Monday, February 4, 2008
Perspectives, 339 Assignment
Please read and respond to the article, "The New Macedonia," by Ralph D. Winter, beginning on page 339 in your Perspectives on the World Christian Movement book. You will be required to respond to at least one other student's comments to successfully complete this assignment. Please ensure that you put your name in parenthesis if you post anonymously.
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4 comments:
The new Macedonia
I really enjoy this article. This serves as a wakeup call even for us here in America. We need a renewed emphasis on evangelism. We do plenty of Jesus talking at church but when was the last time we shared Christ outside of the church walls. It is easy, even expected to talk about witnessing at church but when was the last time we rang our neighbors’ door bell. OK, sure we tried and they said no. What about the neighbors’ one block down. We probably do not even know their name. Us witnessing to the post-modern would be E-2 evangelism. Instead of talking about the people in other cultures we are not reaching and how we might in the future, we need to reach those we can right now. Each day has concerns enough of its own. We worry about tomorrow while people die all around us today.
Mark A
I really like the way that Winter categorized the different ways of evangelism. He is right in that we don’t see this scripture quite right. We have a geographical view of Acts 1:8 “and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” I can’t tell you how many sermons and class lectures I have heard on this topic geographically. It is true that we are to go out to all nations and not just sit in our own comfort zone and expect someone else to go. Yet we need to do something in our own comfort zones, aka culture.
The idea that this passage is speaking about cultural barriers is a new concept to me and I like the idea. I think it helps to view it in this light. We are all to be active in the E-1 evangelism. Yet how many of us tend to think that is the pastor or Sunday school teacher’s job. If we cannot get E-1 right how then can we expect to move forward to E-2 and E-3? I personally am embarking on E-3 with my ministry to Ukraine. I have been caused to think throughout this article what my E-2 field is. I feel as thoug I have skipped this step, but then again maybe God doesn’t have it set up it certain steps. We are to follow His leading and He is leading me into step E-3 (Ukraine). That does not make me exempt from evangelizing in my own culture and comfort zone. God has put people in my path right here and now for me to reach for Him.
As far as the ministering to different people groups here in America I am not sure where I stand. I certainly believe we are to reach any and all cultures whether abroad or in America. My question is about the churches. I think he called them segregated churches. I think that if people are more comfortable worshipping within their culture group then they should do so without criticism. I am afraid that more people will think that they are purposefully being segregated. A church planter must be very careful. I have to disagree with his thought on the youth church though. I think that youth groups are wonderful and necessary, but I think that God does not intend for us to segregate the ages. Does the Bible not specifically teach that the older shall teach the younger? I think one should be careful in this thought process as well. (Meisha Deane)
Mark,
I like your insight on today's post-modern culture being our E-2 evangelism. This is something I need to take to heart and seek the Lord about. I agree, we are all so busy about our lives today and worrying about tomorrow we do not see nor are we looking for those lost and dying all around us.
(Meisha Deane)
Meisha,
I would agree the geographical approach is the most common that is perhaps because the text best lends itself to that approach. Perhaps even that in itself shows, albeit indirectly, the E1, 2, and 3 forms of evangelism. With Jerusalem being E1, Samaria being definitely E2 evangelism, and the “uttermost” being E3 evangelism. I don’t know just a stab in the dark.
Mark A.
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