Recently I’ve struggled with our modern summaries of the Good News, but hadn’t been able to articulate an alternative very well. I came across this book a few weeks ago, and I feel like James Choung is on to something.
You can also download a pdf version of his interview with Christianity Today here.
Please share your thoughts. . .
I have seen this type of thinking by Rob Bell, Erwin McManus, and some youth oriented speakers. I believe that it is very good teaching, and should be taught more than a sit-and-wait for heaven missiology; however, I believe there is a pitfall that we must all be aware of. In our attempt to better our world through Christ, we can almost create a utopian humanistic view that somehow we accomplish our good deeds without Christ. We can skip the third circle in Choung’s illustration.
This ideology is not new. It was prevalent before World War II, and it started around the age of the Enlightenment. The thinkers, at the time, believed that we could evolve past hatred and destruction. That we could bring heaven to Earth through technology, but completely left out Christ. Naturally, the world reared its ugly face in the form of World War II, and we were left with the nightmares of technology to haunt us for the next 50 years.
Now, that our memory of those times has faded the ideology is back- you too can help bring heaven. Good Idea? Yes, of course we should do everything in our power to feed the hungry, bring water to dry land, and yes-even use technology to spread Christ throughout the world. However, water doesn’t save us, food doesn’t save us, and all the possessions of the world can’t save us. It is Christ alone. White suburbanites have water and food but that doesn’t make them any closer to heaven than someone who doesn’t have those things.
Yes, I am about to go there. I know it may seem cliché and uncool. Product Red will never support it, and Brad and Angelina won’t ever say it (maybe they will though- you never know)- “But God Demonstrates his own love for us in this: While were still sinners, Christ died for us.” There it is! I just went Romans Road! I feel like a fundamentalist. I would rather hang onto to Christ as my good news than my ability or inability to mimic him. Hopefully, in my feeble attempt this messed up world will be better. Holy Spirit, let my life be in sync’ with you.
By: Will Shalter on December 16, 2008
at 3:26 am
Your point was well made, and no, I already know you’re cool, don’t feel bad about using Romans Road:). I see your hesitation in moving too far towards a Utopian humanistic view. How do we avoid that pitfall of moving forward without Christ, yet still making His prayer in Matthew 6 a priority? Do we have a role in His Kingdom coming to earth?
By: New Horizons Ancient Truths on December 17, 2008
at 8:30 pm
I can appreciate your input, Will. And you have some great thoughts. It is so true that “In our attempt to better our world through Christ, we can almost create a utopian humanistic view that somehow we accomplish our good deeds without Christ.”
However, what Choung is talking about is the church doing it WITH Christ, not without him. We are all called to usher in the Kingdom… along side him. None of us think that we can usher in Utopia alone. That is what was missing in the 19th and 20th centuries.
By: Chris B on December 27, 2008
at 12:50 pm