From, of course, N. T. Wright:
“For generations the church has been polarized between those who see the main task being the saving of souls for heaven and the nurturing of those souls through the valley of this dark world, on the one hand, and on the other hand those who see the task of improving the lot of human beings and the world, rescuing the poor from their misery.
“The longer that I’ve gone on as a New Testament scholar and wrestled with what the early Christians were actually talking about, the more it’s been borne in on me that that distinction is one that we modern Westerners bring to the text rather than finding in the text. Because the great emphasis in the New Testament is that the gospel is not how to escape the world; the gospel is that the crucified and risen Jesus is the Lord of the world. And that his death and Resurrection transform the world, and that transformation can happen to you. You, in turn, can be part of the transforming work. That draws together what we traditionally called evangelism, bringing people to the point where they come to know God in Christ for themselves, with working for God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. That has always been at the heart of the Lord’s Prayer, and how we’ve managed for years to say the Lord’s Prayer without realizing that Jesus really meant it is very curious.
(from an interview in Christianity Today, 1/07)
“Because the great emphasis in the New Testament is that the gospel is not how to escape the world;”
Boy, have we missed the mark on that.
Even though Jesus set the example of eating with publicans, sinners and outcasts - we still did not see it.
Even when Paul, himself, said it clearly i.e.
“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people–not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world…What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.”
I just don’t think we have always understood our place in the re-creation (the world). Wright is right.
Permit me to add my favorite quote from C. S. Lewis. “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.” This is prominently displayed in my office and is a stark reminder to me each day of choices I make (or don’t make).
I think this is another sad example of my upbringing. I was blindly taught of the dangers of the “Social Gospel” without ever really understanding what it was. I think, at least to some degree, our fear of the “Social Gospel” kept us totally in the background in the area of civil rights. We blew a golden opportunity when Churches of Christ fell almost totally silent, with the lone notable exception of John Allen Chalk’s speech at ACC in the 60s. We should have been leading the way in the area of civil rights. I know it is possible to turn the church into a purely secular instituation, and hindsight is 20/20, but we should have done better. As with most everything there is a balance. I do believe that for some the seeming lack of a belief in an after life has left them with a vision of the church that is totally consumed with social justice issues.
Wright’s views on things carry so much weight with me. He is one wise dude. I’m working through Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense right now, and it is seriously shaking me down. I love it.
In the spring, when I was completing an internship at the Christian Service Center (which offers food, clothing, and other services to low-income residents in Abilene), Director Jim Clark and I struggled with the question addressed in this post. How much of what we were doing at the CSC was supposed to be evangelism-oriented, and how much should be “just loving people?”, no strings attached (justice). We visited Larry James at Central Dallas Ministries to check out his operation there and bounce some of our questions off him.
His advice?
“Forget about evangelism.” (click to read my reflections on that statement at the time)
Steve - Well said. The easiest thing to do from a distance would be to suggest that Central Dallas Ministries is “just” social gospel — whatever that might mean. It’s much more difficult to say that when you actually go visit. Community is being formed. Lives are being altered. Good news is evident.
Our small group has recently jumped all over this idea after reading “The externally focused Church” We contacted the local abuse shelter for women and found out their funding had been cut and as a result they had to, among other things cut the lawn service (no pun intended) When we told them we would take that responsibility, no money and no time limit, they were blown away and extremely grateful. I’m not trying to blow our own horn. We felt a strong urge (Spirit motivated perhaps) to reach outside of ourselves with no strings attached and be Jesus in ANY way we can. We are not there to specifically evangelize just to serve and meet the needs as they present themselves. It really feels like It is something Jesus would do.
Mike,
I believe we should be reaching the lost, making disciples, being the kingdom of God on earth is what we have been called to be. Evangislm is a must. The questions I have are have the “restoration movement” neglected the Holy Spirit in helping us evanglize? Have we neglected our gifts? The gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11? Have we desired and longed for those gifts that are helpful for evanglism? What do you think?
If we use the Holy Spirit and gifts then won’t evangilsm and revival follow?
The distinction Wright refers to certainly does seem to be our obsession. It is amazing how shallowly we have trained ourselves to think and read.
Preacher Man,
I think we’re on the same page (and you with Mike). What Wright, Mike, myself, and others are suggesting is a broadening of what it means to “evangelize.” In the past, it’s meant spewing information about Jesus to people who may or may not be ready to receive it. I think we need to begin seeing “evangelism” (I don’t really like that word…) more as living out the way of Jesus — unconditionally — and being ready to describe our hope when opportunities arise.
The other issue here is a theological one. The “worldview” that stresses evangelism (the presentation of propositional truths about Jesus, primarily) first and foremost is primarily one that emphasizes the soul’s final resting place the “point” of Christianity. It’s about getting souls into Heaven. I certainly want souls to be in Heaven, but I have ascribed to a theology supported by Wright and others that says that the “point” is really about the work of God to redeem the cosmos, and that his work in us is to restore our true humanity, as He created us in the Garden. In this theology, Christians aren’t just hanging on for dear life until they die and go to Heaven or Jesus returns … they are actively pursuing the things that God is pursuing, namely the redemption of all things and the restoration of relationships. This makes how we treat the environment an issue. It makes pursuing “freedom for the captives” an issue. It makes personal regeneration and transformation an issue. It’s not “evangelism” or “social justice” — it’s all of the above.
Not all will immediately throw in with this theology, but I think it’s the most scripturally supported description of the story of God. For a much better description of this way of looking at Scripture, God, Christ, the Church, and the world, you must read Simply Christian by N.T. Wright. He describes it masterfully, and he even has a couple marvelous chapters on justice (including Chapter 1)!
“That has always been at the heart of the Lord’s Prayer, and how we’ve managed for years to say the Lord’s Prayer without realizing that Jesus really meant it is very curious”
I can think of other words besides “curious”
I am quite convicted.
Thanks Mike (& N.T.)
Thanks for this, Mike. I hope that more people become exposed to the great thinking of NT Wright who has effected my faith more in the last two years than anyone besides Jesus.
And Simply Christian is one of the best of his, although the Challenge of Jesus is really strong as well.
Mike..sometimes I get a bit intimidated by the religious intellectuall conversations going on around me. An exegesus is revealed only to confuse me more. I then remember that Jesus came for the poor and the simple and that when man tries to bring it all into black in white terms it causes Jesus maybe to turn the tables over.
“Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.” Job
I know that Jesus died for me and I will be eternally grateful for the love and forgiveness and grace which He extends to me and out of that realization I can not hold back from trying to be his hands to all I meet and pour out the Good News to them..
A scripture that we have seemed to have difficulty in applying is Matt. 25:34-46. Actually that is true more so in individual churches here and there. The church has a whole is doing a lot in this regard.
Richard, I don’t know of John Allen Chalk dealing with racial issues–but I do know that in the fall of 1962 ACU was still a buzz because of the speech Carl Spain delivered at the ACU lectures condemning enrolling Black students from outside the U.S. but dening entry to American Black students.
He dealt with the entire racial issue as well.
I was transferring into ACU after graduating from York College where I had experienced fellow black students from U.S. as well as students from Somoa–so I was shocked to realize that such prejudice had been practiced at ACU.
I believe that we need to stop equating the existence of congregations that are predominantly white or black meaning that there is a racial problem. We can and have learned a lot about worship from our vlack brothers but we try to integrate the two together in a congregation–a lot of culture is lost–expecially black culture. Lets face it whites can not sing like our black brethren–genetics you know.
I cannot and will not say that they are racist if they prefer to worship with those of their cultural background. They always welcome others to their worship when they attend just as we do if they attend our worship services.
We can never have a color blind society–we can and do see the differences in the various races when we encounter them in our daily activities. The real concern is: Do when treat as our God wants us to?
We put so much emphasis on church as something that you go and do at a building that we have forgotten what church really is. When we rediscover what church really is we don’t find a building or even a place, but a person. Jesus.
What we discover is that as His followers he calls US to be HIS church. And when we discover what Jesus intended His church to be, we find that His church is all about people. People who demonstrate their love for God by loving and serving other people (Matthew 25:34-46).
Jesus said “go into all the world……. teaching them to obey all that I have comanded you.” I am not a scholar of any sort and certainly not a biblical scholar, but what did Jesus comand? Love the Lord, love your neighbor, be a good Semaritan, obey Gods laws…
These all deal with the way we treat people. I may be missing the point of this thread but isn’t that the purpose for which we exist? To treat others as they ought to be treated and in doing so showing them the love of Christ in us! It is a trueism that when people are treated with respect and dignity they inturn will treat others the same.
If we treat people this way continuealy, especialy those who are not used to such treatment, the time will come when they ask WHY. Then we will have the oppertunity to say simply because Jesus Christ loves us so we also ought to love others.
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount tells us in a most beautiful way that the intention of the law was for the benefit of the SERVANT rather than to provide service to those less fortunate than ourselves- although a great side benefit! Application of compassion and mercy were forsaken for strict adherence to the law, thus all service became hypocrisy.
Jesus called us to be a loving, caring, compassionate, forgiving, giving, humble people and evangelism is an unavoidable result of that kind of living. If I help the poor quietly without blowing my horn or seeking acknowledgment from others, that builds my relationship with God to a much greater extent than the benefits to those whom I have helped. Praise can be given to God, not me, not my congregation, not my affiliation - only God.
We have to take it to the world. We can’t just sit back and wait for them to come ask us about the “Gospel”! It needs to be so real in our lives that they see it in us every day.
Steve Jr.,
Thanks brother and God bless your ministry.
Preacherman - I continue to give thanks to our LORD for His mercy in bringing you back to us and am praying for your continued improvement!
Kathy,
Thank you so much for your prayers it means so much.
Mike,
Great post! A few years ago I read something on the Lord’s Prayer (I cant’ remember now who wrote it or what exactly it was) but it made me realize that we prayer for all that stuff (honoring God’s Name, Kingdom expansion, and the doing of God’s will) to happen HEAR ON EARTH! Wow! I don’t know how, but I had always skipped to the Heaven part and didn’t realize that Heaven was simply the example of what God wants life here on Earth to be. If we would have Heaven on Earth, then we must act on Earth, we must love on Earth, we must sacrificially serve those in need on Earth, and to earnestly seek the end we pray for, teach others to do these things (that is, make disciples) on Earth.
Thanks for a great thought that made my day!