Author: Jonathan Dodson

How to Lead Gospel Conversations (Pt 1)

Posted on October 2, 2010

Have you ever sat in group discussion with and found it incredibly difficult to get a good conversation going? I’ve found it can be very challenging to move conversations along, especially when you’re trying to go deep and get to the gospel. Here are a few principles that might help.

Listen to Their Story

In order to promote good gospel conversations in small group gatherings, it is important that everyone listens to one another’s story well. Don’t check out, criticize, or think about your own. Listen to their story. In order to do this, everyone must ask questions of one another, learn one another’s stories over and over again. Our lives are continually changed through conflict, challenges, promotions, relationships, and new experiences. Without asking good questions of one another, we can’t really share in deep community. Good questions help uncover the truth about how people are really doing and open the opportunity to share life and truth together. Ask questions and genuinely listen to one another’s stories.

Ask Good Questions

  • Can you elaborate on that?
  • How did that happen?
  • How does that make you feel?
  • Did you feel alone or supported?
  • Were you afraid or confident?
  • How did you respond?
  • How are you feeling now?
  • What concerns you the most about this?

Listen in order to Speak Gospel Encouragement

  • What grace can you affirm in their life?
    • That’s a really helpful insight.
    • It’s been so challenging to hear you talk about your neighbor
  • What victory can you celebrate?
    • We’ve seen God answer your prayer for less people pleasing
    • Isn’t it awesome how God provided this job for you?
  • What progress have you seen in their faith?
    • You are fighting depression really well
    • I’ve really seen you grow in this area
  • What are some ways you do this?

Move the Conversation Along Deliberately

  • Develop Sermon Discussion Questions: Progress from 1) anyone can answer to 2) a challenge 3) the deeper heart idol or lie 4) what needs to change 5) How the Bible shows us we can change. Lead discussions by trying to guide people roughly through this progression.

  • Ask Transitional Questions:
    • Follow up off-base or incorrect comments with “What do you guys think?”
    • Anyone else relate to or struggle with that?
    • Tom, we haven’t heard from you, what do you think?
    • Nate, can you hold onto that comment so we can hear from someone else who hasn’t shared tonight?
    • Allow silence…
    • What are some ways you do this?

Books on Church (from 1st year of planting)

Posted on September 30, 2010

A friend and church planter recently asked me for a list of “best books” I read my first year of church planting on ecclesiology. Here is that list:

Academic

“The Challenge of Churchless Christianity” – Timothy C. Tennent (article)
Introduction to Ecclesiology, Veli-Matti Karkkainen
When Church Was A Family, Hellerman
Anthrpological Insights on Missiological Issues, Hiebert
The Missionary Movement in Xn History, Walls

Practioner

Total Church – Chester & Timmis
The Essence of the Church/The Spirit-Led Ministry of the Missional Church – Craig Van Gelder
Forgotten Ways (& later Untamed) Hirsch

Sociology

Better Together, Putnam
Cities of God, Stark
Local Publications/Study

Missiology
See blog post at Acts 29:
http://www.acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/reading-good-missiology-/

The City to Come in the City that Is

Posted on September 30, 2010

Just think, if you knew the future, if you knew what would happen 10, 20, 100 years from now wouldn’t you live differently? Wouldn’t you alter your actions in reaction to the future, to make the best of your life? In Revelation 21, God shows us the future through three distinct images: a City, a Bride, and a New Creation. What do these images mean? What does a future-as-city tell us about the present? Knowing the future, how should it change our lives in the present?

The City That is to Come

In Revelation 21 (and Isaiah 60) we witness the future, when people from all over the earth will stream to see the city that is to come! Now, I want you to notice that the City of God is not a lazy city, it’s not filled with cherubim on clouds popping grapes into the mouths of the elect. Notice that Zion contains the domains of a normal city. The mention of camels from Midian draws our attention to the transportation domain. Camels carried freight across great distances for wealthy merchants. Its not just a few but a multitude of camels! The various regions mentioned (Midian, Ephah, Sheba) were populated by these nomadic merchants. We might compare them to traveling businessmen in our cities today, which brings us to the next domain—Business.

Not only do we see businessmen but also business taking place. Later on Isaiah refers to the arrival of the “ships of Tarshish.” These vessels were huge, designed to carry great tonnage across vast distances. In the text, they carry gold & silver for business transaction. There’s also an allusion to the Arts domain (gold/jewelry, frankincense/perfume), Industry (lumber of Lebanon). We could turn to other descriptions of Zion to find more domains. Here’s the point—the future of the world is a creative, bustling, city! All sorts of city domains will be present to contribute to human flourishing. What will we be doing? Working in a bustling, creative, beautiful, joy-filled city!

Making Great Culture

Now, notice something in particular about the culture that is created in Zion. Isaiah describes it as the “wealth of the nations.” Not the poverty of the nations but the wealth of the nations. In other words, in Zion people will make good culture, great culture. The best of the best. The holy city itself is made of superior materials: “Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron” (Isa 60:17). Everything is upgraded. The culture that is made is great! In the city that is to come we will make great culture in all the domains of the city. It will be a diverse, bustling, and beautiful city filled with the highest achievements of human culture: “I will beautify my beautiful house!” We will make great culture. How will people know about the city to come? What will bring them to the brink of belief in Zion? They have to see it, to see the city of Zion in your work, your culture-making.

Can Your City See the Future?

Can people see the city that is to come in the city that is? Can your city tell by looking at your work that you have citizenship in the city that is to come? Does your family life, your legal work, your customer service, your studies, your promptness, thoroughness in everything from communication to design to products point to the city that is to come? Does your work reverberate with the excellence and beauty of Zion? One way to renew the city culturally is for your work to be an excellent, beautiful, preview of the city that is to come, not as an act of greed but as an act of worship!