How to Flatten the Gospel

“If the local congregation is not perceived in its own neighborhood as the place from which good news overflows in good action, the programs for social and political action launched by the national agencies are apt to lose their integral relation to the good news and come to be seen as part of a moral crusade rather than part of the gospel.”

Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.

Here is my understanding of what Newbigin is saying: If good actions/works are not the perception of a local church, then the programs come across as moral policing to the church’s neighbors.

This point comes in Newbigin’s chapter “The Congregation as Hermeneutic of the Gospel.” In this particular section, he’s arguing that one of the characteristics for a church community to be such an agent for the gospel, it must localize the concerns of its own neighborhood.

When the church fails to do so, it becomes perceived as a moral agency rather than good news embodied. The greater we generalize or nationalize the world’s needs, the more flattened the gospel becomes for anyone.

How Do You Make Context?

Making disciples is all about making the context for discipleship.

So, how do you do that?

Make Fruit © Matt

You make fruit.

The fruit of the Spirit becomes the context for teaching others. In this way, others do not taste “symbol hypocrisy.” That is the hypocrisy experienced when one’s life does not match their teaching.

Or maybe that’s just called hypocrisy.

Making Life Better

“In the first 30 seconds of meeting them
I knew that they were people I wanted to work with.
And it seemed like being around
them will make life better.”

Rick Rubin on first meeting the Avett Brothers

How to Influence Culture from a Lower Status

Peter worked as a bus boy at a restaurant. Yet, his speciality sandwich made it on the menu.

How could such a thing occur? What would possess the owners and managers to allow a “low level” employee such creative control over their great-parents locally famous establishment?

Several conditions were necessary for such change:

1. The managers had the generosity to assume employees would create their own food during their shifts. There was no penalty for the amount of foods they could consume, try, or bring home.

2. Such an assumption meant the managers budgeted enough expendable resources/income for all workers. This was simply part of the work culture. So, the owners had the margin for expendables (i.e. extra bread, toppings, condiments, and other fixings).

3. Given such allowances, the employees felt the freedom to attempt any and all creative ideas for their own food creations. Under this cultural context, Peter not only felt the freedom, but encouragement to try, fail, and try again at culinary innovations.

4. After multiple attempts, Peter crafted an entirely new speciality sandwich. The other employees tried it. And eventually, management tasted this proof of concept.

5. Their experience led them to ask Peter to make several iterations until finally, they included it on the menu.

If you’re a leader, create such conditions for others. If you’re the “others,” take advantage where you have creative liberties to generate new expressions of love and care for others.

Reconciliation: A Gift And A Mission

For Paul, reconciliation was both a gift received and a mission we steward:

• Reconciliation is a divine gift believers have received (Romans 5:11).

• Reconciliation is the central message proclaimed through the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:19).

• Reconciliation is the ongoing ministry entrusted to our stewardship (the “ministry of reconciliation”; 2 Corinthians 5:18).

Consequently, how you exercise your creative calling as an artist is directly shaped by your understanding of reconciliation. To live as a Christian is to serve as a co-laborer with God in His ongoing mission.

God Makes us Smell

We can cultivate confidence by conducting ourselves with sincerity and purity, proclaiming the gospel, and following the Spirit's movement around us. Ensure your life exudes a fragrant aroma, much like a sacrifice.

Mission workers serve as the scent of Christ to God and to those around them. Our presence in the world reflects what God is accomplishing through us. But showcasing us, he spreads the knowledge of Him as we faithfully follow His path.

God uses missionaries to communicate knowledge. Through smell.

Ears to Hear

I was reflecting on what it means to have “ears to hear.” Jesus commonly used such a phrase when he told parables.

Having ears to hear is like having a nose to smell.

Most have ability to breath air in and out of their nostrils, but not all can smell scents.

A Cross-Cultural Concept of Art

What is true of all cultures and their artworks? Here are three universals:

• All cultures possess unique raw materials for use.

• All cultures operate with distinct values and worldviews.

• All cultures have developed their own forms of expression.

Remove all other secondary distractions. These elements provide everything necessary to engage in culture-making and contribute meaningfully to the world.