
Questions that come to mind:
1) Does Jesus show up in pagan worship? Can someone be worshipping Allah, for example, and encounter Christ?
2) Is there something deceptive about being covertly Christian, or is this simply contextualization?
3) Is there essential vocabulary to Christianity that can’t be avoided, such as “Jesus”, “sin”, “the cross”?
4) How might certain Christian concepts be contextualized, such as “sin”, “redemption”, “incarnation”?
5) What is the next step? Now there is a following, should there be a church? Should there be an invitation to commitment, to baptism, to membership? What should this church look like?
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My comments are too long to post here, the system would not alow. You can find my comments here: http://www.doitall-ga.com/files/Thouhts_Journey_to_the_Center.pdf. This article brings up some good questions for thought and conversation. I look forward to reading what others have to say. Many good doctrinal issues.
ReplyDeleteThe Scriptures say: "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye have eternal life." Acts 4:12 insists that there is one name given whereby we can be saved... Jesus Christ. I'm reasonably sure we can have faith without Him... just not the kind of faith that aids in salvation. All of the aromatherapy in the world will be of little help. Should there be a church and what should it look like? It should look like a dozen or so people gathered around a kitchen table breaking the bread of life, studying the Scriptures in search of answers to their questions; prayer and supplication; praise and devotion. A large building with elaborate decor means the raising of funds for that purpose alone, and then there is the upkeep. Many people attend because of these things, but is this Christiantity? What the Apostles gave in the beginning is what we should be seeking in my view. Meeting people halfway requires giving up the other half and pretending to be something else in order to gain their attention. It becomes a game in my opinion. Christiantity is already splintered into hundreds of shards of various beliefs... lets not make it more. Matt. 18: 20
ReplyDeleterespectfully
jon
Josh,
ReplyDeleteI too was left with an uneasiness about the article, even though I would take a softer, “all things to all people” type of approach to evangelism than you suggest. The article by nature was not comprehensive, and left unanswered specifically the questions of message and mission. What is the message being conveyed to the new followers? Was it simply a substitution of “Christ” for whatever god they supposed they were serving, without altering anything of substance? There indeed does need to be a change in world view (repentance), a recognition of inadequacy or failure (sin) of their current life direction, which brings a realignment with God’s direction. This then influences mission; what is the purpose of this changed life? I would suggest the purpose is to spread the Kingdom, the influence and application of God’s principles within their spheres of influence. I would like to hear more about the “nuts and bolts” of this community.
I agree that we should, as Paul was, be all things to all people(1 Corinthians 9:22)so that by some means we might save some. But while being all things to all people we cannot water down the truth. The apostles told it how it was and yet met people where they were. They cut some to the heart with the truth of scripture (Acts 2). Paul took the worship to an "unknown god" and explained this is who you ought to worship. Some were met with miracles and signs some. So there is definitely a place for meeting people where they are. This is something I have been wrestling with in my life of late, evangelism, and the lack of it in my life. I believe that we are to live the christian life around the people we are with, build relationships where we can, and speak the truth of Christ to those we are in friendship/relationship with (if we don't tell it as it is they will not know hos it truly is, the human condition, salvation, etc.). But the people who pass through our lives from day to day who we may never see again need to hear from us the truth so how then do we present the gospel when relationship is not an option? The people who pass through the center one time do they hear the gospel? Or are they invited only to "feel" something (peace, a presence, etc.)? The Bible tells us time and time again about people who first heard, then responded to the gospel. Do we have any example of people feeling something and coming to repentance? So evangelism/ministry will look different in different contexts and with different people but we ought not to be among those who "in the last days" will tickle the itching ears. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." - 2 Timothy 4:3 As we seek to faithfully evangelize let us hold fast to the pure doctrine handed down to us.
ReplyDeleteAs we think about a church too we need to think not of location or setting but elements of worship some vital elements for a church fellowship can be found in Acts 2:42-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, 1 Timothy 3, 1 Timothy 5:17-22, and other various passages contain the elements that make up a faitful church fellowship. One of those elements is unity (Ephesians), not splinters.