Contextual Theology and Being Missional

Being missional is the buzz word that is replacing all things emerging, so I believe it is a good idea to dialog about what it means to contextualize theology. This is not only the work of a missionary in a foreign land anymore; it is now the work of local pastors and leaders in the churches of America.

Paul G. Hiebert in his book, Anthroplogical Insights for Missionaries (Baker, 1986), suggests that critical contextualization is a proactive to balance effectively the development of contextual theology. His four step concept was developed by missionaries ministering in a foreign culture to help in making sure that the development of a contextual theology remains properly balanced. Hiebert's critical contextualization encourages the participation of all the members within a church.

1. The first step is to recognize the need to deal biblically with all areas of life.


2. Step two is for the congregation to meet and analyze the cultural issues they confront from an uncritical perspective.


3. The third step is to conduct a Bible study that is relevant to the particular cultural issue being considered.


4. Finally, the congregation needs to evaluate critically their own past customs in the light of their new biblical understandings and to make a decision regarding thier use.

Although this process can be tedious, it is the new work of the local church as they seek to understand, engage, and influence today's culture with the timeless message of hope that the local church champions. Think about it...

QUESTION: What is your church or ministry doing to contextualize theology (i.e. being missional)? Is it effective? Is it worth it? Any suggestions?

The Hardest Word for Leaders: NO

Although I have learned to do this more as time goes on, I need to hear it again from time to time. In his blog today, Seth says:

"Saying no to loud people gives you the resources to say yes to important opportunities."

I have heard Craig Groeschel say that every time you say yes to something you say no to something else.

With that said, we must protect our no's as much as we give out our yes's which can be hard in a society of "yes men." Moving beyond being mediocre doesn't mean saying yes to eveything. It means saying no when it matters, so we can say yes when it does!

Tony Morgan on Faith

I am reading through Tony Morgan's Killing Cockroaches and finding somekind of challenge on every page. Here is what he says on faith in his chapter on "Churchiness is Easy":

"Real faith is dynamic. It's contriversal. It's dangerous. It's constantly growing. It asks challenging quesitons. It involves mystery. You can't put it in a box. You can't keep it quiet. You can't outgrow it. You can't out dream it. It's more focused on others than on itself. Real faith gives me peace but makes me discontent to let things stay the same." (Check out Tony's blog for more insights)

I find that my faith is sometimes not even status quo. I find that I sometimes wish faith wasn't even part of the process. For to me, faith says you aren't able to do this in and of yourself...it is the beyond that is within you that will do it. Faith is about doing great things that when done can only go back to the one who placed that faith in us...namely Jesus Christ! It about bending and stretching. It's about pain and growth and turning intellect into godly wisdom. Faith is one complex and messy idea!

Think about it...

Thoughts on a Radical Jesus

Looking in the face of our twenty first century culture, I think it is time to embrace the radical teachings of Jesus once again. There have been times in history when this has been done. And when I say radical, I mean all that he taught and embodied. We have made Jesus into a fun and enjoyable icon, when in all reality his message is so radical it is offensive.

For this post, let’s just take one example: Luke 16:14-15

“The Pharisees, who love money, heard all that Jesus was teaching and sneered at him. Jesus said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.’”

All over the immediate context of this verse are issues that bring to light what “is detestable in God’s sight.” In chapter 14, Jesus speaks of places of honor at banquets. In chapter 15, he speaks on selfish piety of a rich, spoiled brat. In 16, he speaks of a shrewd business man and another story of the final fate of a rich man. In summary, they all deal with money and the cost of loving a lifestyle over a relationship with God.

Those values and lifestyles are detestable in God’s sight. And they are in stark contrast to what Jesus values most: the cost of a Christ-centered lifestyle and the love for seeing sinner reconciled to God.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even life itself—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (14:26-27)

“I tell you in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over on sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous person who do not.” (15:7)

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (15:10)

“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and know is found.” (15:32)

In a later post, I will discuss 14:26-27, but notice the progression in chapter 15. Jesus is more concerned with a person who is truly repentant. That denies the normalcy and the culture to follow the radical message of Jesus…the message of the Kingdom of God. A kingdom that is at odds with the kingdoms of this present age.

For today, know this: We are all dead until we find Christ. We are all lost until Jesus comes and changes our status. Just as it costs big to live with the luxuries of this world, to have all the things that are in the end, “detestable to God.” The radical Jesus says that it cost much more to live out the radical-reversal message of the Kingdom of God. More on this to come. For now, think about it…

Is our Full Gospel...well...Full Gospel?

The odd thing about any movement is that eventually it changes from the original. Lutherans look very little like Luther. Wesleyans don’t look like Wesley. And Full Gospel believers have been morphing over the years. The one and only thing that can save us is reform.

Those of us who are Full Gospel believers need reformation of the fullness of Scripture. What I mean by that is to reform all the proof texting we do. That is taking so much of Scripture out of context to make our points to move the masses in the direction we want them to go. We must speak the truth of the Bible in the direction God want us and those who follow us to go.

For example, we often hear people make the comment for a personal salvation call like this, “The Bible paints a picture of Jesus standing at the door of our hearts and knocking.” And before I go further, I want to say that this can be a very deep and true statement, but it is not the full gospel context of the picture. This verse is actually found in the book of Revelation:

Chapter 3, verses 14-22
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 ‘Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

The idea is not presented in a setting of a personal salvation call. It is presented to a church that has become lukewarm. A church that has lost its fire and Jesus is standing outside of this place asking to come in. Get this, Jesus is asking to come into church; the cornerstone is asking to be invited into His own dwelling. These verse when put back into a full gospel approach carry a power rebuke and recommendation to dying churches today. In essence, it explains that if you take the rebuke of Jesus and hear him knocking on the door of your church, he can come back in and move just the way he did when the church was once red hot.

May verse 22 guide our lives…he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to his church. Let us come back to a full gospel approach and stop taking verses and stories out of context and letting God once again speak for himself. May our churches once again be red hot and refined by the fire of God! Amen.

Caged vs Uncaged, part 2

Breaking out of the cages that hold us down in life takes spiritual momentum. We must learn that the very things that are meant ti hold us back can actually be the catalyst to move us forward.

My devotional comes from Bill Hybel’s Holy Discontent:

“This (positive) energy causes you to act on the dissatisfactions that’s been brewing deep within your soul and compels you to say yes to joining forces with God so that the darkness and depravity around you gets pushed back. This supernatural energy allow you to move forward past all the natural human-nature responses and enter instead into a life viewed from God’s point of view.

In other words, your perspective shifts from that which your eyes can see to that which God tells you is true. And it is this reality that what is enslaved can still be set free, what is broken can still be mended, what is diseased can still be restored, what is hated can still be loved, what is dirty can still be made clean, and what is wrong can still be made right.” (bold words are my emphasis)

WOW!

In a nutshell, this means that God will take
our sin,
pain,
suffering,
frustrations
and dissatisfactions in life
and turn them into a powerful force to be used to expand our life and God’s kingdom!