On GreatCommission http://www.egroups.com/group/GreatCommission , there is an interesting inquiry from a frequent short term missionary (meaning he goes often but doesn't live year round there) to various parts of the globe who often comes across those who ask questions about Christianity and socialism. I have suggested to him that the questions are really about something else. He agrees that is likely, that the inquiries are probably really about how Christianity proposes to change their society, how they live. Probably, where "socialism" has "worked", they fear Christianity will change what they feel secure about, while where it has failed, they are looking for hope.

Two interrelated questions here. Sorry to combine them in one thread, but I really don't want to type the background of the questions twice.

1) How would you answer someone asking questions that you "sense" are really about how the gospel will change their society's fundamentals?

2) As Christians, how does the gospel and the great commission look biblically applied to a society where we have the ability to create change through the political process and other means? What I mean is, while we have the obligation to preach and teach, what biblical obligation do we have to engage in affecting school circulum, political parties, etc? What are the boundaries between being involved in creating a more receptive environment for the gospel and actually preaching the gospel?
quick illustrative example -- if we engage in the debate on creationism v evolutionary theory, victories may mean that the children grow up with a greater acceptance of the possibility of a creator God -- we then have a more receptive audience for teaching about that God. But we can end up spending so much time and resources preparing the soil that we never get to planting and watering.

-- Anonymous, June 05, 2000

Answers

Mark:

I'll have to think on the first question for a bit, but I feel more sure in replying to the second.

One answer wuold be this: That's why there are so many different roles in the life of the church on earth. Some are called to serve a congregation as a minister, some are called to work in Christian education, some are called to be the best accountant they can be, etc.

Similarly, we are given different passions. Some will feel driven to face down the evolution-is-all influence; some will be driven to confront social injustice, some will be driven to minister to the poor in a mroe complete way; some will be driven to focus on evangelism, or youth culture, or ministry to single parent families, etc., etc.

Some will be led to strongly influence their local PTA/PTO. Others will bring a Christian influence to the community's Little League program. Some will committ their time to the local homeless shelters or food pantries or whatever else the Spirit influences them to do. And they will preach and/or teach and/or witness and/or counsel as they go.

Some will plant gospel seeds, some will water those seeds, some will have worked to prepare the ground ahead of time thru efforts in the social arena.

I don't see any need to decide between one or the other as a body, as long as we see to it that different parts of the body are engaged in complimentary works in different areas.

-- Anonymous, June 05, 2000