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What is Salvaton? – Answering Ed Stetzer’s Missional Question
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There is an amazing conversation going on right now around the term “missional.” Every Monday Ed Stetzer (president of Lifeway Research) posts a question for missional thinkers to answer. Yesterday his question was on the topic of salvation.
It is a large and complicated question, so first I will recap his post and then answer it a piece at a time.
RECAP OF THE QUESTION:
I saw three underlying frustrations fueling Stetzer’s question:
1. Stetzer commented that the understanding of salvation on the individual/personal level should not be dismissed. He then gave multiple Biblical examples of salvation on this level and concluded that an individual’s personal commitment to Christ comes first and then his/her transformation toward social justice.
2. He pointed to a growing movement of people who would define “salvation” as bringing justice through political and economic reform (corporate, not individual level). This movement began as a both individual and corporate but has more recently become solely corporate tossing out the individual.
3. Many missional thinkers speak of salvation happening outside the church (specifically when speaking about God being on mission – the Missio Dei – and people joining God in that mission). Stetzer again mentioned his concern with this phrase hoping for a more further definition.
Stetzer then asked two questions:
“Should the definition of “salvation” be expanded beyond personal redemption of sins to include social justice through the reformation of economic and political institutions? We are not debating here whether we think social justice is right or wrong but rather should it be included in what we mean we we talk about “salvation.” Evangelicals have generally said no and mainliners have generally said yes.”
“Second, what is the difficulty with the question of personal salvation? Why is that hard for some to answer? Perhaps it is too unsophisticated, but I think it matters deeply. Actually, I think that just about all evangelicals would say it matters. Tim Keller has stated the concern and I share it. If you broaden “God is working outside the church” to one direction, you have to answer if it includes personal redemption. Perhaps I am obsessed, but I am O.K. being obsessed with the redemption of men and women. So, I think the “missional conversation” needs to ask (and answer), is God saving people outside of the proclamation of the gospel?”
IS GOD WORKING OUTSIDE THE CHURCH?
I’m going to table Stetzer’s first question for a later post (hopefully tomorrow) because the concept of justice is complicated. Rethinking my theology and the Biblical narrative through the lens of the Missio Dei has radically changed my understanding of justice and its place in the salvation discussion.
So now I would like to clarify why I (a grass-roots missional thinker with a Southern Baptist background) use the phrase “God is at work outside the church.”
The meaning of the phrase is determined for me by the context of the conversation.
1. God is working outside your understanding of church.
Often I use the phrase “God is working outside the church” to combat the idea that those who are not a part of an institutional church are somehow not able to be used by God. Let’s be honest, in our culture the word church is most often used to denote an institution. Buildings, worship services, beloved clergy, and programs are all central to our understanding of “church.” Many times when I use the phrase I am speaking directly to that understanding. I am part of a missional community that meets on Monday nights. We look nothing like an institutional church; but God is working through us in the community to bring salvation (individual/personal) to the lost. You would be amazed what a struggle this is for the average, everyday joe. You would be blown away how often I have been asked things like, “So when do you preach?” or “So when you grow big enough you are going to get a building right?” or “So what church is your small group a part of?” When I use the phrase in this context what I am really saying is, “God is working outside your understanding of church.”
2. The temptation toward universalism.
I don’t use the phrase to mean that some other form of salvation exists outside the Lordship of Christ; although I understand the temptation to use it in this way.
Growing up I was very much protected within the walls of the church. My church family was like an unbreakable bubble. We (believers) were in the bubble and they (non-believers) were out. I got passing glimpses of those outside of it, but never a monstrous amount of contact because my life revolved aournd (sic) the church. What defined those of us inside the bubble were the rules and rituals that dominated our lives. Following the rituals and rules is what it meant to be a disciple. Now don’t get me wrong, we preached grace and mercy. We spoke about the saving blood of Christ. We railed against legalism and salvation by works; but when it came to describing what the life of a believer looked like we gave examples like: we go to church on Sunday, we participate in the following five programs, we don’t drink, we don’t cuss, we don’t dance (where anyone can see you), we pray when we are in trouble or need something, we only listen to Christian music, and on, and on, and on.
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GJ - Asking the question is a good way to promote the subject being raised.
Leftist Evangelicals quickly become pure Leftists who hide behind the cross to hide their hammer and sickle.
Church and Change hired Stetzer to be their main speaker, then lied about it until the cows came home. The Conference of Pussycats finally woke up and insisted the invitation be withdrawn.
WELS discipline consists of denying that it ever happened, or as Don Patterson handles it - hiding the eggs.
Texas WELS has a message to those concerned about organized Easter egg hunts:
No hay huevos.
