Awhile back, on another blog, I made some not-so-kind remarks about a guy named Bob Roberts. He was talking about the need to be more missional and to get outside of our comfort zones... and I guess it created a little crisis in my value system. I thought he sounded a bit arrogant; but, I finally realized that I was just being an idiot. (Sorry Bob. I'm sure you read my blog too).
How did I discover this? This morning I re-read ch. 3 in Reggie McNeal's THE PRESENT FUTURE for our council meeting tonight. It is about "How To Turn Members Into Missionaries."
This is where I really struggle sometimes. I think I understand what he's talking about; I believe what he's saying; I don't question it at all... but I can't wrap my mind around doing it without tripping over my past ways of thinking. You know, like, just when you start to think you have a handle on something, then you come to find out it's wrong, and then you begin to question everything you know to be true, and... well, it's hard. Right?
But I like this chapter. I remember it well. On p.51 he hits what I think is the key to everything for me (maybe): "The point is not to adopt the culture and lose the message; the point is to understand the culture so we can build bridges to it for the sake of gaining a hearing for the gospel of Jesus." !!! (exclamation points mine)
That's understanding why we do what we do (and what I try to make my life about). So then, HOW do we do what we do? On p.61 he refers to Paul and his dealings with the Mars Hill crowd. He says, "It seems that he [Paul] learned from this experience that it was not superior reasoning but superior living and superior loving that was the best approach to engaging the culture with the attractiveness of the gospel." Yeah... that's a lot to swallow. In fact, I should probably chew on it for a good while first. Superior living and superior loving "in" the culture. Any culture. All cultures. A stomach full...
**On another note: One thing that came to my mind while reading this chapter. I have to admit, I had lately been wondering if our church building this picnic pavilion was the best thing to do (I've been listening to too many doubters and complainers). I mean, we "were" trying to gather money to build a multi-purpose sanctuary space. But... I think the pavilion IS much more "community oriented." The sanctuary space would be strictly for "us." The pavilion is something that anyone in the community can use - and at any time. The idea was not to build something for us that we can invite people to use; but to build something for the benefit of the community, and we can use it too. So, I'm okay with it again.
Peace, folks. Revolution(ate).
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