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Name: Fuhrer
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Birthday: 11/1/1986
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Interests: You're about to learn about the REAL ULTIMATE Ben Du. This site is cool, and by cool I mean TOTALLY SWEET. Have fun.
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| Christ and the City by Timothy Keller
What does it mean to be an urban Christian? Is the city really the
most strategic place for a Christian to live? Or is it something to
survive, something to tolerate? Years ago, a theologian named R.
Richard Niebuhr wrote a book that many theologians are still talking
about today, "Christ and Culture." Harvie Conn, professor of urban
ministry at Westminster Seminary, has reworked Niebuhr's models of how
the church relates to culture and society in order to highlight the
different theological perspectives which control the way urban
Christians relate to their city. His ideas are marvelous food for
thought for any urban Christian. The first two models are at opposite
ends of the spectrum, and are very distinct. The third is in the "mushy
middle" between the first two extremes. The final model is the one to
which the City Church of Denver will aspire, and which will most likely
prove effective in producing cultural transformation in Denver.
Model 1: Christ Against the City
Many Christians blame the city environment itself for the troubles
of society. Rural regions and small towns are seen as sacred and
humanizing, while cities are secular and dehumanizing per se. This
theological perspective expects that ministry in the city can do little
to change it, and even expects individual evangelism to be very
difficult or impossible. City churches influenced by this model are
like "fortresses" which huddle Christians together for warmth in the
spiritually cold urban wasteland.
Response: These churches seem to be unaware of what
Augustine called "The City of God" - the forces of the Kingdom of God,
advancing in every human city. Their pessimism about change ignores not
only the Biblical teaching about the presence and spread of the Kingdom
of God, but also the historical fact that early Christianity thrived
and succeeded largely because it was urban. This kind of "fortress
mentality" is fueled, we suspect, by a profound failure to grasp the
grace of God. Legalism needs very strong "us vs. them" boundaries and
very clear rules and regulations in order to assure our guilty
consciences that we are OK.
Model 2: Christ of the City
On the other end of the spectrum is the theological perspective that
views all historical movements that work to emancipate the oppressed as
the Kingdom of God (whether Christian, non-Christian, or even
atheistic.) Here, the church is not seen as a community in which the
coming Kingdom begins its fruition in history, but as simply one of
many human institutions that must join together and lead humanity
toward liberation and freedom. These churches end up simply as
"mirrors" of the city, uncritically accepting and reflecting the
dominant moral consensus of the city's culture.
Response: While the Christ Against the
City model ignores "The City of God" and the depth of his grace, the
Christ Of the City model ignores the presence of "The City of Man" -
(the world system of idolatrous rebellion against God) - and the depth
of our sin. These churches have lost touch with the need for conversion
of heart and life. While the first model misses the sovereignty of Christ over all the world, the second model misses the uniqueness of Christ ina church that is nothing more than a community center, concert hall, or political action group. It has nothing unique or to offer. all the world. The result of this second perspective is
Model 3: Christ Above the City
This model sees cities as good, but it neither recognizes nor
engages itself very much with the brokenness of the city. Members use
the city as an opportunity for self-improvement but give little back to
it. These churches do evangelism, and their programs may include
"charity" volunteer work - but they do not equip or mobilize members to
heal social brokenness through mercy and justice. Neither do they equip
their members to transform the culture through their vocations. The
result is a very privatized, individualized faith. This model tends to
produce a "Christian subculture."
Response: Although the Christ Above the City model
regards the city more positively than the Christ/Against model, it is
still a failure. While it does recognize the uniqueness of Christ and
the reality of sin and the need for conversion, it is still ignorant of
the presence and power of the Kingdom of God to change both hearts and
social structures. This model also tends to see sin as only personal
moral lapses, rather than as a systematic, idolatrous reliance upon
wealth, beauty, power, or comfort. Thus members may be behaviorally
'pure' but still very worldly in the way they use their time and resources.
Model 4: Christ Transforming the City
Harvie Conn says that the Transformation Model is the most "hopeful
about its holistic mission in the city." Why? The other models tend to
think of the redemption purchased by Christ individualistically - as
simply for the purpose of forgiveness of sins and attaining a place in
heaven.
But the Bible tells us that the ultimate purpose of redemption is a completely restored creation.
The book of Revelation shows us the final goal of all of Christ's
redemptive work - the City of God (Revelation 21:2) which is the
restored Garden of Eden (now in urban form) filled with the Tree of
Life, healing the nations (Revelation 22:2). The curse of Eden that
brought mental, social, and cultural alienation and brokenness is
removed in that new city that God is preparing. This is what Christ's
redemption was all about: restoration - not simply individual pardon
and forgiveness. Thus the Transformational Church seeks to actively
engage the culture in every aspect - spiritually, socially and economically - on both an individual and corporate level.
Harvie Conn writes: "Perhaps the best analogy to describe all this
is that of a model home. We are God's demonstration community of the
rule of Christ in the city. On a tract of earth's land, purchased with
the blood of Christ, Jesus the kingdom developer has begun building new
housing. As a sample of what will be, he has erected a model home of
what will eventually fill the urban neighborhood. He now invites the
urban world into that model home to take a look at what will be. The
church is the occupant of that model home, inviting neighbors into its
open door to Christ. Evangelism is when the signs are up, saying 'Come
in and look around.'
"…As citizens of, not survivalists in, this new city within the old
city, we see our ownership as the gift of Jesus the Builder (Luke
17:20-21). As residents, not pilgrims, we await the kingdom coming when
the Lord returns from his distant country (Luke 19:12). The land is
already his…in this model home we live out our new lifestyle, as
citizens of the heavenly city that one day will come. We do not abandon
our jobs or desert the city that is…We are to "seek the peace and
prosperity of the city" to which God called us in exile (Jeremiah.
29:7). And our agenda of concerns in that seeking becomes as large as
the cities where our divine development tracts are found."
| Model |
Approach to City |
Result |
| Christ/Against |
Physical and/or cultural withdrawl |
"Fortress mentality" – no cultural engagement |
| Christ/Of |
Uncritical acceptance of city culture |
"Chameleon" – no transformational power |
| Christ/Above |
"use" city but give little back to it. |
"Christian ghetto" – minimal cultural impact |
| Christ/Transforming |
spitirual and social engagement |
"model home" – demonstrating grace in city |
| | |
| Today I started and finished Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll. It was an amazing read and gave me a lot of insight into church planting, male leadership, and American culture. Of course I'm taking a lot of the things that he says and does with a grain of salt, seeking to learn from him without necessarily imitating him. I think that I felt compelled to read this before the summer started because, beginning in July, I'll be taking over the teaching ministry at a youth group of a small church in Irvine - Full Blessing Church of Christ (FBCOC). The group is made up of over 20 high school and junior high students and as a twenty-year-old I've been given this extraordinary opportunity to really pour my life into the church, disciple a few guys, do a little bible study during Friday fellowship, and preach from God's word, all with a considerable degree of autonomy. The task fills me with so much excitement and an incredible amount of dread. I'm not sure if the task of ministry that is so daunting or the fact that I have to hang out with high school kids again. I've been teaching twice a month there for the past school year and it's taught me a lot about my weaknesses and limitations. I stepped in fresh from a trip to Africa ready to unleash God's word and realized that it's incredibly hard to get young, creative, energetic, suburban, perverted guys to quit watching porn, drinking on Saturdays, saying "f--k you" every five-minutes, or chase after girls. However, the girls (all four of them) - per usual - are pretty faithful and generally express a desire to grow spiritually and serve the church faithfully... except for the one that invited me to her Facebook group "I Love the People Who Take Care of Me When I'm F--ked Up" (uncensored) which had a picture of a drunk girl passed out on the sidewalk. Ironically, a part of me actually thought it was sweet of her to think of inviting me (the other part was thinking, "dang woman, I just talked to you guys about this last week"). To this day I haven't declined the invitation so I can think about them every time I see it on my Facebook. Cute, I know. Well, one way that I can relate to them is how I definitely remember and know what it feels like to be so awashed in sin that you can completely suppress your natural, God-given ability to fear Him. Sometimes we drown ourselves in so much sin that we can't even fathom what it means to breathe the fresh air of God's grace. Our only option in that condition is to have sex, watch porn, get drunk, punk dweebs, tell people who cross you that you'll take a bat to their face if they don't shut up, and laugh with comedians that say the F-word... A LOT (haha, because my sanctified brothers and sisters at GOC would NEVER watch a comedian say such filthy things... RIGHT? ... "be a man! dooo the riiiight ting!"). Anyway, if there is one thing that I want to do by God's sovereign grace this summer, it's to scare the living crap out of these kids with the awesome, majestic, wonderful, terrifying message of God's love. Being in love is a scary thing, and being in love with God is more scary than anything. I hope that I'm scared of my wife... because I love her... and because I think she's smokin' hot. You guys that have had girlfriends know what I'm saying... they look dainty but one evil-eye stare from them and it's GAME OVER, right? I will stop right now. I hope that some of things I talked about was helpful (even if because how bad I am makes you feel better about how good you are) or, at the very least, mildly amusing. "This is SCRIPPPPPTUUUUUUREEEEEE!!!" :: kicks :: | | |
| It's been a while since I've updated, huh? As I'm about 10 days from my graduation, I'd like to just reflect on how good God has been to me these past three years. It hasn't been easy and I've experienced His disciplines and ordained hardships frequently, but I'm thankful for them. I'm more convinced that God puts His beloved on rougher, but safer paths on our ways toward Him. I'm so blessed to be living the way that I am, and not just because of my material wealth or comfort, but primarily because of my standing before this Holy and Amazing God. It's like finding myself married to this extremely gorgeous, intelligent, and funny girl - I wouldn't know how I did it but I would know that I didn't deserve it. This year I have frequently asked myself the question, "How the heck did I get here?" Before it used to make me insecure and introspective, but now it just makes me smile. The year is almost up for me and then I have summer and grad school and life to get on with. But even then, when this college daydream fades away and the harsher realities of life hit harder than before, living under grace is still living under grace. So yep, I'm here under His grace and... hmmm...random thought, but I hope that a miracle happens today. Pray for one - God might just do it. | | |
| In light of the topic of this year's Spring Retreat (The Church), here are some thoughts. I took them from a Jaeson Ma sermon and applied a little bit of it to the Grace on Campus ministry... 1. THE CHURCH IS A PEOPLE, NOT A PLACE I think that our Christian sub-culture sometimes inadvertently offers incentives for a believer to take part in "doing church" or "going to church" rather than "being the Church." The Church that is the bride of Christ is a body, not a building. And not only is it not a building, but it is built upon faith that is relational, not institutional. Furthermore, Grace on Campus is a ministry, not a club. Attending events does not necessarily mean that we are taking part in fellowship and doing ministry projects does not necessarily mean we are serving God. While I think that it is a great privilege that we have so many tools available and would never in my life recommend the forsaking of Lord's Day fellowship, I sometimes wonder if we can get so caught up in doing Christianity that we forget what it means to be disciples. 2. THE PREACHER IS NOT A PERFORMER AND THE CHURCH IS NOT A PRODUCT Far too often I hear my peers and even myself discuss preaching as though it were a sporting event. While I think that it is great that we make faithful men of God our spiritual heroes, I think that a great tragedy occurs when the Breath of God is spoken and a congregation is more captivated and attracted to the man who speaks it than the Truth that God speaks. A preacher is not there to stand between a believer and God to deliver some sort of special revelation that is inaccessible to everyone else. Unfortunately, it would be much easier to fix if the problem was rooted in the preachers, but I know that we have great preachers that faithfully and accurately teach God's word. The problem stems from the incorrect and almost idolatrous attitude of the congregation. Too many people are attracted to the "product" that Grace Community Church creates. Too many comparisons are drawn between different preachers, forms of liturgy, musical preferences, and even ethnic compositions because people enjoy the ability to pick and choose what they like and do not like. It is strange to think that, even as aliens and strangers in this world, we have done a pretty magnificent job of becoming Christian consumers. 3. THE CONGREGATION IS NOT JUST AN AUDIENCE While I think that this is less of a problem for us as Grace on Campus, I question the same for Grace Community Church. Out of the roughly 8,000 congregation members who go see MacArthur preach at Big Church, only 3500 of them are plugged into fellowship groups. The rest of them generally show up to consume the church's product. I don't wish to minimalize the importance of attendance or tithing, but this again plays into the distinction between "going to church" and "being the Church." You have talked about this numerous times already this year, but I am still concerned for some of my brothers and sisters. One day the vast majority of Grace on Campus will leave. How will we fare in the churches of America? In churches that are smaller, poorly resourced, understaffed, and "less expository" will we just sit back and be a dissatisfied audience? My prayer is that wherever we are and whatever church we attend, we would fight hard to enjoy God and be satisfied in Him forever. This does not happen by being an audience. 4. THE CHURCH HAS A COMMISSION AND A COMMANDMENT God says that He will build His Church; He tells us to make disciples. On some level, we are all preachers, we are all missionaries. We are not just Christians. We are Jesus' disciples... believers... saints... a chosen people... a royal priesthood. We follow the Great Commission and seek to live out the Greatest Commandment. Well, just looking through some of what I have written, I can definitely say that there is much left to be qualified. I have made a lot of generalizations, but I do truly believe that some people fit those characteristics unfortunately well. These are just my opinions and not my convictions, so don't stone me for them or anything. Ultimately, I think that the change can either be huge or very little on the practical side, but tremendous on the attitude side. | | |
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