The church in the West is undergoing rapid change. We are shifting from an Enlightenment worldview to a Post-modern philosophy. The positive side of change is a stripping away of cultural encumbrance that has kept us from fulfilling the Gospel. The downside of our current transformation, is that we are all-too-often exchanging one cultural norm for another. One form of church is torn down, only to be replaced by a newer more culturally acceptable form. One set of political mores, is replaced by another.
One example of transformation comes under the rubric of Social Justice (ie. poverty, homelessness, AIDS, etc…). In serving the needs of the world, one of the key purposes of the Church–Evangelization of the lost–has been replace with the purpose to befriending the lost. The call to demonstrate the mature love of Christ has been supplanted by a childlike fascination with wordly-compassion.
Tokunboh Adeyemo writes a salient response from an African perspective in this article entitled, “Contemporary Issues in Africa and the Future of Evangelicals”
To the world, the Church has the responsibility of witnessing for Christ and discipling the nations (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19). This does not preclude works of charily which are an intrinsic part of the good news. However, caution needs to be exercised in this area. The Church is not an organisation for social and political asylum, nor are we to use divine resources to bribe people into God’s kingdom. Since the Church is in the world but not of the world, she should not be indifferent to the social, political, and economic struggles of mankind; neither should she sacrifice her ambassadorial function at the altar of social involvement. Our Lord Jesus Christ liberates the total man: the material and the non-material. Thus he says: ‘If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed’ (John 8:36). The Biblical sequence begins with an internal spiritual regeneration and reconciliation of man to God, manifesting itself in an external physical transformation and reconciliation of man to man in society. The task of the Church therefore is to confront (not maintain dialogue with) the world with the claims of Christ as deposited in the Bible. This mission, central to the heart of God, his Son, and the apostles, must be the mission of evangelicals to the world. The New Testament Church was a missionary Church; and so must be ours. We must go forth (i) with a thorough-going Biblicism which does justice to the claims of the Scriptures, and (ii) with a Biblicism that is both contemporary and relevant.
* World Evangelical Fellowship. Theological Commission., vol. 2, Evangelical Review of Theology : Volume 2, electronic ed., Logos Library System; Evangelical Review of Theology (Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Paternoster Periodicals, 2000, 1978), 12.
Does the love of Christ include tangible expressions of kindness? Yes! But, our mission is more than alleviating the temporal pains of this world. We, the followers of Jesus, have a greater call to give the world a hope beyond the ‘now’. We are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom to this passing world and we must live accordingly.
Lest we forget…
Thirst is not quenched by micro-loans for building wells, but by the eternal wellspring of the Spirit.
Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14))”
The hunger for meaning is not satisfied by wheat–bread, but through Jesus–bread.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But I told you that you have seen me and still do not believe…
50 This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him (John 6:35-36; 50-56).
The longing for love is not fulfilled in giving trinkets and bobbles, but in the person of God who IS love.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God. 8 The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. 10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:7-14).
I know how some folks will respond, “this kind of faith is not practical.” But therein lies the problem.–Faith in the West is impotent. The power of Christ, through His Spirit, to transform the world has been entrusted to preachers, politicians and pop-stars. The church must not give Her grand place in the Kingdom to become the Sugar-Daddy to the world. Do we really believe it? Are we able to live it!
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"We are shifting from an Enlightenment worldview to a Post-modern philosophy. " Can you elaborate on the difference between these two? Why is either one good or bad?
"The positive side of change is a stripping away of cultural encumbrance that has kept us from fulfilling the Gospel." I'm not sure I understand how the gospel is not being fulfilled by cultural encumberance.
Hi Cliff, good questions.
I don't believe that the Enlightenment world-view was any better or worse than Post-modernity. I think they both have a mix of good and bad. I would suggesting that we need to have a Kingdom world-view fashioned by the Holy Spirit and refined by the Scripture (which transcends culture)
Francis Schaeffer has written some excellent stuff on culture, and I would turn to him for insight. I have a series of posts that I have been on the back burner though regarding the issue of Enlightenment vs. Post-modernity vs. Kingdom. If you are interested, let me know and I will try and move them to the front burner for you brother.
"In serving the needs of the world, one of the key purposes of the Church–Evangelization of the lost–has been replaced with the purpose to befriending the lost."
If I'm hungry – I don't want to listen to someone preach to me. If I'm thirsty – I don't want someone to preach to me. If I'm homeless – I don't want someone to preach to me. Either help me better myself or survive another day or get out of my way. I also will care more about what my friends think then some stranger. I'll listen and watch how those who have befriended me act and they're actions will weigh far more than some stranger preaching to me about things that don't help me now! It's the whole Maslow's Herrarchy of Needs in action. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierar...
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." ~ St. Francis of Assissi
I think this is what many of those Christians who are not preaching like you would want them to are trying to do.
You are absolutely correct Cliff, and I agree. I don't want to give the wrong impression here. I do believe strongly that caring for people in tangible ways a important and necessary PART of what we do as Christians. I am glad folks from Reunion are taking leading roles in the Orting Food bank and folks like Pam and Greg M. have a house full of disabled kids. I want to encourage this sort of activity. These actions truly can be a part of the Gospel. What I am addressing in this post is those who use acts of KINDNESS to replace the preaching of the Gospel.
I do take issue with Assissi' often used quote. the Gospel must be preached in BOTH deed AND word. Why is it he thinks deeds are more important than words? That is not the message I get from Scripture. Words are always necessary because, as Paul said, Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.
Romans 10:14-17
How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.
Cliff, do you think this passage says it is important to use words in preaching the Gospel?
Read a couple of other posts I have made on this and let me know what you think.
http://www.morethancake.org/2008/07/show-me-the-j...
and
http://www.morethancake.org/2009/02/what-happens-...
I look forward to hearing more. Oh, and if you prefer, lets grab a cup of coffee and chat about these issues. I always find that A LOT easier than writing on a blog B)
Oh, and while this one is linked already in the "Related Posts", you might also want to take a look at this post as well.
http://www.morethancake.org/2008/10/blog-action-d...
"I do take issue with Assissi' often used quote. the Gospel must be preached in BOTH deed AND word. Why is it he thinks deeds are more important than words?"
I think it's his poetic way of saying Talk is Cheap. Show the love first. I'm sure he talked quite a bit during his life. It's very rare to find someone taking a complete vow of silence. I don't think he did.
"Cliff, do you think this passage says it is important to use words in preaching the Gospel? "
Words are very usefull in communicating ideas, of course. But, depending on what is being communicated, they very often will not be that effective if it's not backed with actions (or is backed with contradicting actions).
I agree with you brother. Have you ever looked up the context for his quote? I really should, but have never made the time.
"What I am addressing in this post is those who use acts of KINDNESS to replace the preaching of the Gospel. "
Are you sure they're replacing something with something else? Not doing one thing, but still doing something else, doesn't necessarily equate with a replacement or even a substitution. And even if they are it seems to me they're just trying to serve God in a manner they think they can serve best in.
"Oh, and if you prefer, lets grab a cup of coffee and chat about these issues. I always find that A LOT easier than writing on a blog"
I appreciate the offer. I hope you don't take any offense to this because it's not you or anything – but due to some past experiences I've decided to try to talk about God and Theology as little as possible with people. I occasionally make online exceptions though.
Yes, I am sure about it… I have talked with some directly. there are some who almost feel ashamed to mention Jesus and the Gospel regarding salvation.
No offense taken brother. I want you to know that I am available anytime, but I totally respect your choice B)
Cliff, Karl Barth has a very balanced view of what it means to present the Gospel to the World. He called it "God Talk". You may appreciate my summary here
http://www.morethancake.org/2009/01/one-year-with...
Would this quote from that post that you made be a good summary of what the underlying issue to you is?
"Even a corrupt world can do good deeds, so Christians should never think our good works are in competition with the world. Feeding the hungry, helping AIDS victims in Africa, serving refugees in war torn countries are all meaningless deeds unless they cause those who witness such works to glorify our Heavenly Father. "
Exactly
PS
Cliff, if you register for an Intense Debate account then I wont have to approve your posts anymore and they will publish right away… Also, I can give you a "thumbs up" for asking good questions!
OK – I understand where you're coming from now. Thanks.
Exactly!