Kaleo San Diego Church > Sermons > The “X” Factor - Musings on Contextualizing the Gospel in a Postmodern Society

The “X” Factor - Musings on Contextualizing the Gospel in a Postmodern Society

Brian Thomas
Feb 17, 2008
Series: Topical

Intro:

Kaleo Church has at the very core of its being a radical vision for our city: Gospel Transformation. We want to see our city saturated with the love of Jesus Christ, because we strongly contend that it is only through and by the grace of God that:

Marriages and families will be restored
Businesses will practice ethically - offering services and products of great worth and value to this world
Government will administer selflessly and for the betterment of mankind
The arts will present truth, beauty, meaning and reality in creative and imaginative ways
And of course, we want to see lives surrendered to Jesus Christ as LORD

We want to see all of this and more! It's an amazing and lofty goal that seems beyond our ability and resources, and of course, it is. We've set it this high on purpose. God is going to have to show up and empower us to transform this city. It drives us to our knees and humbles us. We acknowledge that God is a Big God that can and does do big and amazing things. That's what we're praying will happen.

And we also recognize that God is not only the Sovereign One who accomplishes this great transformation, but he has also sovereignly chosen the means by which he will transform lives, families, cities and nations. Question: Who are the instruments that he has chosen to use to accomplish this, my friends? (You and I - the Church)

So today we are going to spend some time musing on culture; pondering how we can best understand our city; how we might enter into God's great drama of restoration and play an active role. We'll take a look at the Apostle Paul's thoughts on contextualization and that will hopefully give us some clues as to how we should contextualize in our ministry to our city. And then I'm going to personalize it a bit and tell you about my search for an apologetic starting point to reach this postmodern generation.

Let's pray:
Gracious God, make each of us an instrument of your grace. Weave us into a community showing forth your power and tenderness. Bless us and our differences and under gird our courage to stand together. We call on you today to gather us in your love and lead us to better know you and glorify you on each step of the journey of our lives. Bless and direct the proclamation of your truth we ask - In the name of Jesus. Amen.

By a show of hands, how many recognize this scene on the screen behind me (Garden State)? This is one of my favorite movies, because I believe every now and then a movie, or book, or song epitomizes where our culture stands. It is like a sign pointing out the reality of how people think or feel about life's deep questions.

I wrote a review of this movie when it came out and in that review I said that the Garden State was not really about a place (its not about New Jersey), it is an attitude that Zach Braff was trying to reveal - a state of mind that is typical of our postmodern / post-Christian / post-everything generation.

And this state of mind is one that is:
depressed but it doesn't know why its depressed
that knows it should be moving in some direction and it lacks not only the map by which to get there, it don't even know where "there" even is

This is where we find ourselves. This is our chapter in God's history book, my friends. The torch has been past by those who have faithfully gone before us and if we hope to see our culture (our friends, family, co-workers) transformed by the Gospel, we must first love our city, which is easier said than done, and in order to love it, we must be willing to understand it (this is where the American church has by and large failed).

In a broad stroke, this generation shares a particular experience and outlook that has had a deep impact upon the American landscape. This outlook has been defined as postmodernism. A ton of ink has been spilled on this topic (both good and bad), and it's not my desire to recapitulate those studies here. Suffice to say, postmodernism exhibit a mood of abandonment and alienation. There is a general sentiment that our families, governments, schools, and religious organizations have failed us. The modernist hope that scientific achievement and technological advancement will solve all of our problems has been proven invalid.

(SLIDE 2)

As a man in his mid-thirties, I am beginning to recognize how influential my cultural upbringing has been upon my thinking on such subjects as career, family, materialism, media, politics, and of course...God. When I read through the list of key factors listed on the slide, I find myself checking off each box. I am Postmodern/Gen-Xer, not just by birth, but to the core of my personality and experience. (READ SLIDE)

If we desire to reach this present generation we must get to know it, and we do so, according to Paul by becoming a servant unto it.

(SLIDE 3)

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some.
23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Since every Christian is a missionary - an ambassador - bringing the love of Jesus into a culture, the example of Paul in this passage is incredibly significant.

Simply put - while the truthfulness of the gospel in unchanging, the methods by which it is communicated must be constantly changing - adapting for culture. In other words, it must be contextualized. Message is the same, method employed must be flexible.

(Sadly, a lot of believers feel this is a compromise. Really? Look at the four Gospels in the Bible - Same story, same life, death, resurrection of Jesus - and yet told with varying emphasis and use of language for different people groups.)

Matthew - for Jews emphasizing the messianic lineage.
Mark for Romans - so it is action-oriented and fast-paced.
Luke for educated Gentiles - it is more flowery and emotional
John for the Greek - emphasizing the Logos - tying in philosophy

In fact, how did you become a Christian - was it thru entering the Hebrew or Greek cultures from Biblical times? NO! It was probably in English, utilizing a communication approach that was comprehendible.

Paul describes how he understood his ministry. He writes: "Though I am free and belong to no man," because he belongs to Christ, "I make myself a servant (slave) to all, that I might win more of them."

To the Jew he becomes a Jew? Huh? Paul was a Jew! This is remarkable. Paul found his identity wrapped completely IN CHRIST (he was a new creation). Your primary identity is not American, or Korean, or Mexican, or anything else! You belong to Christ! That is your fundamental identity.
So like Paul you can say if you're an American, "To the American, I became an American, that I might win as many Americans as possible."

The Jews at least had the Law and the Prophets, something Paul knew quite a lot about, but look at the Gentiles (those who were pagans, not knowing anything about Scripture or holiness or the law and commandments), Paul says to them, he became like them. He entered in and embodied their culture; just as Christ had done (The Word became flesh and dwelt among us).

Paul learned about their art, philosophy, books, poetry, music, governmental systems; he learned their worldview, the kinds of questions they were asking and how they were attempting to answer those questions. In other words, he contextualized his life and message. Was this easy? No! Of course not, so why? Why would he do this? What motivated him? That I might win some - I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I might share with them in its blessings (v. 23).

Look, here's the deal. Paul understood that to be a servant of Christ by proxy means that you are going to be a servant of culture, too. There was a Gospel Motivation behind every word and action in Paul's life. And if you call yourself Christian than the gospel is your motivation - that you might win some, for the sake of the gospel.

Doesn't matter what your job is - teacher, busboy, barista, scientist, architect, stay-at-home-mom, military - doesn't matter - your calling as a Christian means that you will carry out your vocation as an ambassador for Christ - living under His law of loving God and neighbor, serving this city that God has planted you in to be his missionary.

And this is quite a missionary field with only 6% of San Diego claiming to be a bible-believing Christian.

San Diego has many subcultures: surfing, urban professional, science/health, technophile, hip-hop, Latino, suburban families (all with different languages, ways of relating to one another, different value-systems and beliefs).

What culture or subculture are you a part of? Are you a banker, well then you are a part of a financial subculture with its own lingo and priorities that you can use as a servant to win more bankers. Are you an artist? Than God has given you an opportunity to win more artists.

(SLIDE 4)
This graphic is a common one in missionary circles. Understanding Culture is like peeling back an onion where you ask questions that move from outward appearance to the heart, which is a person's worldview. Explain.

EXAMPLE:
Let me give you an example to show you how this works. I am a musician involved in playing in clubs around town - that's part of my calling - both as a musician and a Christian. I meet and befriend a singer from another band. We'll call him John Doe.

Our bands compliment one another and we do a couple shows over a few months and I befriend John and get to know him. I quickly learn that he is a recreational drug user and sexually active with as many girls as he can meet after playing a show (outward behavior).

Over time I start asking about his values - "Why do you do what you do? Does it make you happy?" A true friendship if it's going to be a friendship is going to go a little deeper. I'm asking value questions: What's behind the behavior? What motivates him?
What's underneath the hood that drives him?

I find that John really only feels free when he is playing music. To him it is empowering, liberating and creative. Nothing in life compares. It is the only thing that gives him a sense of meaning or purpose. When he comes off stage it is a let down, and the drugs and girls and everything else just helps him numb the depression - it diverts his attention away from having to deal with reality - like the fact that he's 30 and his dreams of being the next big rock star are quickly receding like his hair-line.

So I get around to finding out what he believes to be true? "John, do you think there is a God out there?" "What do you believe is true?" And over this period of months I've been sharing my life. The fact that I love being creative and playing music, too, and yet, I'm completely satisfied being married to one woman for 13 years, and I'm happy, and content with the fact that I'm not going to be a rock star.

John notices something different about our lives. He can't put his finger on it. I share that, although this is going to seem strange, I spend most of my creative time writing and performing music for my church. He finds this tough to reconcile, because he was led to believe that a Christian would never set foot in a bar and that rock music was supposed to be of the devil and all that!

Do you see what's happening here? I've entered in a subculture, not as an outsider but as a participant, this is my subculture - I belong there. I've learned its common idols, worldviews, behavior and values. John isn't a number or quota or notch in my evangelism portfolio. I like him. Heck, if it wasn't for Jesus intervening in my life thru a co-worker, I probably would be John!
We're friends - sharing our stories, our passions, and desires. And I now have some cultural connection points for the gospel. John likes the idea of freedom, being creative, he desires meaning, and yet every path he's attempted to find these things on has ended up a dead-end.

Do I know something about being freed, being creative, about meaning? Yes, because I've found all three in Jesus Christ - the great liberator of souls, the grand artist of all things, and of course, he's made us for himself, and we only find true meaning, purpose and satisfaction in Him.

That's Gospel-contextualization, my friends. That's a starting point for life-transformation for the sake of the gospel, that we might win more of them. And it may be very different for you and the culture or subculture that you're a part of it, but generally speaking that's how it works.

Thru friendships - sharing our lives and stories - asking penetrating questions that go deeper and deeper unveiling the heart of a person.

Do you realize that about 88% of the people that become Christians become so thru friendships - they ended up believers or they came to church where they heard the gospel message - but it was through invitation of a friend?

(SLIDE 5)

These are the key factors that will help us understand our culture:

Environmental Stewardship - The way we treat the material world
Social / Familial - The way we relate to one another (sex, marriage, classes, family and social interaction)
Vocationally - The way we manage our time, decisions, money, power and priorities.
Spiritually - The way we regard life, death, meaning and beyond.
Psychologically - The way we understand ourselves.
Media & the Arts - The way we present our worldview(s) and entertain ourselves.

All of these things make-up our culture and ultimately our worldview, and we must become students of culture, so that we may enter in and become servants of culture.

***Now this makes some of you very, very uneasy! You're thinking, "Is he saying I should be a worldly Christian?" YES! Sort of: Jesus prayed for us to remain in the
World, but not of it. If you're feeling a little freaked out, stay with me for a moment longer.
(SLIDE 6)

Within the history of the church there have been 2 common reactions to culture. They look like this guy (Pat Robertson) or this guy (Will Ferrell from Old School).

Sectarian and Syncretism. (Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll)

Sectarianism is alive and well in American evangelicalism. Like the Pharisees of old, sectarians are committed to separating from the world lest they catch the deadly disease known as sin, so they hole up in their Christian ghettos, creating an isolated "sacred" culture.

Christians with this mindset become postmodern monks that must validate the art and commerce by its level of supposed spirituality. All forms of art for the sectarian must have some utilitarian benefit: a sacred slogan, a Bible verse, a Jesus fish, a Holy Spirit dove, or some other object that lets everyone know that this car, painting, song, t-shirt, or business is promoting the cause of Christianity.

A sectarian can only condemn culture: we hate you JK Rowling with your evil Harry Potter, or Disney or Spongebob Squarepants, because they have pulled up the draw-bridge of the church and have absolutely nothing positive to contribute to culture, save a talking cucumber and tomato (explain Veggie Tales).

The message of Jesus is impotent because no one hears it because they are all high-fiving one another as they sing, "When the roll is called up Yonder", while watching the O'Reilly Factor and condemning all the gays for ruining their family values. (A church in Kansas was ordered by a court to pay $10.9 million for vilifying the death of a young marine that died in Iraq serving his country - he was gay.)

Here's the problem. The sectarian church has never bothered to offer the world a gospel alternative. John Stott put it this way 20 years ago and it's still valid. He said it is entirely possible in America to:

Be born and delivered into a Christian family by a Christian doctor
Go to Christian a school and college
Support only Christian businesses (after all there is a Cx Yellow Page book)
Read only Christian books - listen to only Christian music
Serve in only a Christian organization and...
Eventually die and be buried by a Christian undertaker

**Now look - I'm not saying any of these things is bad, but do you see how far removed we have become from the early church as we read it in the book of ACTS. The Christian life can be so safe, can't it? Safe and separate, that's the way we like it, and all around us, the world is falling to pieces, and we're holding the glue that can put it back together. That's sectarianism and it is just as sinful as the sin they are trying to keep themselves clear of, because they don't give a rip about the world for which their Savior died!

Syncretism
While sectarians do not go far enough into culture, syncretists go too far - this could be called cultural accommodation or liberalism. Syncretists are more concerned with being popular with culture than with being faithful to God, and therefore, let go of the gospel truth.

As Pastor Mark Driscoll points out: Syncretism simply baptizes unscriptural beliefs in the name of limp-wrested relevance, social progress, being nice, and making a good nonjudgmental impression. Syncrestism inevitably dissolves into a universalism in which God loves everyone, and will forgive everyone's sins and take everyone to heaven because he simply lacks the courage to judge anyone. Eventually, syncretists become less distinctively Christian in favor of an inoffensive spiritual mush.

Sectarians say they love God, but neglect their neighbor. Syncretists say they love their neighbor, but deny God in doing so. Both are wrong, or only half-right. Jesus' high priestly prayer is helpful as he prays for us to remain sanctified by the word of God IN THE WORLD. We are to be BOTH IN THE WORLD and FAITHFUL.

We need a Gospel-centered balance (SLIDE 7)

We recognize that not everything in culture is compatible with Christian living. Therefore, like Paul and Jesus we can enter into relationships in our culture without participating in sin. Here's a helpful alliteration:
1. Reject - Some aspects of culture are sinful and we should reject them: illegal drug use, drunkenness, porn, adultery, sexual sins of all sorts - the pluralistic notion that all roads lead to heaven so it doesn't matter what you believe - all of this we reject. It is false, it is destructive and we simply call this SIN!

2. Receive - Some aspects of culture are the results of common grace - they should be received. God says he makes the sun shine and the rain fall on the good and the bad. Examples would be serving and stewarding creation - the environment, sharing in community life, feeding the poor - social welfare, helping people with physical, emotional and spiritual needs like the adoption of children or foster care. These are good and we should be leading the way in serving our city with these things.

3. Redeem - Some aspects of culture are, in and of themselves, morally neutral - neither good nor bad - they need to be redeemed; things such as money, power, the arts, entertainment. We can use these things for God's glory or they can be perverted and used for evil.

San Diego is extremely materialistic. Money and things are an idol for many of us. We often use people in order to get money, but the Christian uses money to reach people. Do you see the difference? We are stewards of God's gifts and promises.

Paul proved it is possible to be a good missionary embedded in an antithetical culture and still remain completely loyal to the Kingdom of God.
*Okay! I want to shift gears now. In light of all this, I want to share some of my personal thoughts on reaching this present culture.

I came to Christ, or rather was drawn to Him, not by careful examination of doctrinal facts, nor through philosophical debate, nor by witnessing a stellar role model of moral excellence, but through reading a simple story - the story of Jesus as found in the Gospel of John. I found myself in my early twenties longing for something more. I wasn't sure exactly what "it" was that I longed for, but I knew I didn't possess it. I quickly found it was not at the bottom of a bottle, nor in the bed of a pretty girl, nor in career advancement or the amassing of things. There was a God-shaped hole in my heart and only the person and work of Jesus Christ could fill it.

A co-worker gave me a paperback version of the New Testament and I read the Gospel of John and said, "Okay, I believe this god-man!" Not exactly the sort of testimony that ends up in a made for TV special, but it's mine and it's simple. I found myself longing for joy and satisfaction, and once I met Jesus Christ, I realized He alone could quench this thirst.

Forward ahead fifteen years and I find myself still satisfied completely in this Savior. But as I've grown in my knowledge and experience of theology, philosophy, and apologetics I have had a mixed level of success in reaching the lost. I am the worship leader in a missionally minded church, and I long to see all people praising the God from whom all blessings flow. So I've recently gone back to the drawing board to rethink my missional strategy; how to present the Gospel to postmodern people. It dawned on me last year that I am a Gen Xer and pretty postmodern, too (even though I don't like to admit it). Maybe the things that God used to draw me, could prove valuable in reaching others? But what exactly was it that He used? The answer: longing!

A postmodern generation, as Dunn writes, "is not prone to ask questions like, ‘Does this worldview present a true account of reality?' and ‘Is this argument valid?' It is unmoved by traditional arguments for Christianity." Instead - this generation gravitates towards spirituality, meaning, experience, and narrative. All of these are solidified with an apologetic of longing.

It wasn't until I started researching this topic that I found out that this is why I love the books of CS Lewis so much. My theologically astute brethren have always sort of scoffed at my fondness for him, because he doesn't cross every "T" and dot every "I" when it comes to reformed theology. Nevertheless, I have found his use of language, logic, and connection to every day life compelling and edifying. But really it is his use of longing as an apologetic that has taken root within my soul. As a theme, it saturates all of his work, always pointing heavenward. (SLIDE 8)

For example, in his novel, Till We Have Faces, look how he uses this idea so powerfully. The king's beautiful daughter, Psyche, is to be sacrificed to Shadowbrute, the god of the mountain so that peace and prosperity will come to the land of Glome. Her sister, Orual, who loves Psyche deeply, comes to comfort Psyche before the sacrifice is to occur. Orual is beside herself with terror, but Psyche is calm and collected:

"I have always," she says, "at least, ever since I can remember, had a kind of longing for death." "Ah, Psyche," Orual replied, "have I made you so little happy as that?" "No, no, no," she said. "You don't understand. Not that kind of longing. It was when I was happiest that I longed the most. It was on happy days when we were up there on the hills, the three of us, with the wind and sunshine where you couldn't see Glome or the palace. Do you remember? The colour and the smell, and looking across at the Grey Mountain in the distance? And because it was so beautiful, it set me longing, always longing. Somewhere else there must be more of it. Everything seemed to be saying, Psyche come! But I couldn't (not yet) come and I didn't know where I was to come to. It almost hurt me. I felt like a bird in a cage when the other birds of its kind are flying home. The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing - to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from, my country, the place where I ought to have been born."

Psyche's deep longing is one we can all relate to. And this, I believe, has been the key to Lewis' impact and longevity. Lewis said, "One feels this longing. He then tries to satisfy it by pursuing its possible objects, discovers that each of them in fact do not satisfy it, and rejects them each in turn." This is the story of Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Eventually, if you continue the search - to itch the scratch, as it were - you are brought to the conclusion that the object of this deep longing lies beyond this world. Like Psyche, you look expectantly toward a holy other for the answer.

There are some objections to this form of apologetic and Lewis answers them admirably in his work Mere Christianity. As he explains, "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exist. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If that is so I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country."

I am not saying that this approach is a silver bullet, nor does it give an unbeliever the complete gospel. Nor is it a replacement for other methods: presuppositional apologetics, evidential use, or classical arguments. It is merely a starting point in the conversation. It is like the first couple pages of a book that set the stage. If those first pages are good, you naturally want to continue reading. An apologetic of longing is attractive and universally appealing, and is found in a multitude of ways in throughout the Bible. (SLIDE 9)

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul" (Matthew 11:28-29).

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good..." (Psalm 34:8).

"I shall not be in want...He restores my soul...I will fear no evil for you are with me...I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23).

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1).

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).

This generation is restless and longs to stop running on life's never-ending treadmill. Christ brings comfort and rest for the weary soul. He is the eternal satisfier for a hungry heart.

Last year, Jay and some others filmed a series of video interviews on the campus of San Diego State University dealing with the student's thoughts on a variety of different topics concerning spirituality.

One of the compelling points of data to come out of these interviews was how willing these unbelievers were to open up and discuss the topics of God, Jesus, truth, and meaning. You could tell that many of these young people were wrestling with these things, yet remain suspect of "organized religion" or anyone "selling" them their idea of truth.

Most of these students are trying to put together a puzzle, but lack the box top that displays what the pieces actually form. They know they should fit together (long for them to fit together) in a meaningful way that will manifest order and beauty, but they just don't know how to do it. Nothing they've tried has worked.

As we embed ourselves into our culture as servants, we are simply sharing our experience (our story): How Christ put the puzzle of our lives back together. So we say to the postmodern:

I know you grew up in a dysfunctional family, but I've found a family that loves one another with a Father that says He will never leave me. This family puts one another first, serving and supporting one another.

I know you're suspicious of authority, but I've found an authority that is completely trustworthy. I've found the words of life!
I know that you long for true joy and lasting happiness, and I've found it in the one they call Jesus Christ.

In short, we are telling our culture that we were once hungry, and the Bread of Life was the only thing that satisfied.

God is sovereign and will continue to build his flock, and it seems that for my generation He is making use of this approach to draw hungry and thirsty souls to Himself. (SLIDE 10)

An Invitation to Participate & Belong (Taste and See...)
We must share our stories (beggars pointing to where we found bread)
We must display an alternate family where they can feel accepted and loved
We must develop deeper friendships and community (they will know us by our love...)
We must earn their trust by being trustworthy
We must be "Real" - "Authentic" - "Humble"
We must be Patient - Evangelism takes a long time!
In all things, we must trust that the Bread of Life (Jesus) will continue to draw hungry souls to Himself so that all of our hopes are found in Him alone.