Tag: missional

Apologetics: A Reasonable Defense

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, EvangelismLeave a comment

Ask most church goers what it means to do apologetics and you will most likely be met with blank stares, an explanation about how we are to apologize to others, or tales of boredom as they tried sitting through a lecture or trudging through a book full of philosophical arguments. While the study of Apologetics can take you off into heady arguments, that’s not all Apologetics is.

Apologetics?

Apologetics simple means to offer a reasonable defense. At a minimum, that requires us to tell others what we believe and why we believe it.

Be Ready Always

As Christians we are called to do just that – offer a reasonable defense for our faith. Peter makes this clear when he says,

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Pe 3:15–16)

The context in which Peter gives his command wasn’t peaceful. Christians were living in exile, experiencing ostracism for their faith, and suffering persecution. Yet Peter tells them not to fear or cower, but to be ready to offer a reasonable defense for the hope within. Christians, then, in all walks of life, locales, and cultural climates must be ready to offer a defense of their faith.

Tied to Our Mission

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commands His disciples to go and make more disciples. In order to be obedient to Jesus’ command, we must be able to tell others what and why we believe what we believe, which means we must spend time preparing ourselves to offer a reasonable defense.

“When we become Christians, we do not leave our mind in the parking lot. We are called to think according to the Word of God, to seek the mind of Christ and an understanding of the things set forth in sacred Scripture.” – Burk Parsons

So if your neighbor notices you are a Christian and asks what you believe, you should not only be able to answer his or her question, but you should also be able to tell them why you believe it. Hearing that means many of us need to get busy learning what we believe and why.

Suggestions to Get You Started

The first place we have to start is with God’s Word. It is the foundation of our beliefs because it is the place where God reveals who He is, who we are, what He has done and is doing, and how we are to live. There are a variety of tools to help you read through the Bible. Here is a great list.

Next, I would suggest looking into the Theology and Biblical Theology books listed on my Book Recommendation page. These will give you both an overview of the biblical storyline and a deep understanding of the theology and doctrine of God’s Word.

Lastly, take a look at the New City Catechism. It is a quick way to build your doctrinal and theological knowledge.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you know what you believe and why?
  2. Are you ready to give a defense?
  3. How will you prepare yourself?

Resources

With Gentleness and Respect by Burk Parsons TableTalk Magazine January 2016, pg 2

An Apology for Apologetics by Stephen J. Nichols TableTalk Magazine January 2016, pg 6

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All Things to All People to Win Some

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Evangelism, PracticalLeave a comment

What does it look like for us to be all things to all people? Paul models that for us in 1 Corinthians 9. He says when he was with the Jews, he became like a Jew; when with the Gentiles, he became like a Gentile; when with the weak, he became like the weak (1 Cor. 9:21-22).

What, however, does it look like in practice for us to be all things to all people? I believe it works out differently for each of us because we all run in different circles. Let me, however, give you some general principles to operate under.

(1) We must present the gospel in a way people can understand.

Presenting the gospel in a way people can understand doesn’t mean we water down the gospel. Paul sure didn’t. Even though he knew the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles, he boldly preached the cross. We must do the same.

Knowing we can’t eliminate the offense of the cross doesn’t mean we can’t present the gospel in a way that makes sense to those we are trying to win to Christ.

In the mid 1800’s Hudson Taylor went to China as a Christian missionary. While he was there he also founded the China Inland Mission.

Taylor argued, from the example of the Apostle Paul, “Let us in everything not sinful become like the Chinese, that by all means we may save some [1].

In saying that Taylor was taking a different line than most of the missionaries at the time. Instead of expecting the Chinese to adopt western christendom, he adopted Chinese culture. He grew his hair out, ate Chinese food, wore traditional Chinese clothing, and learned their language and stories.

Taylor recognized forcing his culture on the Chinese wouldn’t work, so he became like the Chinese as much as he could without sinning, just like Paul became like the Gentiles as much as he could without sinning. Taylor’s unusual move allowed him to do something different than those who had come before him. He was able to use language, stories, and metaphors that resonated with the Chinese people.

That is what we have to do. We have to work to understand the culture of those we are trying to reach, so that we can present the gospel in an understandable way.

Not only do cultural difference exist abroad, but in the States as well.

City and Country

I experienced this personally when I moved to Decatur, TX. While Decatur is not too far from the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, it is still a rural town. I didn’t grow up in the country. I grew up in the city, and I have always lived in the city.

When I moved to Decatur, I had to start working, and I still am working, to understand the culture, so I can present the gospel in an understandable way to those who live here.

Generational Differences

Cultural divides, however, don’t just exist between the country and city. There are also cultural differences between generations.

There are certain stories, metaphors, and environments that resonate with the older generation that just doesn’t resonate with the younger. If you are in the older generation and you want to reach those in the younger generation — say you grandkids or even your kids — you have to learn their culture. Vice versa for those who are younger.

Now parents this doesn’t mean that you have to start dressing in skinny jeans and cool graphic tee’s. That is probably taking it a little too far. Just understand where they are coming from.

Church and Unchurched

There is also a cultural divide between the churched and unchurched. I believe those of us who were raised in the church either forget this or don’t know it exists. I say that because we often expect those outside the church to understand our churchy language, stories, and metaphors.

We don’t give second thought to using phrases and terms like:

  • Jesus lives in my heart.
  • That was a God thing.
  • That is what sanctification is for.
  • Jesus has justified you.

While there is nothing theologically wrong with those phrases and terms, to those outside the church, they often don’t make any sense. Since they don’t make sense, they don’t get what we are trying to say.

Which means when we are talking with the unchurched we have to use language, stories, and metaphors that resonate with them, as well as we have to define our terms, in order to help them understand the good news of the gospel better.

Again that doesn’t mean we water down the gospel, it just means we speak in a way that makes the most sense to those who haven’t had the opportunity to grow up in the church like most of us.

(2) We must be a living incarnation of gospel values.

Paul was a living incarnation of the gospel. We must be the same. We must incarnate or live as an example of the gospel. People should be able to look at our lives and say,

If I were to become a Christian, that is what my life would look like.

The way we give them that picture is by living out the gospel’s values of grace, mercy, love, justice, compassion, and mission, just to name a few.

Our neighbors should be able to see the gospel’s values worked out in a:

  • A stay at home mom as she cares for her children, husband, and house.
  • A business man as he deals with his clients, employees, and finances.
  • A farmer as he cares for his animals, his workers, and business.
  • A teacher as she interacts with the kids, the parents, and the administration.

The examples could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. The gospel should permeate our lives so that we are a living incarnation of gospel values.

It is one thing to preach the gospel, it is another to live it.

Living out the gospel’s values, along with preaching, has to happen. If we don’t, the message we preach will fall on deaf ears.

(3) We must discipline ourselves to live as Christ has called us to live

We all know Tiger Woods is a great golfer. You can’t deny it. The man has won 105 tournaments, 4 Masters, and 4 PGA Championships. He has won 132 billion dollars in total prizes [2].

While he has real talent, he doesn’t just walk out on the course the day of the tournament and win. He trains almost everyday for 12 hours a day – working out, playing golf, and eating well [3].

Tiger’s talent takes him a long way, but what makes him a great golfer is his discipline and self-control.

Like Tiger, Paul tells us we must exercise self-control, we must be disciplined, if we want to be all things to all people, while remaining faithful to the gospel.

In chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians he uses an athletic metaphor derived from those who participated in the games held in Corinth — the Isthmian games. He says,

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Then he starts to tell us how we are to run:

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it, Paul tells us, to receive a perishable wreath, but look what we are striving for – an imperishable wreath; an eternal reward. Because our reward is so great Paul says,

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor. 9:25-27)

With that Paul gives us the secret to remaining faithful to the life God has called us to live; the secret to being all things to all people is self-discipline, self-control.

Those are needed in order for us to be all things to all people, because we have to have walk a fine line between giving up our rights and adhering to Christ’s law.

As Christians we have rights, but we have to be willing to give those up at times. As Christians we have freedom to live as others do, but we can’t take that too far.

The only way for us to find the sweet spot, so that we can be all things to all people, while remaining faithful to the Law of Christ is to be disciplined, is to exercise self-control.

Question for Reflection

  1. How has God used you as you have been all things to all people?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon All Things to All People to Win Some, which you can listen to by clicking here.

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[1] James Hudson Taylor’s reflection on 1 Corinthians 9v19-23
[2] http://www.tigerwoods.com/about-tiger#biography
[3] http://www.youmotivation.com/motivational-articles/tiger-woods-daily-schedule-12-hour-routine-7129

Our Scriptural Call to Missions

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, EvangelismLeave a comment

Mission

During our Sunday service yesterday, our music minister and his wife read the following responsive reading to the congregation. The readings topic is missions. It specifically highlights the Christians Scriptural call to missions work.

Whether we leave everything behind and head overseas, or remain in the same town our entire lives, we are all called to spread the gospel. It is our biblical mandate. The following verses confirm our calling.

Note: I preserved the responsive reading breaks below.

Matthew 28:16-20, ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 4:35, ESV

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” 

Romans 10:8–15, ESV

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Questions for Reflection

  1. How do these verses challenge or motivate you to missions work?
  2. How are you living as a missionary in your own city?

Resource

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6 Marks of A Missional Church

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Evangelism, Leadership, Pastoral2 Comments

Missional Church

To be “Missional” is all the rage these days. I am not knocking it. I believe it is a good thing. I would even identify as “Missional” I believe we need to live as missionaries in our own communities, recognizing we live in a Post-Christendom society.

What, however, does a “Missional” church do? Timothy Keller sketches an idea for us in Center Church.

6 Marks of a Missional Church

(1) A Missional Church must confront societies idols

Missional churches recognize those in our society are searching for happiness and self-actualization. Everything is about fulfilling our talents and our dreams. Others do not matter.

A Missional Church must be able to confront this idol. As well as they must be able to diagnose and confront other societal idols, if they want to free those in the community from bondage and make an impact for Christ.

(2) A Missional Church must contextualize skillfully and communicate in the vernacular

Missional churches recognize the need to understand their context so they spend time learning the cultural narrative. They know the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of their culture. As well as they understand the nuanced meanings certain concepts have in their culture.

Not only that, but they recognize concepts such as God, sin, and redemption may not mean what they think they mean to those they are trying to reach.

As a result, they spend time examining their cultures understanding of these concepts and gaining a deeper understanding of the gospel, so they might accurately present it to those they are trying to reach.

Since those in Post-Christendom usually have different ideas of God, sin, and redemption than those in Christendom, our most popular gospel presentations need to be adapted to the context and vernacular of the people. That is not to say, the gospel needs to be changed to match the cultural ideas. No matter the culture, the gospel must remain the gospel.

(3) A Missional Church must equip people in mission in every area of their lives.

Missional churches recognize the laity needs to be equipped to:

1. Be a verbal witness to those they know.

2. Love their neighbors and do justice within their neighborhoods and city.

3. Integrate their faith with their work in order to engage culture through their vocations.

As a result, a Missional Church finds ways to support its people outside its walls, whether that is at work, home, abroad, or in leisure activities.

(4) A Missional Church must be a servant community and counterculture for the common good.

Missional Churches present a strong alternative society in which sex and family, wealth and possessions, racial identity and power, are all used and practiced in godly and distinct ways.

Missional Churches also pour out their resources sacrificially for the common good of the city.

While they exist as a distinct counterculture, they situate themselves within society, so their neighbors can observe a separate but servant community.

(5) A Missional Church must itself be contextualized and should expect nonbelievers, inquirers, and seekers to be involved in most aspects of the church’s life and ministry.

Missional Churches know how to welcome doubters and graciously include them as much as possible in community so they can see the gospel fleshed out in life and process the gospel message through numerous personal interactions.

In order to make that happen, believers in the church must be contextual – that is, culturally like yet spiritually unlike the people in the surrounding neighborhood and culture.

A missional church, then, doesn’t depend on an evangelism program or department for outreach. Almost all parts of the church’s life are ready to respond to the presence of people who do not yet believe.

(6) A Missional Church must practice unity.

Missional Churches define themselves more by contrasting themselves with the world instead of other denominations. They seek unity across denominational lines when appropriate, showing the surrounding community Christ unifies instead of divides.

Question for Reflection

  1. What other marks of a Missional Church would you include?

Resources

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Post adapted from Timothy Keller’s, Center Church, 271-74.

Living as a Missionary in Your Community

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Evangelism, Pastoral, Practical5 Comments

Coffee Shop

I have been reading Tim Chester and Steve Timmis’ book Everyday Church this last week. In chapter 2, everyday community, they explain the need to live like missionaries in our own communities. In order to live like a missionary, we must ask the questions missionaries ask.

Questions Missionaries Ask

Where?

  1. Where are the places and activities we can meet people (the missional spaces)?
  2. Where do people experience community?
  3. Are there existing social networks with which we can engage, or do we need to find ways of creating community within a neighborhood?
  4. Where should we be to have missional opportunities?

When?

  1. What are the patterns and timescales of our neighborhood (the missional rhythms)?
  2. When are the times we can connect with people (the missional moments)?
  3. How do people organize their time?
  4. What cultural experiences and celebrations do people value? How might these be used as bridges to the gospel?
  5. When should we be available to have missional opportunities?

What?

  1. What are people’s fears, hopes, and hurts?
  2. What gospel stories are told in the neighborhood?
    • What gives people identity (creation)?
    • How do they account for wrong in the world (fall)?
    • What is their solution (redemption)?
    • What are their hopes (consummation)?
  3. What are the barrier beliefs or assumptions that cause people to dismiss the gospel?
  4. What sins will the gospel first confront and heal?
  5. In what ways are people self-righteous?
  6. What is the good news for people in this neighborhood?
  7. What will church look like for people in this neighborhood?

Conclusion

Reaching our communities with the gospel, means we need to know our neighborhoods, it’s people, and their stories, values, worldview, and culture. Asking these questions will help us to know and understand our communities better. It’s going to take some work, but it is worth it in order to reach our cities, communities, and neighborhoods. So let’s get to work answering these questions and living like missionaries in our own backyards.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you believe it is important we live as missionaries in our own neighborhoods? Why or why not?

Resources

Timmis & Chester, Everyday Church, 42-43.

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Community: Why is it important?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Church Life, PracticalLeave a comment

Biblical Mandate for Community

Members of the church have a biblical mandate to assemble in community with one another. The writer of Hebrews says,

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. ” (Heb 10:24–25)

According to Hebrews, church members need to be consistently meeting together, in order to encourage one another, and to stir each other up to love and good works. If this is the case, why do people often not assimilate into communities?

Assimilation Problems

Several problems exist as to why members do not actively participate in the church’s community:

1) Individualism – A lot of church members are individualistic believing they can change by themselves.

2) Compartmentalism – Most people tend to compartmentalize their lives having a church life, work life, and family life. These are all kept separate and one compartment is not to interfere with the other.

3) Busyness – Almost all Americans are busy some families may want to participate, but they are too busy to do so. The “I am too busy” excuse means living in community with other Christians is not important.[1]

4) Consumerism – Most Americans are consumerists they come to church in order to get, but are not willing to give. They are content sitting in the pew week after week because they have been conditioned by society to consume and shop around instead of plugging in and getting involved.

All of these problems tell us many church members do not see the value of living in community with one another or being involved in the church. They do not understand why it is necessary for their Christian growth and their ability to reach the community for Christ.

The Value of Community

Even though many church members do not see the value of living in community with one another, I am convinced community is necessary for growth to occur in our spiritual lives. These communities are much more than fellowship clubs, even though fellowship is important and necessary for the spiritual growth of the community. These groups (read also ministries) are to be Authentic Gospel-Centered Missional Communities, which have a dual purpose of both speaking into the lives of its participants and reaching the community for Christ. As these communities study Scripture together and begin to increase in their affections for their Savior (upreach), they will want to serve others in the group, as well as seek to rid sin out of their own lives, while helping others in the group do the same (inreach). When upreach and inreach are taking place, the desire to take up God’s mission of reaching neighborhoods and the world with the gospel will begin to increase and take shape (outreach).

In order for these communities to grow in their affections for their Savior, the gospel needs to be proclaimed and studied in-depth, understanding its content and how it comes to bear on the individual’s life. When one understands what Christ has done for them and how they fit into God’s plan, their affections for their Savior will grow.

As their affections grow, they will desire to rid their lives of sin, because they realize that their desires do not match Christ’s desires. I focus on desires here because they stem from the heart, which is the real cause of man’s sin. Pumping different information into man’s mind does not necessarily cause change in one’s life. Rather, the desires of man need to be changed. The only way that will occur is through the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. Before one can seek change, they need to first recognize their wrong desires, which happens through the teaching of the Word in their community. Second, false desires are rid from ones life through prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

As man seeks to align himself with Christ’s desires, he will then take up God’s mission, which is to reach the world with the gospel.

Here is where community comes in. In order for men to understand that their desires are different than their Saviors, they need a group of people who are allowed to probe their heart, dig deep, understand their sins, and surface the desires that lie behind those sins. This can only happen if members are committed to regularly attending a group where they allow its members to probe their hearts, challenge them, speak into their lives with the gospel, and pray for them.

Conclusion

I am convinced it is important that we live in community with one another. The Bible, in more than one place, talks about us as a family, and in Hebrews we are commanded to gather together with the purpose of stirring one another up in love and good works. If we do not come together, then we are living as an estranged brothers and sisters, as a dysfunctional family who only sees each other on major holidays. This type of living is one thing the church simply cannot afford. We cannot afford it because authentic community is necessary to reveal our own sinful desires and root those desires out, which happens through Bible study, prayer, and walking alongside one another. If we never get together, these things will not happen. As well as God’s mission will not be advanced through our church, which is to reach the world for Christ. So my challenge to you is to make time for your church family, get off the sidelines and get involved in one another’s lives and God’s mission.

[1]Brian Hedges, Christ Formed in You: The Power of the Gospel For Personal Change, 239-42.