Ch. 4 - A Disturbing Kingdom Community (part two)
In church circles we talk a lot about “the gospel” and about sharing it with others. But what do we mean by “the gospel”? How do we define it?
I see a few possibilities. You could define it as a set of core biblical teachings we believe to be true - particularly about God, Jesus, humanity, sin, heaven, hell, etc. Some would sum it up with John 3:16 or what is called the Romans Road. But is the gospel primarily a set of ideas that we are to intellectually assent to? Or is the gospel the person of Jesus? If so, when we share the gospel, we are sharing a living, loving person - God and Man, Lord and Savior. Or is the gospel the Good News that in Jesus the Kingdom has broken into our world, and that a new way of life has been established? Perhaps there are other possibilities in addition to these. But how we define the gospel is going to be pretty foundational to how we talk about the gospel and how we seek to live it out.
Often times, the gospel is equated with evangelism. Evangel basically means gospel, so to evangelize is really to gospel-ize. Sider asks the question of whether or not individual people are the only ones we can evangelize. Or, as seems to be the case in many parts of the world, can we evangelize persons-in-community? And further, can we evangelize social structures? Again, the answer will depend on how you define the gospel. If the gospel is a set of ideas which are intended to lead an individual person to saving faith in Jesus Christ, then no, of course you cannot evangelize social structures. The legal system of the United States, for instance, cannot accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But a bunch of Christian citizens, who have done just that, who have been saved and are being changed, could effectively influence the legal system in ways that promote justice for all, and especially for those who society tends to crush and hold back. If one’s definition of the gospel is the announcement of the Kingdom and a new way of doing things in the world, then yes, you could evangelize social structures.
So what about you? How have you traditionally defined the gospel? How is the gospel understood in the sermons we hear, in the books we read, and in conversations in MPACT groups? Is it possible that our definition has been incomplete, or maybe even wrong?
Christians ought to define Jesus’ central teaching the way Jesus did.
What was and is Jesus’ central teaching?
Guided by the vision of the dawning kingdom and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the faithful church will always be a loving critic, a countercultural community. They will treasure what is good in their society and challenge what is broken, precisely because they know the Creator of all is also the Redeemer who desires that Satan’s inroads into this good creation be rolled back.
What should be our posture towards culture? Is it possible that all too often the Church tends to either criticize or consume (or a nasty combination of the two), instead of cultivating and creating culture? Andy Crouch has a lot to say about this on his website, Culture Makers, and further explores the idea with the Christian Vision Project, of which he is the editor.
Should Christians be concerned with creating and cultivating culture? How far should this extend?
Some day Jesus will come back and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord. Therefore we work now to nudge society in the direction of that coming wholeness, justice, and reconciliation because we know it will come fully at Christ’s return.
How can we, as individuals-in-community, nudge society in the direction of the already-but-not-yet Kingdom of God?
Wow, this is certainly some deep stuff to be discussing. I think the one idea to add that Brian and I have been talking about recently is that you will attract a certain type of person to your church depending on the type of Gospel that you preach. For example, in my experience we have traditionally talked about the Gospel being a substitution for our sins, so that we don’t have to go to hell. And you too can stay out of hell if you accept Jesus so that He can pay for your sins. This Gospel message might be attractive to someone that has their health, money, family, house, car, job, etc. Because they are not lacking any “worldly” things. But what about the person that doesn’t know where their next meal will come from, or doesn’t have clean water to drink, or are being oppressed by someone, or are living in slavery. To this type of person, the Gospel might be more about the Kingdom on earth and liberation. If we preach a Gospel that is ONLY about the future, then I don’t think that will be too attractive to those that are suffering right now. Thoughts??
I don’t know that I see the New Testament church being particularly concerned about “nudging” worldly culture… “But we urge you, brothers…to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (1 Thes 4:10-12)
Also…as an aside…sentences like this: “How can we, as individuals-in-community, nudge society in the direction of the already-but-not-yet Kingdom of God?” anyone whose been around C4 awhile knows the ideas behind those phrases…but those are such BIG ideas that reading a sentence filled with them is rather dizzying…
Oops. Sometimes I get carried away with my sentences.
It’s not the sentence’s fault…the sentence itself is beautiful constructed…it’s the ideas behind the sentence that are dizzying. Sort of like a fractal drawing…you think you’re looking at a simple, nice pattern, and then when you focus in on it, you see how complex and layered it is.
On the way to hear Margaret speak Sunday night, I told a friend I was struck recently by the number of twenty-somethings that I have encountered recently that seem to be struggling with a fierce combination of loneliness and lostness. Notably these are all my impressions and assessments as opposed to concrete feedback so I could be way off. But I do not think so and I am more confident after hearing Margaret voice a similar evaluation of this age group. I have simultaneous been thinking and praying about what God is looking to do in and through my life and in and through C4
Here’s the point. Is it possible that the most effective presentation of the Gospel to this age group is one that highlights Jesus’ Incarnation? One that highlights his solidarity with us and passion for intimate communities? One that screams to all who will listen “You belong” and come hang out with us and we will prove it to you? Does this message resonate equally with the marginalized and affluent, since no object can be substituted for relationship?
I think that can be quite a powerful message. One of my favorite things about The Passion of the Christ is the way Jim Caviezel played Jesus so organically and humanly…the way he smiles and laughs in the flashback scenes, the way his eyes sparkle…it gives off the impression that Jesus is actually someone you would enjoy having a relationship with…as opposed to the many wooden and/or floaty portrayals of Jesus in most films/dramas/etc. An incarnate God who seems not only real but attractively real is an incredible effective presentation of the Gospel…a God whose knowing of you would genuinely make you feel less lonely.