Being Missional with an atheist

I ran across this video on YouTube - Penn Jillette, the speaking half of the illusionist team Penn & Teller, talks about receiving a Bible from a fan following a show:

  

You may know that Penn is an out-spoken atheist, and doesn't have much time or interest in "religion" - but here he gives a pretty reasoned and coherent argument for being missional.  He asks the rhetorical question "how much do you have to hate someone to not proselytize?" Excellent insight!  Even with his disdain for God, the gospel, and the Bible, Penn still calls the man who gave him the Bible a "good man," and respects him for living out his faith. 

We don't need to be able to debate the existence of God to be a witness of the gospel.  It is as simple as being able to describe what God has done to you; how He saved you, and that you merely trust in Jesus for eternal.  Being missional means that we are always "on mission," and that can be as simple as giving a Bible to someone.

I wonder if I would love a vocal atheist enough to simply and respectfully give him the gospel in a copy of the Bible?  

Knowing the Gospel - a New 4 Spiritual Laws?

I read an interview today at ChristianityToday.com with an author named James Choang.  He has developed a new way of expressing the gospel, something he calls "the Big Picture."  It focuses on four phases: 1) designed for good, 2) damaged by evil, 3) restored for better, and 4) sent together to heal.  He design is meant to replace the infamous Four Spiritual Laws with a method of seeing the gospel as not being so individualistic, but rather more corporate; something which definitely would be more understandable and attractive to today's teens, 20 & 30 Somethings.  

I am not going to attempt to fully critique his "Big Picture" method, but want to highlight one thing I picked up in the interview.  When asked how the Big Picture considers the atonement (i.e. Jesus dying on the cross, as our substitute, to appease God's just wrath upon us due to our sin), he seems to stray from an orthodox and biblical understanding of atonement.  The atonement is always in the context of the perfect God-Man Jesus shedding his blood (dying) for sinful people. Christ's death is repeatedly correlated to the Old Testament sacrifices, most specifically detailed in Hebrews 9:11-28.  The idea that we are "vampire Christians" (a quote from Dallas Willard which he supports) goes against what is clearly taught and emphasized in Scripture.  

So why is this important to you?  Because it highlights the absolute importance of knowing what the gospel actually is.  We can (and should) use many different illustrations and analogies of the gospel, but we cannot change the meaning of the gospel.  Paul gives this clear definition in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas..."  

Getting smacked by reality

I got hit in the stomach this last week - hard!  A day after preaching in a Sunday service, I got news that one of our flock passed away.  It's weird because of all the greetings and handshakes following the service, the one that sticks in my mind was this brother's.  I don't know if that's because he died, or because God's Spirit made it stick out before I heard the news.  

Either way, the news of his death hit me hard.  The last worship service this man experienced here on earth was led by me.  Did I prepare him well for the eternal worship service he is experiencing now in heaven?  Did I bring him into the presence of God for the 75 minutes he sat in his chair?  Did I describe and explain the Gospel in such a way that it made him excited to know Jesus as his savior?  Because of my love for and belief in the Reformed doctrines of the Christian faith, I know that it is not my speaking ability, nor does it have any direct correlation to the amount of worship or sermon preparation I may do, which makes a service "good."  It is only the work and power of the Holy Spirit. 

Isn't this true of the life of all of Christ's disciples?  We never seem to be prepared enough to talk about the gospel, at least in our own minds.  We are afraid of some big philosophical question or objection that might be raised, and we won't know the answer.  I don't want to look like a fool; more importantly, I don't want Jesus to look like a fool.  And yet, in our relationships with friends and family, we never know what's about to happen.  Will I get another chance to talk with my best friend about the most important thing in my life?  Will I have the opportunity to reach out to someone and love them? Tell them about my amazing King? 

This punch in the gut has re-focused me.  People say that near-death experiences have a way of re-aligning your priorities.  This specific experience of the death of someone who was "near" to me has given a wake-up call; people need to hear the gospel, people need to see the gospel - from me!