Christology: Missional Jesus (Gordon Cotterill)
Discussion Point #2
Within the lecture Newbigin's observation is noted
Newbigin, L.(1988) Mission in Christ's Way: A Gift, a Command, an Assurance."When the message of the kingdom of God is separated from the name of Jesus two distortions follow, and these are in fact the source of deep divisions in the life of the church today.
On one hand, there is the preaching of the name of Jesus simply as the one who brings a religious experience of personal salvation without involving one in costly actions at the points in public life where the power of Satan is contracting the rule of God and bringing men and women under the power of evil. Such preaching of cheap grace, of a supposed personal salvation that does not go the way of the cross, of an inward comfort without commitment to costly action for the doing of God’s will in the world – this kind of evangelistic preaching is a distortion of the gospel. A preaching of personal salvation that does not lead the hearers to challenge the monstrous injustices of our society is not mission in Christ’s way. It is peddling cheap grace.
On the other hand, when the message of the kingdom is separated from the name of Jesus, the action of the church in respect of the evils in society becomes a mere ideological crusade… pp9 "
Observations/ comments?
How does it challenge/affirm your concept of ministry?
In what ways have the way we engage as church resemble what Newbigin defines as peddling cheap grace?
posted by ETLnetwork at 4:10 AM
16 Comments:
"But this is Salvation Army mission- loving others as God has loved us"
I think this is really important that we recognise mission as reflecting attributes of God - loving as God loved us is such a simple phrase but actually is so deep!
Thanks
There is a real danger of cheap Grace if we preach personal Salvation at the expense of being Christ in our communities. This particular part of the module has been a great challenge to me as I was one who had a fairly dramatic conversion experience . I become quite emotional when I think of the Grace of God. However, it is because of that Grace that I want to serve Him in my life and as I continue to mature in faith I realise even more that we need to help others experience that same Grace. I suppose teaching is very important . Ministers and leaders need to constantly challenge their folk to live out their faith in real ways. Many Churches have folk who never fully make this connection and only see their Christianity in light of how it affects them . They like Worship to be what they want it to be either traditional or modern. Sermons must be over in 20 minutes and the meeting must be over in an hour as lunch beckons. They become consumers of religion not active participants . This is not meant to be a critical of people as I was like this myself for some time.
Chris Hall
The first time I read William Booth’s phrase, ‘with heart to God and hand to man’ stirred in me a recognition of what my ministry was about. My response to what Jesus had done for me filled my heart with a deep love and a conviction to share that act of love and grace with other people. I recently read a notice board that said ‘Life without Jesus is hell’, and it provoked within me again a realisation of God’s mission for His creation and the consequences for those who reject Him.
I agree Chris we also need to challenge our people to live out their lives with Kingdom values and for me that is firstly taking personal responsibility to grow continually in Christ, taking on more of His likeness enabling me to keep doing His work. Therefore, my part is as, Hirsch & Frost reminded me is the “need to identify a whole lot more before we can expect to really share Jesus in a meaningful way . . .”
I have recently seen Christians divided because their band became a ‘fellowship band’, which opened the door to have people who felt they belonged join them. The believing, behaving, belonging which Chick Yuill speaks became very prominent, since this was not going to be the pattern of events. Instead Chick Yuill turns this around as does Stuart Murray (Church after Christendom) also they look to firstly belonging before believing and lastly behaving (pg 9). I cannot see that this is watering down the Gospel message but rather reaching out and inviting people to belong and as such, they learn new behaviour patterns from other Christians, and they should then be prayed into the Kingdom. I believe by allowing people to belong firstly in a church without pressure of behaving and believing there will be less ‘cheap grace’ sought.
Carol Skene
Newbiggin makes a very valid point.
It affirms my concept of ministry by reinforcing the need to preach the gospel and the kingdom and the implications of not doing so.
Also, there is a great need for Christian people to be taught about and have understanding of salvation and its scope, about the rule of God and his will in our world. If it is merely about personal salvation the sacred can then remain confined to the church i.e. church activities and church relationships with the remainder of life viewed as secular. One outcome of this is that the congregation is not missional.
Some of the ways we undertake as church that resembles peddling cheap grace could perhaps be;
The lack of the Churches voice/involvement in the very real issues of our day.
Some churches disinclination to come out of their enclosures and get their hands dirty engaging with our world. It’s about we’re saved and we’re okay.
Some churches that have bought into post-modernism and their brand is religious consumerism, a prosperity gospel. It’s about what’s in it for me?
Chris, Carol Sk and Yvonne you all make great points and all point to th e need of a balanced appraoch to mission that is both christ centric and kingdom centric.
I am really encouraged
Thanks
I am all for allowing people to belong prior to belief. A recent example from placement shows how this can lead to faith in Christ.
I was without a pianist for a while, and had the offer of regular help from an excellent pianist who I had built up a relationship with - a lady who did not profess any faith, but who saw our need, and wanted to be of help. I welcomed her with open arms, and she came along every week and really enhanced our worship. Over a period of time, this lady became a Christian - came to belief through belonging, and being exposed to authentic Christian community.
I would dare say that there would be Churches that would have no taken this approach, and would have expected 'belief' first. Who was I to inerfere with what God was already doing in this person's life?
I would agree with Newbigin and again this highlights the importance of both actions and words. If the church/people only talk about the personal salvation of Jesus rather than actually live it then this is the 'cheap grace' Newbigin speaks of. In this post modern era we as Spiritual leaders cannot expect people to come to us We must go to them. It is our responsibility to share with others and this is not by just talking but by doing. As Carol highlighted, it is the same for me 'Heart to God and hand to man'. It affirms for me that in my ministry that I must act and speak. I liked Sweet's quote that says, 'Postmodern leaders are not customer-centric but Christo-centric'. Our focus must be on what Christ wants rather than people.
It was also encouraging to read Catherine's example of her pianist. At the current time at our corps we have one chap who comes along most Sundays. He confesses that God has shown Himself in his life, but he chooses not to follow as he would have to change some of his opinions in life. He certainly doesn't fit into the category most people would want of 'believe, behave, belong'. He belongs, doesn't really want to believe and in many people's eyes doesn't behave as he will come into the meeting halfway through and sometimes his choice of words could be better. As Chris says to the man himself 'You are work in progress' (as we all are). And we pray that he will eventually accept a personal relationship with Jesus in his life.
I think this is a modern problem for TSA/Churches and by modern I mean within my life time. I think we have become tainted with our societies obsession to be politically correct and it has become unfashionable to preach about what Jesus was actually saving us from.
We are embarassed about telling people what the consequences of their actions have and we have focussed for too long on the nice side of Christianity where God forgives us for everything and then, if we're not careful, we become part of a club where we can comfortably sit back on our laurels and not worry about everyone who will be going to hell because we haven't had the guts to share Christ with them. And probably for a number of years TSA has created this problem for themselves because the focus was always on 'bums on seats' so we were happy to invite people along to our club where they could be Sunday Christians and not worry about God for the rest of the week.
This wasn't the case when you read Army history. People knew what TSA stood for because there wasn't any hidden agendas and they knew that they were in a battle and all the soldiers had to fight. And it wasn't just the soldiery that knew this, it was members of the public too because it had an impact on what they did as well.
I'm all for people belonging and being a part of the singing group or whatever you have in your own Corps for them to join; so long as they don't stay at the belonging stage but move on. Otherwise our Corps' become Social Clubs.
I do hope that I don't sound aggresive in my response to this. I am all for allowing people to belong and I would be one of the first people to invite them but we have to make sure that we are making disciples so that those that they rub shoulders with, influence them in the right way!
My prayer is that I will be the right kind of person to lead the lost to Christ!!
I agree with Newbigin with regard to the recent life of the church today. It is strange how this happens: is it due to a certain teaching such as Newbigin calls preaching a Jesus for our own personal salvation and nothing more? I think the distortion mentioned goes beyond that point. Just like Jesus it is not only about preaching or words, it is about being and doing. For church is a verb. Perhaps the fullness of the gospel is not completely incarnated in us and therefore the church. I wondered how this could be changed. Perhaps it is about holiness?
According to Bosch one of the characteristics of Jesus' ministry was the all-out attack on evil in all its manifestations. I see Newbigin sees the same relation between Jesus' ministry and fighting evil. The churches that lack passion for others, fighting for justice, services for the periphery of society, offering ways to enter into a 'new' life, perhaps did separate at some point the message of the kingdom from the name of Jesus. I sense that the focus on Jesus brings people closer to the heart of God and to the heart of others in a radical, compassionate way.
I need to admit that I was not fully aware of the impact this all had. And I do need to confess that I often forgot to preach and live out a Christ-centred life. And I am aware that this had an impact on the way our corps is shaped. I now know that growing towards a church that twists grace into a cheap and superficial thing, is sometimes just around the corner.
Mmm, cheap grace. That sounds familiar. Bonhoeffer writes in his small book 'Nachfolge', 'The Cost of Discipleship' the following about cheap grace:
Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjack's wares. The sacraments, forgiveness of sin and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost. (Bonhoeffer, 2001:3)
And then costly grace:
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. (Bonhoeffer, 2001:5)
I read this book already a couple of years ago, but was never able to get my head around this subject of costly grace. I never really understood it and considered it to be heavy and Calvinistic (do not get me wrong my dear fellow Christians in the Calvinistic sense) but I think I’m getting it now. Costly Grace is costly, because it costs our God everything and because it calls us to follow. Although it does not cost us anything, it will change our lives forever. Social Action, helping ‘others’ is not needed to receive grace, but is an attribute to grace.
Mariska - ah you beat me to it church as a verb!! It is worth exploring the holiness connection. I can't think you can make sense of mission with out holiness, norholiness without mission. Wesley often spoke of social holiness.
Mark - interesting thoughts, Newbigin does seem to borrow the concept from Bonhoeffer. The impact of cheap grace on our involvemnet in community and people's lives is always something to keep in mind.
I also agree with Newbigin we cannot seperate the two.But in corps and churches everywhere there are people who do not see that, they want and have the experience of personal salvation but they do not then carry it through with the actions of christ in the public lives. They want the personal experience of salvation but do not realise that they need to follow it up with social action as well. I feel that sometimes people can become to comfortable with their christian life and feel because they belong to the Salvation Army they are doing their bit for social injustice by giving their money rather than their time to physically help those in need. They are happy with cheap grace and no amount of teaching will change how they feel they will never move into that deeper relationship with christ.
Like those previously I feel it is right that people belong first rather than beleive, it is when peole feel comfortable an at ease they are willing to take on board the message of salvation, and if that means allowing them to join in the band or singing group or play the piano surely that can only be a good thing, because it can allow them to enter into a relationship with Christians who can lead them to Christ.
"in corps and churches everywhere there are people who do not see that, they want and have the experience of personal salvation but they do not then carry it through with the actions of christ in the public lives..."
The challenge then is ours to be able to disciple and teach in such a way that the gap of understanding is closed
It is in my experience a lot of people attend church for personal salvation. (I remember the line about getting a ticket to heaven in order to eat heavenly applepie). But I challenge it is just about inward comfort. For a lot of people it also the question if they are able to live the life of the beloved. It is like people do not see mission as an attribute of grace. Because whatever I do it won't justify me. As Mark cites Bonnhoeffer he sais. Costly Grace is to be searched for and is to be asked for. How many do not dare to ask this because they think God wont let them eat apple pie in Heaven. This is what I see a lot around me. Nouen sais: Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the 'Beloved'. Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” A lot of good things are said in this blogg. I quess this is important to recognize for i believe this separates people from the kingdom and the names of the eternal.
Certainly - good thoughts Richard, this area takes us to the discussion rerading how we define Salvation - the lost themes material isinteresting here.
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