Surprise the world – questionable living by blessing
Michael Frost presents a model of missional habits– BELLS – bless, eat, listen, learn, sent
5 Rhythms that shape, form, guide and help us become more like Jesus in our everyday lives – following Jesus, fulfilling His mission.
This series is about how we can reorient the rhythms of life to have a missional impact on the world in which we live.
And it began with considering what missional living looks like.
What missional living looks like:
Missional living is grounded in prayer – 2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, …
Missional living is Christ centred – … that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.
Missional living is dangerous – … That is why I am here in chains.
Missional living requires clarity – 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
Missional living lives wisely – 5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
Missional living is gracious and attractive – 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. “Full of grace and seasoned with salt.”
Let’s see what both Paul and Peter say as they encourage their churches to share their faith. (Re) read Colossians 4:2-6 and 1Pet. 3:15-16
Colossians 4:2-6 (NLT) 2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. 5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
You’ll note in these passages there’s a kind of two-pronged approach to evangelism assumed. Let’s look at those two prongs:
Evangelists Should be Bold
Firstly, Paul clearly seems to think that there are certain people in the church who are gifted evangelists and doing ministry (team).
This leads us to look at Paul’s second prong of evangelism. What does he think the rest should be doing to share Christ with others?
Secondly, the Rest should be Questionable (doesn’t mean dodgy)
a. All believers are given the ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor 5:18 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
b. It may not be your gift, but because you don’t have the gift of mercy does that mean that … or the gift of giving… or the gift of hospitality… or the gift of serving (got a working bee… ‘it’s not my gift’ – try that at home)
c. While Paul sees the gifted evangelist seizing opportunities and boldly proclaiming the Gospel (as Acts clearly shows him doing), it appears he thinks the contribution that the average believer will make to evangelism is to answer the enquiries of unbelievers. (an integrity to their witness)
3. Like the Two Blades of a Pair of Scissors
If all believers are leading the kind of lives that evoke questions, then opportunities for faith sharing increase, and the gifted evangelists do their best work.
4. How Can We be more Questionable? Let’s consider making it a project to be more surprising to our neighbours.
Michael Frost suggests five ways we can all live more questionable lives, but today I just want to look at just one of them. Blessing others.
He mentions 3 ways we can bless our unbelieving friends and neighbours:
a) Words of Affirmation: This is the simplest way to bless someone. Send them a note, write them an email, text them. Send them some words of affirmation and encouragement.
b) Acts of Kindness: Bless others by doing them a favour or providing some kind of practical support
c) Gifts: I’m talking about totally random gift-giving. Nothing blesses someone more than an unexpected gift.
In Surprise the World, Michael Frost urges us to undertake the challenge of blessing three people every week – at least one of whom is not a member of your church; at least one whom is a member of your church; and the third can be from either category.
Do you think you could do that?
Would you pray with me that God might reveal three people we could bless either with a word of affirmation, an act of kindness or a gift?
And remember the words of Paul and Peter we read earlier. They say in our dealings with outsiders we should “be wise…, full of grace…, seasoned with salt…, gentleness and respect.”