Friday, April 21, 2006

The Missional Church by Tim Keller

I ran across this short article by Tim Keller. It is a solid, short explanation of the "Missional" Church. Here's a little teaser for you:

In the West for nearly 1,000 years, the relationship of (Anglo-European) Christian churches to the broader culture was a relationship known as "Christendom." The institutions of society "Christianized" people, and stigmatized non-Christian belief and behavior. Though people were "Christianized" by the culture, they were not regenerated or converted with the Gospel. The church's job was then to challenge persons into a vital, living relation with Christ... (more here)

2 comments:

David Mohler said...

Well said! Finally, a voice in the wilderness.

Didn't Jesus say, "See to it that no one misleads you" (Matt 24:4)? It seems like we are being coaxed to follow teachers who are bent on "purchasing oil from the dealers" (Matt. 25:9), given the Missional, Post-modern, Emergent, Purpose Driven, Seeker Sensitive, Willow Creek stuff we keeping hearing about as nauseum.

Tim Keller, in another of his papers ("Post Everythings"), makes it clear what he believes:

"recognize that post-everythings love art because they love the material world. Abraham Kuyper's understanding of Reformed Theology enables us to say to post-everythings, 'Christianity is not just a way for you to get peace, love and groovy vibes in Heaven. Christianity is a comprehensive worldview. You can be Christian artist, dancer, manager, or minister and these are all ways of living out the gospel.' When post-everythings hear that, they get extremely excited."

They get "excited"?? The implication here is that they get excited because their fleshly desires are accommodated by the gospel!

What preacher wants to be responsible for setting people up to falsely think they can do this or that in Christ's name, only to find that their hearers are rejected by Christ Himself (Matt. 7:21-23)?

That's what we are doing if keep on this Missional post-modern, emergent, Purpose Drive broad-road.

Nowhere in Kellers' thought is this Biblical statement: "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him."

These incessant appeals to sensuous Christianity are not biblical.

You do not attract people to the Kingdom of God on the basis of their fleshly desires. That is utterly contrary to scripture. What's more, as Jim Stitzinger from Grace Community Church (Sun Valley, CA) stated, "Whatever you bait them with is what you will have to feed them later."

The appeals must be made no less than John the Baptist or the Apostle Peter in Acts 2. The issue is repentance, and living a life of holiness, conforming to the image of Christ.

That is the liberating, exciting news that must be preached, to all generations, in all cultures, for all time!

Unknown said...

This is the kind of discussion this blog is designed to evoke! Thank you all!