duality

Ed Stetzer is posting a series on the Missional Manifesto. In his post on part 8: Duality, he quotes this powerful statement.

We believe the mission and responsibility of the church includes both the proclamation of the Gospel and its demonstration. From Jesus, we learn the truth is to be proclaimed with authority and lived with grace. The church must constantly evangelize, respond lovingly to human needs, as well as "seek the welfare of the city" (Jeremiah 29:7). By living out the implications of the gospel, the missional church offers a verbal defense and a living example of its power.

Excellent as is but I might add two words and delete one.

We believe the mission and responsibility of the church includes both the proclamation of the Gospel and its demonstration. From Jesus, we learn the truth is to be proclaimed with authority and lived with grace and power. The church must constantly evangelize, respond lovingly to human needs, as well as "seek the welfare of the city" (Jeremiah 29:7). By living out the implications of the gospel, the missional church offers a verbal defense and a living example of its power.

Stetzer notes that it is, "crucial to remember that there is a difference between the gospel and the implications of the gospel." He is correct - at the same time, to separate one from the other is sub-Biblical.

He provides further explanation.

The gospel is news: the good news of the gracious work of Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection that restores our relationship with God when we, as the manifesto says, repent of our sin, confess the Messiah as Lord, and trust in him. A gospel-centered mission will always include a call to the individual to place their faith and trust in Jesus. This is why evangelism is an indispensable part of mission.

But the gospel is also a story. Many today prefer to describe the story-arc of the Bible as "Creation-Sin-Redemption-Restoration." The addition of restoration emphasizes that God's end game is to restore His creation back to its original order. God's purpose is to redeem individuals, who join God in acts of restoration (mercy and justice) and ultimately, gathered as one people who will dwell securely forever in a restored creation (Revelation 21). So while the gospel is God's work of redemption in Jesus Christ, the followers of Jesus Christ demonstrate the hope of the gospel in both words and deeds.

I love that last part but it reminds me that often what we perceive as demonstration of the Gospel, while good, typically lacks the power that we see in Scripture. When Jesus fed the multitudes he didn't develop a church budget, committee, etc. to pull it off. He didn't even wait on God to provide some miraculous anonymous donation. Jesus multiplied the food. When Jesus healed the sick he didn't do it by creating a medical co-op or building a hospital. He touched them.

Bottom-line; I'm not against all these things. I'm actually on my way out to lead a group bringing food packages to low income families and offering free oil changes for their cars. This is right to do. But I pray I don't confuse this with the fullness of the whole implication of the Gospel.