Following on from my reflections “Gospel: A piece of cake” I want to expand on some of those thoughts. So I had shared about the term gospel and what it has been reduced to by many by using the analogy of a cake (borrowed from Steve Bell). The atonement is the cake and the 9 theories are slices. All 9 are delicious. So it is with the atonement theories, each can bring new life to the gospel. I also shared a bit about Luke 4 and Jesus’ manifesto “the spirit of the Lord is upon me”… and suggested Jesus’ words would suggest the gospel is more than penal substitution.

So now I move on to something slightly different and that is the communication or proclamation of the gospel.

So if the gospel is more than substitution and a guilt orientated message communication is more than preaching sin, hell, wrath and judgment. Jesus’ announcement “the spirit of the Lord is upon me” is an announcement of action, as in Jesus will do the things that follow He announces. Jesus’ proclamation is action-orientated. His life and ministry embody His announcement. And, wow, what a privilege that the same ministry is extended to believers. 

The reason for sharing about communication is that so often when ‘gospel’ is used by evangelicals they usually mean penal substitution which ought to be preached or that every thing else done for the sake of evangelism is done with this bias. Much of the “preachy” methods of evangelism such as open air meetings, door to door visitation and such are what I call the Business or Salesman approach to communicating the gospel. However when I think about communicating the gospel I am most inclined to believe that communicating the gospel effectively involves doing…living…loving…being and so on. The salesman, business type model of persuasion, convincing, preaching is very much a western approach. Many other cultures understand through relationships, that is their way of knowing. Jesus ought not to be sold but experienced and known in a living relationship. What we sell is Christianity, we so work hard at persuading people to believe what we believe by preaching at them our beliefs until they give in. But Jesus did much more than preach, preaching was one slice of the cake for Jesus. Many other ways of communicating were implemented by Jesus in His relationships with others. 

People respond much more to relationships of love and trust than they do some dictator. The felt needs of a society or person are often what they respond to the most. So preaching goes over the head of someone whose felt needs are food. They don’t need a lecture, they need food. Until such felt needs are met then there really is no point in speaking really.

Think of preaching as the bones, put some flesh on the message by being the message. “In the beginning was the Word” and the “Word became flesh”. Dont just give people bones, give them meat. Don’t sell Jesus, but just be like Him, let His life in you communicate “good news” to those around you.  

Leading worship tonight @ Prayer for the Nations Event

What new songs am I doing?

10,000 reasons Matt Redman

One thing remains Jesus Culture

I have been reflecting recently about ‘gospel’, what is it? what does it mean? I keep hearing people saying “share the gospel” , “preach”, and “proclaim” it. I have been asking these people what do you mean by gospel? And then I usually get the typical ‘evangelical’ penal substitution understanding of gospel in response to my question.

And in Steve Bell’s words (‘World Changers’, 2012) that model of the atonement is 1 of 9 others and is only a thin slice of the cake. Going on to speak about non verbal ‘proclamation’ of the ‘gospel’ Steve drew attention to the role of Christians displaying the richness of “Christ in us…the hope of glory”.

So when I think about gospel I think much like Bell on this and agree that what western evangelicals call ‘gospel’ is a thin slice of the cake. The court room analogy and penal substitution model is foreign to many cultures. The concept of guilt isn’t embedded into cultures such as middle eastern, african and even among most people in the UK. In fact, shame is perhaps more easily grasped and understood by such cultures. What if we thought about Christ’s death on the cross as an intercession. In Genesis at the fall Adam and Eve are first aware of their nakedness and then they feel shame. The prominence of ‘shame’ in the Bible would indicate that it is important for understanding the ‘gospel’.

When Jesus says he has come to “proclaim good news” it is first directed towards the poor, and then Jesus continues “liberty to captives”, “sight to the blind”…etc. He doesn’t say that He has come to preach the penal substitution model of the atonement. In fact Jesus’ concept of gospel in Luke 4 is much more socio-political orientated than it is eternal rest orientated. Jesus is concerned about transforming the globe and all people in it, and this is His mission because He has been anointed.

All of the models of atonement have something to offer and can give insight into a much more biblical and holistic understanding of what good news actually is. After all that is what ‘gospel’ means, “good news”. Each slice of the cake is valuable, but lets enjoy the whole cake not just the same old stale piece.

http://step.fairtrade.org.uk/

Join in and take a step!!!

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/gold/

Wedding rings, engagement rings and other finery that glitters and shines, how pure is it really and what could be more precious?

Not easy to answer a question like that since we all have different value systems and give value to certain things more than others. The link will direct you to a short film about gold and how it affects those who mine it.

I have the joy of knowing that my wife’s engagement ring and our wedding rings are ethically sourced. Chocolate Couture made us great rings at great prices and more importantly left our conscience feeling good about the decision. For us people are worth more than gold.

Gold is a killer, just like diamonds, and other precious stones and metals.

What will you choose?

It’s a difficult world to live in ethically, so many things that seem out of our control and yet small changes can grow and lead to bigger ones and when many people join together something can be done.

http://www.fairstory.com/watch/

I like this new video from the folk at Fairtrade Foundation

http://www.amostrust.org/news/index.php?pageNo=1157&parent=1

“Sometimes it is hell on the streets but when I play football I feel as if I am in heaven.”Thamires, Brazil

Street Child World Cup is hosting the Big City Sleep Challenge in London on the 23rd March. They’re asking supporters to spend a night sleeping rough to raise money for SCWC 2014 which will take place in Brazil.

There will be live Brazilian entertainment, a meal voucher for all sleepers and a chance to find out more about the Street Child World Cup.

You can find out all the details on the SCWC website or you can download a Big City Sleep form here, fill it out and send it to:katie@streetchildworldcup.org.

This is more than a game, no chi

Matt Redman’s new song for justice -  anti trafficking song hits the charts this month 27th Feb