Year: 2010

Religion in the City

Posted on November 9, 2010

Great article on “Religion and the City” by urbanist Aaron Renn . He notes that religion and Christian churches in particular do much to relieve the tax burden of social services in cities. He cites several examples including the Harrison Center for the Arts, an arts initiative housed by Redeemer Presbyterian Church and led by Joanna Taft. When asked why she devotes time to improving the artistic and social character of the city, she replied:

I have been Presbyterian my whole life and my worldview has been influenced by the protestant reformed concept of the cultural mandate. This is the idea that humankind has been called to continue God’s work of creation–building cities, restoring broken neighborhoods, creating beauty, raising children, planting gardens, etc…..While some of our Christian friends would feel guilty doing this work because it was not “full-time Christian service”, understanding the cultural mandate gave us the freedom to pursue what some would see as secular work.

Here’s the stand out quote: “some of our Christian friends would feel guilty doing this work because it was not “full-time Christian service”, understanding the cultural mandate gave us the freedom to pursue what some would see as secular work.” Joanna sees all of life as mission, in particular her vocation. She’s making good culture precisely because of her faith, not in spite of it. Oh for ten thousand Christians in Austin that would approach their work like this, vocation as mission, as an act of love for the city. We are all in “full-time ministry”; the question is are we working like it? Or has our Christianity been reduced to spiritual moments and events or are we carrying out the creation mandate of continuing to build and renew cities?

2 Missional Resources

Posted on November 8, 2010

How Do Gospel Movements Start? – In this roundtable PlantR podcast, Jeff Vanderstelt, Steve Timmis, David Fairchild and Jonathan Dodson respond to the question: “How do Gospel Movements start?” The conversation took an interesting turn when Steve Timmis proposed that gospel movements start from the margins not from the center of society.

The Exemplary Mission of Jesus – In this message, Nate Navarro examines the demon-exorcising, incarnational ministry of Jesus in Luke 4 and its relevance for us today. A thoughtful, well delivered message that will stir you towards mission.

Gospel & Culture for Church “Planting” (Pt 2)

Posted on November 5, 2010

In my previous post, I laid out a three fold approach to understanding the relationship between Gospel, Church, & Culture. In summary, we must understand the Gospel in light of culture. Second, we must understand Culture in light of the Gospel. Third, only then can we wisely Church the Gospel in our cultures. These three layers of understanding build on each other the way you plant a tree. We need Gospel seed to be scattered in Cultural soil in order to grow the Church into a robust, healthy tree that can flourish and provide shade within its culture. In the next three posts, I will take each layer and explain what I’m getting at. Let’s start with the Gospel.

The Eternal Gospel

African theologian and Missiologist John Mbiti writes:

“The Gospel is God-given, eternal and does not change. We can add nothing to the Gospel. For this is a eternal gift of God; but Christianity is always a beggar seeking food and drink, cover and shelter from the cultures it encounters in its never-ending journeys and wanderings.”

This quote addresses our two primary concepts, gospel and culture, and does so by making a distinction between the eternal gospel and its never-ending cultural expressions. Although the gospel does not change, it is clothed over and over again, changing its appearance in various cultures throughout time.

The phrase “eternal gospel” only appears in Revelation 14 where an angel flies over the earth “with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.” When we think of the word “eternal” our minds typically trigger otherworldly, un-earthy images, but God is connecting this eternal gospel with very earthly, worldly imagery. The gospel is not for heaven but for earth; it is not for escape but for engagement.

The Gospel is Cultural

In fact, its great news is for cultural-linguistic groups of people, i.e. nations, tribes, languages, and people. The gospel is focused on cultural groupings of people. It does not seek to rescue Americans from America or Africans from Africa, but rather to meet them in their cultural clothing. Someone has said that in heaven we will be “fully American” or “fully African.” The gospel is culturally particularized, focused, expressed.

In Christ, we discover the gospel clothed in cultural particulars. Jesus Christ does not drop out of heaven; he is born into a particular time and place, wearing particular clothing, speaking a particular language. He particularizes the good news in his flesh and in his clothing. Andrew Walls puts this phenomenon well: “Incarnation is translation.” Jesus is translates the gospel for us in space and time, in flesh and culture.

The Gospel is cultural. Jesus is cultural. We are cultural. Although the Gospel does not change, it does change its clothing. Incarnation is translation.

What the Gospel Isn’t

Posted on November 4, 2010

I’m so grateful for pastors and church leaders that remind me not only what the Gospel is, but also what it isn’t. Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and Tim Chester have done this in a variety of ways. Here is my latest contribution to helping us understand and apply the gospel by understanding what it isn’t. Nothing particularly new here but perhaps some fresh ways of saying old truths.

The Gospel Isn’t Religious Performance

The Gospel isn’t about religious performance to prove yourself to God, others, or yourself.

  • We don’t have to impress [God] because Jesus impressed him for us.
  • We don’t’ have to seek approval from [Others] because are approved by faith in Christ.
  • We don’t have to perfect [Ourselves] because we are imperfect people clinging to a perfect Christ.

The Gospel Isn’t Spiritual License

The Gospel also isn’t spiritual license to flaunt your “freedom” in Christ.

  • The Gospel calls us to respond to Jesus in every situation—social, cultural, personal. We are his people not our own. We drive under his license.
  • The Gospel isn’t an obstacle to our happiness but the path to true happiness. Christ offers deeper joy than anything else can offer.
  • The Gospel calls us to holiness not legalism, to flaunt Christ not false freedom. Jesus calls us to be distinct not relevant as we orbit around him, not rules or liberties.