Is it possible to get the Gospel right in terms of its facts while not trusting in that same gospel to bring about God’s desires for every aspect of the Church and its mission?
We live in an age that trusts much in techniques for accomplishing important tasks. Too often I think we have succumbed to drinking from the well of scientific methodologies for the accomplishment of spiritual goals and ministry. By this, I mean that we tend to put an inordinate amount of trust in rationalism that trusts in methodologies and techniques more than prayer and proclamation of the gospel in all of its facets.
- Do we take the needed time to think through and apply the gospel to parenting, leadership, church growth, spiritual development, community, and cultural impact? While I know of some who do, we need to pursue a wholesale gospel orientation to how we do the work of ministry.
- Do we understand how the gospel should motivate us in terms of how we approach unbelievers and believers who are struggling in many and varied ways?
- Do we understand how the gospel motivates, frames, and directs us as to how we should pursue those who are the “least of these” and who are truly being oppressed and treated unjustly?
- How much have we allowed the voices in our culture to direct us rather than the very Word of God?
- In what ways has the Church bought into a political motivation for cultural change rather than a Kingdom-of-God motivation?
The Gospel of the Kingdom is not only the Church’s foundational message but that it also provides us with the needed motive for building that Kingdom: the very love of Christ!