Inept, unfaithful or ???

"Is the reason you see relatively few results for your labors in Europe because you are inept, unwilling to use proven methods, or simply that you are unfaithful?"

Ok, no one has ever said those exact words to my face. Yet, I have heard it said that Americans planting churches in Europe must have bad methodology otherwise they would see better results. I have heard that we are not daring enough. I have heard, from a pastor who has had strong results in the States, "I wonder what it would be like if I came to Europe?" Since you asked, here is a glimpse of what it might be like...

I went to the Czech Republic last week, Prague to be exact. My administrative assistant, Patty (thanks for the photos!), my colleagues—George and Cindy—and I met with 14 people: some unbelievers, others evangelical lay people, others clergy. Here are some of the things we heard and observed…

John Hus was burned at the stake for heresy by the Roman Church in 1415. His crime? He asserted that the pope did not have the right to use violence in the name of the Church, but rather should pray for and bless his enemies. He also preached that forgiveness comes through repentance and faith in Christ rather than by giving money to the Church (indulgences). Is there any possibility that such historic events influence the spiritual climate of a country? We western believers of the 21st century are indebted to faithful Europeans like Jan Hus who preceded Martin Luther who preceded John Calvin who preceded…

Slavik (Ukrainian doctoral student) said: "If George and Cindy had been working in the Ukraine, doing the same things they are doing here, they would have already planted a few churches."
 (G & C have begun a church but it is not yet under spiritually qualified Czech leadership.)

George & moi interviewing the pastor of a Russian speaking church

An IMB / S. Baptist church planter: "Our mission has had missionaries here since 1991 and we have not yet planted a Czech speaking church."


Athletes in Action worker in Prague

A Cru / Campus Crusade director shared: "We did not see anyone come to Christ last year"

 in spite of their diverse approaches including Mississippi Mud, The Journey, language and business endeavors...

Cru stint worker in Prague

Hmmm, so is everyone working in Prague inept, methodologically challenged or unfaithful? Or might there be other factors that come into play? How do their respective historic, cultural and spiritual contexts contribute to the statistical facts that 350 out of 1000 Americans claim to be evangelical while only 3 out of 1000 Czechs claim the same?

Homage to the late Vaclav Havel

Yet there is encouraging news. George has been reading the Gospel of John with Petr and they allowed me to join in. Petr is obviously understanding what he is reading and we even prayed for needs afterward. And just a few weeks ago during the Sunday morning service at my colleagues' church a Czech woman professed Christ!

Would not this sobering spiritual state of affaires be a strong reason to pray for the Czech people? To finance the sending of workers there to incarnate and articulate the Good News of Christ? (Caveat: ministry in the Czech Republic is not for the faint-hearted!). And to encourage those who are skillfully and faithfully serving there?

děkuji (merci) !

Coming up next: more navigational principles

At the beginning of a New Year it is sometimes helpful to review that which has preceded. So here is a recapitulation of the three navigational principles that we have already looked at.

Reminder: these principles were developed by the French Evangelical Alliance for churches attempting to be fully biblical and full witnesses in this perpetually fluctuating world.

They are found in David Brown' book: «Servir à nos Français».

Principle #1: doctrine of warm welcome

1/ “We believe we need to bring together the biblical convictions of a professing church with warm welcome toward those who come in contact with that church.”

Principle #2: incarnation and reflection

“The church is as much the church when she is dispersed in society as when she is assembled.”

Principle #3: truth and coherence

"A major part of the work of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, is therefore to give form to the 'reality' [the Truth of God's eternal story] by providing a concrete expression of its existence and that through the life of its members."

And coming soon to a blog near you…

Principle #4: simplicity and creativity

Principle #5: veritable encounter

Principle #6: participation and transformation

See you then…

Christmas Year 'Round

I suppose we all typically gear up for Christmas around Black Friday: shopping, decorating... and quite frankly I like all (ok many, some, a few) of these preparations.

Additionally, here is a song* I've always liked that captures the heart of Noël (latin for "day of birth" = birthday).

"I wonder if this Christmas, they'll begin to understand

The Jesus that they celebrate is much more than a man

But the way the world is I don't see how people can deny

The only way to save us was for Jesus Christ to die.

And I know, that if St. Nicholas was here he would agree

That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me

They led him to the slaughter on a hill called Calvary

And mankind was forgiven when they nailed him to the tree.

But most of all the children, they're the ones I hope will learn

That Jesus is our Savior and he's going to return

And Christmas isn't just a day, and all days aren't the same

Perhaps they'll think about the word and see it spells his name

And mankind was forgiven, mankind was forgiven

We were all forgiven when they nailed him to the tree

So merry Christmas,

Merry Christmas,

Merry Christmas

I wonder if this Christmas, they'll begin to understand."

Joyeux Noël to one and all

Dr. Klaw

* Christmas Song for All Year 'Round

Words and Music by Randy Stonehill

Copyright 1976 King of Hearts Publishing

Good news incarnate: church navigational principles

The French government has waged a campaign against counterfeit luxury items. Understandable as France is arguably the world's leader in cuisine, "haute couture," perfume...

Can you tell the difference?

Similarly, how might a person not well-versed in Scripture discern the difference between genuine and fake Christian spirituality?

If one's "testimony" to an unbeliever were, "Since I came to Jesus I don't drink, smoke, run 'round, ner swear." In this religiously plural world, the interlocutor might wonder, "Ok, is this person a) a Mormon ? b) Jehovah's Witness ? c) Muslim ? d) Fundamentalist ? e) all of the above?!

The French Evangelical Alliance's “Gospel and Culture” group’s third navigational principle for churches attempting to be fully Biblical and full witnesses in this perpetually fluctuating world (see previous entries for others) is "truth and coherence." (From David Brown, Servir à nos Français, 249-251.)

As the church engages the world she must resist "conformism." In John 17 Jesus expressed his desire for believers to be in the world (in order to pursue a salt, leaven and light, strategy of permeation) and to be pure and reserved for sacred use thanks to the truth of the Word. Jesus did not pray for us to choose between the two, he prayed that both would happen simultaneously.

Simultaneous contrast of the Hermann grid — Ludimar Hermann (1870)

"A major part of the work of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, is therefore to give form to the 'reality' [the Truth of God's eternal story] by providing a concrete expression of its existence and that through the life of its members" (Brown, 250).

One way to state this is found in the Charis Commitment to Common Mission: (http://www.gbim.org/about-us/commitment-to-common-mission). In the section entitled "Integrated Ministries" we read:

We affirm that God has created human beings with

physical, emotional and spiritual needs and that the

Church expresses the compassion of Christ in

proclaiming the Gospel while caring for various needs

of mankind.

We call upon the Church to bless believers, strengthen

churches and reach the lost by showing the works

which reflect true faith (Jam 2.26):

· Assisting those in need,

· Promoting economic, family, and personal

development…

Attempting to "walk the talk" often feels like…

Or as the old urban saying went, "walk the talk."

Why? Because that is truly following Jesus.

And because people are concerned about being duped; they are afraid of counterfeits: fake luxury items, fake religion.

true or false?

I was in a couple of 100% Christian meetings this month where I wonder what an unbelieving "fly on the wall" would have concluded about our collective relationship to Jesus, in light of the Master's words, "by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." A sobering reality.

Is my life, are our relationships one believer with another, coherent with the Truth we proclaim?

So the Gospel and Culture group encourages experimentation saying that "a humble attitude but with confidence seems to be the order of the day" as the church attempts to live out the truth coherently, to be Good News in a world that is confusing to both believers and unbelievers alike.