• Emergent vs the Urgent
While the emergent church is not the call of God, the urgent need of the Church to be real before Him and with others is; to be rightly attuned to God in all aspects of our lives exceeds being culturally ‘sensitive’ and ‘relevant’ to presenting Jesus Christ aright to the deepest needs of a lost humanity.
— M.A. Williams
Posted on March 27, 2015, in Pearls of Wisdom and tagged attuned to God, call of God, culturally relevant, culturally sensitive, deepest needs, emergent church, Emergent vs the Urgent, lost humanity, Mark Anthony Williams, Pearls of Wisdom, presenting Jesus Christ, real before God, real with others, urgent need. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Shade of the Moriah Tree
Shade of the Moriah Tree 
Being relevant is to speak the truth at all costs.
As well as being full of grace.
Perfect image of that is being salt. Salt makes our food taste better, but too much makes it taste terrible. We as Christians cannot shove our position down someone’s throat, we have to be sensitive and gracious and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way.
and it’s knowing when to step back and let the Holy Spirit have His way; how we can be such a hindrance at times, even though God is sovereign.
I tend to be too timid when it comes to facing people. I have to be more courageous when it comes to witnessing. I have all the courage in the world when it comes to online conversing, but when it comes to face to face encounters, I lose my tongue and head…I guess I’m similar to Paul the Apostle in this regard.
I have much to be worked on by the Holy Spirit.
A brilliant book to have a read of some time is ‘Workmen of God’ by Oswald Chambers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read it. It’s not a huge read, but very insightful with the emphasis of relying on the Holy Spirit when dealing with people of different kinds. Oswald was seasoned with spiritual wisdom beyond his years. He was most definitely God’s man without a shadow of a doubt, despite his Arminian leanings at times… I know, it’s a puzzle to many of us who are Calvinistic (don’t like labels to be honest with you), but God is infinitely bigger than our understanding.
I have found that the best times of witnessing to others is when it has not been planned; how God has wonderfully opened up doors and you just know God is planting seeds in their hearts. I for one do not find it easy to just start up a conversation and get into the ‘witnessing’ act. One of Oswald’s mentors from the Highlands (Scotland) wisely advised him to Speak to God first about a soul before speaking to them about God. Nothing much nowadays like Gaelic Christianity – robust and full of heart!
To be honest with you, Paul, much of today’s evangelism is mechanical and so unreal as if it’s to be a done thing rather than it being a natural overflow of the life of God within you. I know we’re to go out and preach the gospel to all nations, but we forget wisdom comes with that and great sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit… my goodness, you say you have to be worked on by the Holy Spirit? I feel many, many miles behind you.