Presenting ...
... a weekly letter of encouragement.
5 March, 1997 - Singapore
Good Morning!
UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE WE ARE SEEKING TO INFLUENCE
How do we communicate the Gospel in a society where God is
increasingly perceived as irrelevant and Jesus Christ is
little more than a vacation school character or a swear word?
A good place to start is to try and understand current cultural
shifts and respond accordingly. Consider the fact that:
1. THE PEOPLE AROUND US ARE BUSIER TODAY THAN THEY WERE
IN THE 1980's+; working harder and longer for less.
Therefore: We need to declare the truth in short sound/time
bytes. Like it or not, long-winded, complicate, or arduous
approaches to communicating the Gospel no longer work.
"Though I am free
and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win
as many as possible...I have become all things to all men so that
by all possible means I might save some.
(I Corinthians 9:19,22)
2. THEY ARE MORE BROKEN AND "DYSFUNCTIONAL"
- individually, socially, and in the family.
Therefore: The process of winning and healing
will generally take more patience and a longer period of
time then it did previously.
"We who are strong
ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please
ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good,
to build him up." (Romans
15:1, 2)
3. THERE IS A NEW INTEREST IN UNSEEN AND SPIRITUAL THINGS,
and willingness to talk about them. However, this interest does
not necessarily extend to the Bible or Jesus.
Therefore: They need to see in us the authentic love
of Christ in such a way that validates true Christianity over
New Age and other ideologies -- particularly those in the metaphysical
realm.
"A new command I
give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
(John 13:34, 35)
4. MANY HAVE A MARGINALIZED VIEW OF CHURCH AND RELIGION.
Therefore: We must model and proclaim Christ to them
in their world, rather than expecting them to enter
ours.
"Therefore we are Christ's
ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled
to God." (II Corinthians
5:20)
My prayer is that you are having a great week!
Dwight Hill
+Adapted from Scriptural Roots Newsletter; Issue #10, 1995; Editor: Carrie Wagner
- 1 Coleman Street #02-34
The Adelphi - Singapore 0617 .
- Phone: 337 6498; Fax: 336 9913
(c) Copyright 1996 Dwight Hill. Unlimited permission to copy or use is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
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