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Topic: Truth in Culture Weekly Commentaries
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Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ
June 29, 2009
S. Michael Craven
Sadly, over the course of the last century, we have reduced the gospel to simplistic formulas and programmatic appeals—appeals that are designed to produce “decisions,” whereas the gospel of the kingdom is conveyed in various and more demonstrative ways, reflecting the different gifts and diversity of the body.
This diversity of witness and gospel expression is captured in the variation of gifts given to the body described in Romans 12:4–8: We do not all have the same function or ministry in the kingdom. Some are called to teach, some to serve, some to give financially, some to lead, and some to acts of mercy. In 1 Corinthians 12:4, the apostle Paul again stresses that there are a variety of gifts, service and activities—given to the church and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians chapter 4 indicates that only some are given as “apostles, prophets, and evangelists” and yet today, through both the reduction of the gospel and the modern efforts to mass-market decisional theology, we demand that every church member be an evangelist in this very narrow sense. This might explain why, according to research, most Christians have not shared their faith with another in the past year. Perhaps this is not their gift or purpose in the body? However, we make little or no accommodation for these other gifts under the reductionist version of the gospel with its exclusive emphasis on proselytization.
Throughout these passages, Paul emphasizes that this diversity of spiritual giftedness is given “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, ESV). This body, the church (collectively), is, according to Scripture, the central witness-bearing feature of the kingdom, come into the world. The scriptures repeatedly stress that this witness emanates from the observable life and conduct within the community of God’s people as seen and experienced by the outside world.
What is the result of this modern emphasis that reduces the gospel to a simplistic prescription for personal salvation? Answer: We obscure the relational unity within the body and neglect those areas essential to the witness of Christ and his kingdom. Not to mention heaping tons of guilt upon those not called to evangelism. Furthermore, we fail to incarnate the person of Christ in the life and witness of the Christian community.
Folks, a dead body is no witness. Christ rose from the dead and he has by grace, raised us to new life in him. And this new life—displayed in community—is foundational to the witness and testimony of the church. In a radically individualistic and narcissistic America, this may be the church’s greatest obstacle to carrying out the missio Dei.
Jesus’ invitation is to “enter the kingdom of God.” Practically, this means that we are saved out of our isolation and alienation and into the community of God’s people. As C. S. Lewis points out in his classic, Mere Christianity, as Christians are “united together in a body, loving one another, helping one another …” their life together becomes “the one really adequate instrument for learning about God…” (Emphasis mine.)
Recall that the Great Commission given by Jesus was to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …” (Matt. 28:19, ESV). Jesus is stressing the conversion of individuals through relationships (i.e., make disciples) followed by their being joined to the body of Christ through baptism. There is a “corporateness” to the kingdom message.
Paul stresses that the Gentiles who were once alienated from “the commonwealth of Israel” have been brought near “by the blood of Christ” that “he might create in himself one new man [or humanity] in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross” (Eph. 2:12–15, ESV). Again, there is a corporate sense to God’s redemptive plan that carries forward from national Israel to form a new covenant people (the church) out of both the Jew and Gentile into the new Israel.
In Ephesians 5:30 Paul writes we are “members of his body.” However, in individualized Western culture, we hear Paul’s teaching about our being members of Christ in precisely the wrong way. For many Westerners a member is a person who merely belongs to something like a country club or a political party. The member in this sense is merely an individual who happens to have voluntarily joined the organization. As Americans, we think we posses the rights to our membership and thus we offer it only to those institutions that we think are deserving. This might explain why we are nation of church-hoppers and shoppers!
But Paul uses member in an organic sense. We are members of Christ in the same way that the eye, ear, hand, and foot are members of the body. At the conclusion of Ephesians chapter two Paul writes, “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (20–22, ESV). The emphasis is on the corporate nature of God’s redemptive plan. We together are the temple of the Holy Spirit, not “I’m a temple” and “you’re a temple” and so on.
Also, this community is not merely the social gathering of a people with common values—but rather a people who display proof of God’s redemptive work in the world. In other words, we are intended to bear witness to Christ’s kingdom come into the world. And this proof or witness flows forth from converted individuals whose transformation is formed and authenticated through their interactions with each other.
So, how does the church represent the mission of God in the world? How do we express the gospel of the kingdom beyond its modern reductionist version? (You know, the sort of detached drive-by evangelism that relies on tracts and rote presentations.) The Bible appears to outline a threefold approach, which I will begin to lay out next week.
© 2009 by S. Michael Craven
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Responses
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Response from : Wayne Wilkins |
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June 29, 2009 1:09 PM
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I'm not sure what to make of this article, though I agree we are all too often focused on our own salvation. But not in the way you detail. Here is my problem with what I see as your main thesis: we are, existentially speaking, saved as individuals in response to propositional truth, i.e., trusting individually in a particularly-revealed Christ for our eternal destiny. Yet, it seems as though this article's thrust is to focus on a corporate, organic (almost communitarian) response to a "gospel of the kingdom." I'd like to hear how you reconcile the two positions, both of which I am confident are contained in God's plan to conquer evil and our opportunity to glorify and worship Him.
Also, you may reformulate the idea: "This might explain why, according to research, most Christians have not shared their faith with another in the past year. Perhaps this is not their gift or purpose in the body?" While this may be true (or may not), it is an argument from silence and therefore not compelling.
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Response from : S Michael Craven |
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June 29, 2009 1:52 PM
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Dear Wayne,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns. In response I would offer the following clarification. You state: "we are, existentially speaking, saved as individuals in response to propositional truth...." Respectfully, I would disagree (see Romans 9:16). We are not saved by intellectual assent to a set of propositions but by grace (see also Ephesians 2:5). There is an enormous difference. The former places the cause of salvation in the hands of dead sinners while the latter properly places in salvation in the unmerited grace of God. By this premise you then settle the second half of your assertion (i.e. "focus on a corporate, organic (almost communitarian) response to a 'gospel of the kingdom.'") The focus of my thesis is not on a "communitarian" response to the gospel but instead, the fact that one necessary effect of God's effectual calling is the creation of the church--the distinct community of God's people--of which Christ is the head.
I hope this offers the necessary clarification you seek.
Blessings,
Michael
http://www.battlefortruth.org
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Response from : Kevin Stilley |
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June 29, 2009 2:37 PM
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Hello Michael,
Like the previous commenter I found these two sentences interesting;
"This might explain why, according to research, most Christians have not shared their faith with another in the past year. Perhaps this is not their gift or purpose in the body?"
It sounds as though you are saying that evangelism is only for those who have the gift of evangelism. Do you not believe that God has entrusted to every Christian the message of reconciliation?
http://www.kevinstilley.com
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Response from : S Michael Craven |
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June 29, 2009 3:06 PM
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Dear Kevin,
Thank you for seeking clarification on this point of concern before simply jumping to conclusions. This is sadly too rare even within the church--so thank you! First and foremost let me say that I most assuredly believe that every Christian has an obligation to give an answer for the hope that they have. I think the Bible is quite clear on this point. I consider this to be evangelism as opposed to proselytizing that is associated with the reductionist version of the gospel. It is the latter that I am addressing as this is often the exclusive way of defining evangelism today. This emphasis tends to press proclamation as the only expression and thus pushes this approach ahead of relationship, demonstration, etc. and so the proclamation is often devoid of any credibility or context. Furthermore, I am emphasizing that the gospel is also expressed in other more demonstrable ways and this is why the church has been given a diverse multitude of gifts.
Thanks again for the question.
Blessings,
Michael
http://www.battlefortruth.org
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Response from : George Cooley |
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June 29, 2009 5:10 PM
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Michael,
regarding Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ.
it seems to me that sharing your faith is equal to a tree producing fruit. If the tree is healthy it will produce fruit. It is the main purpose and God's design of the tree to produce fruit. In my walk it has been my experience that when I am more willing to share my faith God moves in ways I do not experience when I do other minstries and use other talents. Also as a follower of Christ and 58 years old it has been a long time since anyone has shared there faith with me. I can remember 40 years ago when people shared there faith with me and that is when I was an unbeliever. How many Christians find other Christians sharing there faith with them as a stranger? I would say one symptom of a nation in spiritual decline would be where no one talks about Christ except in a church setting. Europe is a good example.
in His grip
George
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Response from : Selase Kwawu |
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June 30, 2009 7:05 AM
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I needed two key clarifications and thankfully, you addressed those in your response to Wayne but even more to Kevin when you said "...I am emphasizing that the gospel is also expressed in other more demonstrable ways and this is why the church has been given a diverse multitude of gifts." Also your exposition on "making disciples" is one that i find most compelling. The only way that true conversion took place in other parts of the world, in Africa and in Asia was for the early missionaries to live with them, learn their language, eat their food and meet with them daily. In other words, they showed these people who the authentic Jesus is, and for this, several of them died.
I am thinking, even without any documentary evidence, that the whole wave of decisional theology that has spread through the whole of Europe and America and I will add in Africa, came as a result of our unwillingness to labour , to take up our crosses and follow him daily. This process which is often tasking and requires serious commitments, several hours of study and research, dying to self, giving up our small ambitions, when substituted for anything else, as has been done, is what in my opinion has resulted in our watered down approach and confused understanding of the gospel of the kingdom. I am eager to read in your next article, how we are to express the gospel “beyond its modern reductionist version.”
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Response from : Wayne Wilkins |
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July 1, 2009 10:00 AM
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Thanks for the clarification Michael. Let me do the same and offer clarification on what I was saying. You responded: "Respectfully, I would disagree (see Romans 9:16). We are not saved by intellectual assent to a set of propositions but by grace (see also Ephesians 2:5). There is an enormous difference. The former places the cause of salvation in the hands of dead sinners while the latter properly places in salvation in the unmerited grace of God."
To the point, I am not saying in any way that it is merely intellectual assent which is the cause of our salvation- far from it. In other words, it is not sufficient cause as it would locate salvation in human hands; however, I would argue it is a necessary part of our response to God's grace. Either way, the point I am making is that at a fundamental level, we are saved by responding (effect/derivative) to God's grace (cause/primary). If we do not make this transaction of trusting God propositionally, then, in the epistemic sense, how do we truly know we are saved? I have met many - most recently a Mormon missionary - who are convinced that they just "know" experientially without having accepted the propositional aspect of Truth. (Ironically, we are using propositions here to express truth, but it feels like truth is being rejected as an intellect-only and therefore non-salvific assent. See John 18:37)
In your mind, are there core truths that one must believe/trust/respond to in order to be saved by grace? For example, what if someone is a modalist (rejects the Trinity)- would they still be saved by grace?
Thanks Michael.
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Response from : Leonie Cooksley |
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July 1, 2009 11:22 PM
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Keep this up Michael, some leader may read it - hopefully. I am tired of weak altar calls.
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Response from : Dale Glasgow |
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July 3, 2009 4:15 PM
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Michael,
Great call to engage the church to get up and go! Please sound the charge--blow the trumpet. I would encourage all believers to read their bibles daily and seek Jesus as their closest friend and stand in awe of the King of all Kings. Is the Spirit of God bringing the kingdom to Earth--? Can we touch the face of the Lord with our own hands-yes, can you find a believer truly in love with Jesus ...that gives their heart to entertainment? Jesus did rise again, the church culture club is not interested. Please sound the charge--blow the trumpet.
Our first century Christian Brother s and Sisters gave their all, we keep it all. Can we call believers to pursue holiness and be perfect like Jesus said? Facing the Lord reflects his love and power, we can go when we see him and hear his call.
words on paper, we need the Chistain leaders to call a charge against evil and this culture of selfish idols.
thanks again for the good words.
inJesusHolyName,
Dale
http://www.daleglasgow.com
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Response from : Ed Ambrose |
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July 6, 2009 8:17 PM
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Hi Michael,
I love your reference to Saint Paul's articulation of the body and the gifts. I have been criticized by some "conservatives"for not telling everybody about Jesus. Instead, I try to use my gifts to love people with Jesus' heart. And you know what? Jesus finds them wherever they happen to be.
In His love & mine
Ed
(The Rev. Edward F. Ambrose,Jr., D.Min.)
http://JOED
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Response from : Mitch Daniels |
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July 18, 2009 1:10 PM
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Great discussion.. greetings in the name of Jesus ! In my Christian walk of seven plus years , I find that when I dedicated my life to following God through the relationship of His son Jesus as a disciple that I could not help but to share my faith.The Lord put me in situations that gave me a window of opportunity to witness by deed as well as by the spoken word. Praise God I Love you all your Brother in Christ Mitch
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Response from : Gardner Koch |
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July 20, 2009 10:00 AM
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Recently Cavuto (Fox News) had a guest who spoke of "Christian Nation." There is no such animal. Only persons can be Christian, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ. Hopefuly we will live and enact legislation that refllects that faith.
Gardner Koch
gclkoch@yahoo.com
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