Monday, April 1, 2013

Holy Restlessness

From Witvliet, John. 2007. "Afterword: Inculturation, Worship, and Dispositions for Ministry." In Christian Worship Worldwide: Expanding Horizons, Deepening Practices, edited by Charles E. Farhadian. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans:

Missional Christianity lives in a constant, question-asking, liminal, restless state - a kind of holy restlessness that comes from loving people and loving the gospel at the same time. Restlessness about culture is a sign of health this side of the coming kingdom. For now, it is the way things are supposed to be. Whenever this restlessness fades, whenever the question-asking stops, whenever practices are perpetuated just because "we've always done it that way" on the one hand or just because "it's on the cutting edge of ministry" on the other - then it is time to worry…

Ultimately, the topic of culture and contextualized ministry leads not to despair, but to hope. It leads us to consider things far greater than we would ever imagine on our own. And it reminds us that the source of our confidence in ministry does not rely on any culture-bound form, but rather on the sturdy fact that the church belongs to Jesus Christ our Lord.

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