An "Inside Baseball" Missiological Thought
Sometimes I think of the “Matthew 24” Brand of missiology like a vaudeville plate-spinner. I have this picture of a guy on stage trying to get a whole row of plates spinning at the same time. But, as he gets towards the end of the row, the ones that were first to spin lose their momentum and start to wobble and fall flat.
Does he go back and get them going again? Is the trick getting all the plates spinning at the same time, or just having spun the plates?
In the case of missiology, I do not think there is anything magic about having reached all people groups with the Gospel. It is something we are tasked with, and needs to be a goal, but it will not force God’s eschatological hand in any way.
But, that said, I do not think it is OK to focus all of Christendom’s evangelistic efforts on Unreached Unengaged People Groups when there are groups that were reached centuries ago who have been lost again. There needs to be a focus on “Post-Christian” and “Post-Atheist” cultures as well.
Otherwise, it is as silly a strategy as a performer seeking applause for having spun 100 plates but not having all the plates spinning at once. The trick is in having all the plates spinning. The task is having all the people groups engaged.
Does he go back and get them going again? Is the trick getting all the plates spinning at the same time, or just having spun the plates?
In the case of missiology, I do not think there is anything magic about having reached all people groups with the Gospel. It is something we are tasked with, and needs to be a goal, but it will not force God’s eschatological hand in any way.
But, that said, I do not think it is OK to focus all of Christendom’s evangelistic efforts on Unreached Unengaged People Groups when there are groups that were reached centuries ago who have been lost again. There needs to be a focus on “Post-Christian” and “Post-Atheist” cultures as well.
Otherwise, it is as silly a strategy as a performer seeking applause for having spun 100 plates but not having all the plates spinning at once. The trick is in having all the plates spinning. The task is having all the people groups engaged.
Comments
Post a Comment