Harry Potter, Britn

ey

Spears and Eminem:

Engaging the Culture

with the Mind and Heart

of Christ

Harry Potter, Britn

ey

Spears and Eminem:

Engaging the Culture

with the Mind and Heart

of Christ

The Christianand

Contemporary Culture

The Christianand

Contemporary Culture

Three Three ApproachesApproachesWITHDRAWOffended by Culture

“The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot ever fence it out.”

J. R. R. TolkeinGildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod, Fellowship of the Ring

Three Three ApproachesApproaches

Delighted by Culture

WITHDRAWOffended by Culture

ASSIMILATE

Three Three ApproachesApproaches

Delighted by Culture

WITHDRAWOffended by Culture

Distressed by Culture

ASSIMILATE

ENGAGE

. . . Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

2 Peter 2:7-8

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

. . . Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

2 Peter 2:7-8

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

I make myself a slave to everyone,I make myself a slave to everyone,to win as many as possible. . . .to win as many as possible. . . .

I have become all things to all men I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means, I mightso that by all possible means, I mightsave some.save some.

- 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22 - 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

I make myself a slave to everyone,I make myself a slave to everyone,to win as many as possible. . . .to win as many as possible. . . .

I have become all things to all men I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means, I mightso that by all possible means, I mightsave some.save some.

- 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22 - 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was greatly distressed to see that the he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in thecity was full of idols. So he reasoned in thesynagogues, . . .as well as in the market-synagogues, . . .as well as in the market-place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.that in every way you are very religious.For as I walked around and looked For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship. . .”carefully at your objects of worship. . .”

Acts 17:16-34Acts 17:16-34

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was he was greatly distressedgreatly distressed to see that the to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in thecity was full of idols. So he reasoned in thesynagogues, . . .as well as in the market-synagogues, . . .as well as in the market-place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.that in every way you are very religious.For as I walked around and looked For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship. . .”carefully at your objects of worship. . .”

Acts 17:16-34Acts 17:16-34

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was he was greatly distressedgreatly distressed to see that the to see that the city was full of idols. city was full of idols. SoSo he reasoned in the he reasoned in thesynagogues, . . .as well as in the market-synagogues, . . .as well as in the market-place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.that in every way you are very religious.For as I walked around and looked For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship. . .”carefully at your objects of worship. . .”

Acts 17:16-34Acts 17:16-34

The Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural ChallengeThe Cultural Challenge

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was he was greatly distressedgreatly distressed to see that the to see that the city was full of idols. city was full of idols. SoSo he reasonedhe reasoned in the in thesynagogues, . . .as well as in the market-synagogues, . . .as well as in the market-place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see place day by day. . . . “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.that in every way you are very religious.For as I walked around and looked For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship. . .”carefully at your objects of worship. . .”

Acts 17:16-34Acts 17:16-34

Paul’s Motivation

Paul’s Method•sought to understand the culture (v. 23)•started where they were (vv. 22-23) •positive about the truth he found (v. 22)•knew and quoted their sources (vv. 23,28)•communicated the Gospel (vv. 18,30-31)

•greatly distressed

Harry Potter, Britn

ey

Spears and Eminem:

Engaging the Culture

with the Mind and Heart

of Christ

Harry Potter, Britn

ey

Spears and Eminem:

Engaging the Culture

with the Mind and Heart

of Christ

>>Everyone has a worldviewEveryone has a worldview

THINKING WORLDVIEWISHLY:THINKING WORLDVIEWISHLY:Basic AssumptionsBasic Assumptions

>>Most people do not think worldviewishlyMost people do not think worldviewishly

>>Every cultural expression communicatesEvery cultural expression communicates worldview beliefsworldview beliefs