Are We Missing the Forest by Focusing on the Tree?

The facts presented in the book "UnChristian", so qualifies the current condition of the church and it's ability or lack of, to reach our culture.

Presenting the Gospel in Proper Context
This brings me to the idea of our gospel context - is modern Christianity presenting the good news in the proper context; yielding demonstrable proof of a King and His kingdom?

What is context? According to dictionary.com it is:
The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.
The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.

Thus context is the circumstances or facts surrounding something that produces definition and thus understanding. So how does this relate to the gospel? Glad you asked.

From what I read in the bible, I see the good news (gospel) presented in circumstances and facts (context) regarding a kingdom restoration. Below is just a sampling of texts emphasizing the kingdom context of the gospel:

-There was to be a descendant of king David ruling (2 Sam 7:12, 16)
-The Lord's kingdom is everlasting (Ps145:13, Dan 4:3)
-God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Dan 2:44)
-The saints will assist in the ruling of this kingdom (Dan7:27)
-When Jesus entered Jerusalem the people expected kingdom restoration (Mk 11:10)
-Pharisees demanded to know when the kingdom would come (Lk 17:20)
-Jesus first message was to repent for the kingdom of heaven had come near (Mt 4:17)
-Jesus primary message was the good news of the kingdom and he demonstrated this. (too many texts to list here)
-He sent the seventy and the twelve to preach the Gospel of the kingdom (Lk 10:9, 9:2)
-After his resurrection Jesus ministered to the disciples of the kingdom (Acts 1:3)
-Before His ascension the disciples asked if he would restore the kingdom (Acts 1:6)
-The end will not come until the gospel of the kingdom is preached to all the world (Mt 24:14)
-The Born again experience is to see and enter the kingdom (Jn 3:3,5)

The point I am attempting to make is that the gospel is more than a salvation experience; it is the entrance to a Kingdom that is to result in a transformational lifestyle. Unfortunately, this is not the context of modern Christianity.

Is Conversion the Goal?
The problem is much of Christianity focus predominately on the conversion experience as the goal. Why do I say this? Just look at the focus of many ministries and what gets the headlines. It is the numbers of conversions at weekly service or revivals. It is the number of those filled with His spirit or baptized. Sermon after sermon is preached about winning the lost (by the way, did Jesus tell us to win the lost? Read the great commission again thru fresh eyes). In some cases, guilt and condemnation is used to motivate members to go out and evangelize.

The end result of this context is a numbers game that results in weak and ineffectual Christians. There is the lack of true discipleship evidenced by a transformational lifestyle. Quoting from Unchristian;

"Yet the point of research I have presented is to clarify when the simple starting point becomes the substitute for Christian discipleship. Intentionally or not, we promote the idea to outsiders that being a Christ follower is primarily about the mere choice to convert. We do not portray all the aspects of life."

The authors further state that most who become Christians disconnect from a church within eight to twelve weeks. "In a get-saved culture, too many of the conversions become either 'aborted' believers or casual Christians." A Salvation focused gospel produces a lifestyle that is concerned with a list of do's and don'ts that we perceive will affect our eternal destiny. This becomes life of fear and bondage verse transformation and freedom.

The contextual error of the gospel of modern Christianity: is that we emphasized the salvation, born again experience so much that we do not convey that it is only the beginning.

We focus on a tree, missing the great vastness of the entire forest.

Application
Ok, so I have ranted about a problem: now, what should we do?
In my humble opinion, the answer is to change our context of the born again/conversion/salvation presentation. The experience is not the goal nor is it about heaven or hell; it is about being restored to the nature and image of God. It is the entrance into a transformational lifestyle that will continue until we die or He returns. It is about the restoration of the dominion of a King and his kingdom in our lives on a daily basis.

Our presentation of the good news should be like Jesus: Repent (change your thinking - it will change your behavior) because the kingdom of heaven is here!

Have A Wonderful Week!