Missional In Seattle

Thanks to Steve at Reformissionary for compling links to all the Mark Driscoll and Tim Keller video spots for the Desiring God Conference. They are well edited and very thought-provoking.

Two videos stood out for me. First, was Mark Driscoll’s spot on enculturating the Gospel in Seattle. This short vignette captures, in essence, what my understanding of ministry has pretty much always been. I’m not sure the un-encultured suburban “sanctuary” approach to church ever made much sense to me, despite all the years I spent in it. Put simply, what Driscoll describes (maybe with a little less techno-awe), is what I hold to and have tried to develop in churches.

However, it was interesting that when L saw the video, she said “I thought this guy was against attractional.” That got me thinking; the line between hospitality and attraction is not always a clear one. Some of my friends are very good hosts and to be honest, I find their hospitality attractive.

Maybe the issue is normalcy? I thought about every seeker service I have been involved with and visited and to be honest, none of them were culturally normal. They were always odd, always a case of the church “dressing up” like the world. What I’ve tried to with the opportunities I’ve had and what I think Driscoll is talking about is not “dressing-up,” it is just being normal to the culture.

The second video, talks more on facing sin in presenting the gospel. On one level this video is a good counter to the claim that missional approaches are weak on theology and renunciation of sin. However, it goes a little further.

Many years back, well before I went to theological college I started to realise that conventional approaches to evangelism just didn’t seem to work. However, lots of opportunities arose to talk about faith with the people I “hung out with.” I recall when I left finance to go into ministry I never had to take the initiative to explain my decision; people asked, they were curious. The difference in the two situations wasn’t down to theological content, it was down to patience.

Whilst at theological college, I bypassed the monastic lunchtime meal to eat in local cafes, resturants and malls. I firmly believe that ministers should be Fl?¢neurs, observing the everyday interactions and movements of people – part of the cultural landscape, observing and learning.

The city is like a textbook of life, if we can slow down and take the time to walk through it and read it.

But also, it was encouraged to see Driscoll talk about doctrine in practice. Good theology always comes down to being able to address the human condition in all it’s richness, but also in all its falleness.

[tags] Missional, Mark Driscoll [/tags]