Friday 5 March 2010

Dreams of theology and world evangelization - Piper questions

How do we listen to Christians around the world, to better spread the good news of Jesus Christ in our situation and worldwide? DesiringGod has posted a video of John Piper chairing a discussion with Doug Birdsall, Chris Wright and Lindsay Brown (3 leaders in the Lausanne movement) on that topic, and the Cape Town 2010 congress. Dr Piper confesses that if he went to plan such a congress, it'd flop - so watch the interviewees discuss how we hope, by the grace of God, it will be effective - and catch many pearls of wisdom from these four servants of God in the course of discussion.

Some of the questions asked and topics shared were these:

  • What are the issues facing the global church today, for world evangelization?
  • How does the cross of Christ address those issues?
  • Why are we evangelicals those who need reformation as in the 16th century?
  • How an evangelical 'swagger' should be replaced with humility and hope?
  • What is the Lausanne Movement anyway?
  • What's wrong with prosperity theology? How it leads to desolation, discouragement and dissertion.
  • Sharing as a part of the body of Christ in the world - how should we partner in the new equilibrium? What have we to learn in the West?
  • How can we be different as the people of God?
  • What's new in each of the areas identified as key for world evangelization? What are the implications of globalization for world evangelization?

And to wrap up, Dr Piper asked the others for 30 seconds each on: 'Cape Town 2010, 16-25 October, 4000 people, 200 countries, coming together with these issues in mind, all informed by the gospel, to advance world evangelization: what are your dreams?'

Well worth watching.

1 comment:

Chris O said...

this is spot on. superb. thanks rose