"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win the Jews. To those under the law I because as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9: 19-23
Today I wish to continue a thread of thought I began yesterday in my post "Three ways of understand ing our Spiritual life experience." In that post, I described three means of understanding truth and reality found within my congregation and within our culture. These understandings were summarized by the following statements.
Of course, everyone knows that!
Prove it!
Whatever. Who really cares?
Prove it!
Whatever. Who really cares?
These three statement summarize three ways of viewing truth found within our culture today. My guess is that these three ways of understanding the nature of truth and reality have been found in every generation, but now we see each competing for how to understand reality. This competition is found in our politics. It is found within our school systems. It is found within every segment of culture. That means they are also found within the church!
How do we balance this understanding of our current context with ministry that is both edifying to believers and compelling to unbelievers?
First, we must not deny that our world is confusing and difficult. Proclaiming Christ crucified as the only cure for sin and death does not match the cultural assumptions of many within our context. In fact, I would not be surprised in the near future if it became a "hate crime" to make such outlandish claims. As we proclaim the biblical gospel, we are declaring that there is one God, people are sinful and separated from God, and only faith in Jesus can change our situation. All of these claims are offensive to many within our culture including the cultural elites who set policy.
I find the above paragraph to be great news! Our current cultural context is closer now to the first two centuries of the Church than it has been at any previous time. As a post-Christian culture, we can no longer assume that folks just "know" the story of Christ, that they know they should live right, and that there are negative consequences for living apart from God. The gospel radically changed individuals and entire segments of society during those first two centuries after Christ. It is ripe to do so again!
In other words, this is an age of opportunity. For those individuals and churches who hold to the eternal truth of the gospel while presenting it so people can hear will thrive. Those who do not or cannot will slowly or perhaps quickly perish.
The coming generations are marked by an almost universal post-Christian worldview and agenda. They do not know about Jesus except for what they have heard about him on Family Guy and sit-coms. They will not listen to nor do they have patience with moralizing or logical, detailed arguments.
Yet, they are hungry for authentic community, authentic living, and the real Christ who answers their greatest needs and satisfies their thirsty souls.
Presenting the eternal truth of the Gospel in experiential and living ways is not compromising, but it is necessary to reach our post-Christian culture. Developing authentic community is essential. A community where life is understood as messy, but Jesus is seen as the answer. A community that loves and serves its neighbor. Such a place, such a message, such a life is compelling, winsome, and transforming in our post-Christian cultural context. The hunger and thirst for this message is growing daily. Thankfully, Jesus continues to proclaim:
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
"Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
John 7: 37-38
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