Gospel Living in Context

At resonate, we've been in a series called Living in Context. We've invited different teachers and leaders to share stories about the context in which they are attempting to flesh out the gospel and to use those stories as a springboard to look at the Scriptures and how they might teach us about how we live out our context here in Southeastern PA.

We've had an inner-city church planter who is reaching the hip-hop culture of Philadelphia, a pastor who is reaching those in the porn industry, a singer/songwriter from Nashville, a pastor who is reaching urban young professionals in Philly. (You can hear all of these teachings via mp3 here). This coming week we have Dr. Imad Shehadeh, founder and president of Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS) in Amman, Jordan. JETS, founded in 1991, was created with the grand vision of reaching the 300 million Arabs in 19 countries. Imad will be at resonate to talk about fleshing out the gospel in a predominantly Muslim context - and I just can't wait (this series has been awesome for me personally).

This past week Steve Huber from Liberti Church came and taught. Steve is a great dude who is a deep thinker. He  engages with the culture of Philadelphia like few pastors I know.
Steve gets it.
I absolutely loved his teaching.
Steve taught from 1 Corinthians 9 - unpacking Paul's familiar words of being all things to all people.

Some highlights from Steve's teaching:

We're called to a love-based sensitivity because of a love-driven purpose from God...but sensitivity does not mean selling out.

Steve shared ways in which we have to engage with the gospel living in context.

We have to live, act and have the mindset of a student in our context.
We have to be proactive, working hard to connect.
We need to make sure that nothing gets in the way of the clarity of the gospel being communicated.
We need to ask different questions - which will involve difference sacrifices of us.
We need to ask the question often, "What are we here for?"
We need to remember we are here for the people who aren't here.
We need to always ask the question, "What is near and dear to the hearts of the people in your context?" Because what people in your context care about is what the church should care about and use that to leverage the culture in order to live out the gospel.

I've been thinking about these elements all week long.
Imagine if each Christ follower in every context around the world were to take these elements seriously. How different might our contexts be because of the gospel?

Comments

[Stan]

This week I have been thinking about Steve Huber’s message and how we need to reach out to others in there element, in a way we relate to them if not on the same level, but in the context of where they are. Last night while I was having a conversation with a neighbor who I have known for a couple of years and have learned that he far from God, I felt compelled to share some not so flattering stories from my past. I think it was subconsciously driven by the thoughts from Steve’s message, but this conversation evolved into my transformation and the positive results that have resulted in my walk with God and the transition from my “not so proud of who I was” past. It was the first time I had a conversation with this friend that was not superficial and about the weather or when the mail is delivered. I learned a lot about who this person really is, how he feels and the fact that he is usually afraid to share the fact that he feels something is really missing in his life. I think before I shared my dirt, I must have appeared a bit unapproachable to him, and when he realized how much I was like him he became comfortable sharing his heart. I am not so sure he is going to be joining me for Sunday service any time soon, but he seemed excited as he accepted the invitation to join my group of friends from church to go tubing this weekend.

[DougG]

JR,
Great Questions. Obviously, we need to be living the Gospel personally in order ensure the message has "clarity." After that, be ready for war: violence, suffering, casualties, persecution, indifference, labeling, ..
Recently, I have had couple breakfast experiences: How do I, 40+, get across to a guy, 20+, who has had similar negative life experiences, that I want to help him (Mt 23:8-12) in his relationship with God? Or how to I explain to 40+ that he needs to learn from God personally (Is 57:14-21) and NOT from a never-ending trail of men's groups and teachers? Or to a new Christian, 20+, that his relationship with God didn't end (Rom 8:1-6) because he went crazy on vacation (and doesn't want to meet with me any more because of guilt)? Or to myself, when my relationships with my father and step-father have ended and that most people I deal with inside and outside the church don't understand, or ignore, or shun me, that my relationship with Him is still secure?
I think I will ponder trees: Is 61, Jer 17:5-10, and Ps 1.
DougG