From the first chapter, Nate Frambach observes many of the same trends in mission and ministry with which many of us are already acquainted: people today, in general, don't read the Bible and therefore many people make uneducated assumptions/observations about the biblical story; there are some general identity challenges for the Church today, and for "lutheranism" in particular - who are we? what makes our message important?
Nate makes, I think, a very important point from the beginning, and he even reiterates that point at the end of the chapter as he adds some questions and thoughts for reflection. The first question starts with an assignment to read Acts 8.26-40. From the familiar story, what did you learn about telling others about God? What does it mean to "be" a follower of Jesus?
In keeping this story in mind, what does it say about how God works in any community? He suggests that it may be important to discuss how our community came into being. In our own story we may find out something about ourselves as well as about God. I think what Nate intends for us to understand is that to follow the Risen Christ, is really about a state of "being" at every point in our lives. No matter where we are, no matter who we meet, no matter what we are doing, if we remain focused on "being" a follower of Jesus, our actions and words should show Christ to the world. Here's what I mean.
I saw a video last night of a little boy holding a placard that said something like, "God hates sin - repent or die". He stood outside of a congregation that was leaving worship - a congregation that had apparently voted to affirm gays and lesbians and their privilege to celebrate life with someone of the same sex. As he stood there, the boy shouted out that he loved them and God loved them as well, but God wanted them to change. If they did not change, God would hate them. The parishioners filed out and walked past the boy, but one older woman walked up to the boy and said that she loved him and wanted to know if she could hug him. He responded, "No. Go away," and then went back to his preaching. It would be no surprise to you to know that the little boy was from a well-known church in the US. It would also not surprise you to know that the man filming this "event" was standing behind the boy saying, "Preach it, boy!"
I will be the first to say that each of us has the right to free speech. I wonder, however, if the little boy had grown up in a community that knew the same Jesus that this congregation professed? The two communities clashed on that sidewalk in the name of one who is supposed to unify and repair creation itself. Whether we agree with the boy or with the congregation he protested is not so much the point. The focus of the struggle is that neither community was able to hear the other because they spoke different "languages". The little boy spoke of a God who was just and a rule maker. The congregation spoke of a God who was merciful. Which one was right?
Read the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch in the text mentioned above. What do you think the story says about how one tells others the Good News of God?
Well, what do you think?
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