Christ & Culture: D.A. Carson on "Redeeming The Culture"

At this last year's "Together For The Gospel" they gave out D.A. Carson's book, "Christ & Culture Revisited." I must confess, it is still in the pile of my reading in my office that I am working my way through. Below is an interview of Dr. Carson by Derek Thomas from the "Reformation 21 Blog" of where he addresses this issue of "Redeeming the culture." To read the entire article click here.
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(Derek Thomas) DT: Why don't you like the terminology of "redeeming the culture"?

(Don Carson) DC: Redemption terminology in the NT is so bound up with Christ's work for and in the church that to extend it to whatever good we do in the broader world risks a shift in focus. Not for a moment do I want to deny that we are to serve as salt and light, that exiles may be called to do good in the pagan cities where Providence has appointed them to live (Jer 29), that every square foot of this world is under Christ's universal reign (even though that reign is still being contested), that the nations of the world will bring their "goods" into the Jerusalem that comes down from above. But many of those who speak easily and fluently of redeeming the culture soon focus all their energy shaping fiscal and political policies and the like, and merely assume the gospel. A gospel that is merely assumed, that does no more than perk away in the background while the focus of our attention is on the "redemption" of the culture in which we find ourselves, is lost within a generation or two. At the same time, I worry about Christians who focus their attention so narrowly on getting people "saved" that they care little about doing good to all people, even if especially to the household of God. Getting this right is not easy, and inevitably priorities will shift a little in various parts of the world, under various regimes. Part of the complexity of the discussion, I think, is bound up with what the church as church is responsible for, and what Christians as Christians are responsible for: I have argued that failure to make this distinction tends to lead toward sad conclusions.


DT: What are some key things for young pastors to keep in mind when they are urged to "engage the culture"?

DC: Know what the gospel is first, comprehensively, accurately, faithfully. Work out from there. Learn to preach to your own people, not to the aggregates set out in books by Barna and Wuthnow (though much can be learned from such books). Whether the "engagement" is part of how you engage people evangelistically, or part of how Christians in your church do good in your own community, keep thinking through what the Bible itself says -- and then try, like the men of Issachar, to understand your own times.

Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)

Dear friends, I was given this book as a gift at Together For The Gospel 2008 - and what a wonderful gift it is! If you have been wondering, "What is the Emergent Church?" I cannot more highly recommend this book to you. These two gentleman have given a detailed explanation of and concern for the emergent church movement. This is THE BOOK on the topic. I was planning on doing a series of blog entries on this book - however - there is NO way I could improve on a 5 part book review that Dr. Sam Storms has done. So I would say two things: 1) Read the book, 2) Read Dr. Storm's analysis of the book. Thank you Dr. Storms!

• Why We're Not Emergent - part 1
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 2
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 3
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 4
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 5

C.J., Discernment, Giving Correction & The Emergent Church

As you will note at the top of my blog page here it says, "random musings & reflections," and the title of this blog entry might appear to be random, but there are many connections I want you to make with the above stated title. I wanted to direct you to a particular blog entry by C.J. Mahaney on these particular topics, and more than the content (of which is extremely valuable and I believe personally very necessary to address), I want you to see how C.J. communicates doctrinal discernment and the necessity of bringing correction to particular voices in our culture. Here in, is both a bold proclaimation of the truth of the gospel without wavering while a humble pursuit of the mortification of the sin of self-righteousness in his own heart accompanied with a loving desire for see those who walk in doctrinal error to come to the truth and be restored by it.

Again, I cannot say it enough, I am so very, very grateful to God for this man and his humble, bold, biblical discernment that he brings to pastors such as myself. His blog subtitle has the phrase, "from the cheapseats," well then, from mine it is from the "much cheaper seats" - out in the parking lot per say. Here are some specific connections I want you to see, (I am sure there are more, because I am not that discerning - but here is what my thick melon absorbed)...

1. The purposefulness of how C.J. leads. He is specific and very intentional. This speaks to me in how to lead, not only as a pastor, but as a husband and father in how I speak and spend my time with my family. That we are not just transfering information, but in how it is done communicates volumes and without being intentional this way - many opportunities are lost, or not used as well as they could be.

2. The need for doctrinal discernment and specifically how C.J. does this. He communicates clearly how such doctrinal error effects and breaks ranks with "gospel" preaching and doctrine.

3. He is humble in how he directs us to other men and their study and how God has used them. Many "bloggers" might spend much time pontificating ideas that came from other men's studies, but C.J. as a man who is in active pursuit of humility not only gives credit to whom credit is due, but introduces us to another friend, Mr. Greg Gilbert, (click here for his article on Rob Bell's Nooma material).

4. He is humble and gracious in his obversations of those who fall into doctrinal error, such as Rob Bell, while exhorting us to uphold this man lovingly in prayer that he might come to a place of truly embracing the gospel and supremacy.

5. He promotes a biblically healthy self-suspecion of our own motives while critiquing others. Look at this quote from his blog:

"Whenever it’s necessary to critique erroneous content, I find it helpful to
remind myself of the mercy of God. Any insight I have learned has been learned
from others, and ultimately, this discernment has been graciously revealed by
God. In no way does my critique indicate intellectual or moral superiority on my
part. We must critique erroneous content, but our critique must be humble and
not self-righteous.If we accurately perceive God’s mercy, this will become an
occasion of thanking God for his mercy in our lives rather than an opportunity
for self-righteous communication." -C.J. Mahaney

6. Note how he is specific in the training of pastors on how we are to think. While directing us in content on a particular error he is training us how to think about these things, not just what to think about it. This is equipping leadership.

7. His critque is informed by the gospel, thus it has not only the passion of protecting the gospel, but he reveals the hope that there is for us when we fall into error that only comes from the gospel.

From the much cheaper seats - read, enjoy, be informed, and may we be increasingly changed,

Matthew