engaging the culture with the heart and mind of christ engaging the culture with the heart and mind...

Engaging the Culture with the

Heart and Mind of Christ



Dr. William BrownPresidentDr. William BrownPresident

19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

“If you could live forever, would you and why?”“I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, becauseif we we’re supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but wecannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever.”

---Miss Alabama (1994 Miss USA contest)

“Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can’t help but cry. . .

…I mean I’d love to be skinny like that but not with all those flies and death and stuff.”

--Mariah Carey

“Smoking kills. And if you’re killed you’ve lost a very important part of your life.”

--Brooke Shields

“It’s boring. We walked out after, like, one minute.”

Paris Hilton on The Passion of the Christ (Entertainment Weekly, June 11, 2004)

Engaging

the Culture?

Engaging

the Culture?

“Will and Grace, WWE Smackdown, Eminem, and Madonna have more to do with the direction of our culture than all of Congress.”

Bill WichtermanPolicy advisor to Senate Majority leader Bill Frist

“Will and Grace, WWE Smackdown, Eminem, and Madonna have more to do with the direction of our culture than all of Congress.”

Bill WichtermanPolicy advisor to Senate Majority leader Bill Frist

“More theology is conveyed in, and probably retained from one hour of popular television, than from all the sermons that are delivered on any given weekend in America’s synagogues, churches and mosques.”

Phyllis TicklePublisher’s Weekly“God-Talk in America”

“More theology is conveyed in, and probably retained from one hour of popular television, than from all the sermons that are delivered on any given weekend in America’s synagogues, churches and mosques.”

Phyllis TicklePublisher’s Weekly“God-Talk in America”

Three Three ApproachesApproaches

Three Three ApproachesApproachesWITHDRAWOffended by Culture

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

Gildor Inglorion in J. R. R. Tolkien’sFellowship of the Ring


Delighted by Culture

WITHDRAWWITHDRAWOffended by Culture

ASSIMILATEASSIMILATE

““Our father, God, Allah, we thank you for thisOur father, God, Allah, we thank you for thismoment in time. Bless Kanye, bless his album, moment in time. Bless Kanye, bless his album, take over his album and take it to the highest take over his album and take it to the highest place possible . . . In the name of Allah and place possible . . . In the name of Allah and the spirit of our inner essence. Amen.”the spirit of our inner essence. Amen.”Prayer by Kanye West prior to a concert, Blender, Prayer by Kanye West prior to a concert, Blender, September 2005, 126.September 2005, 126.

“Church”“Church”

“The Way You

Move”“The W

ay You

Move”Man, have you ever really wonderedLike why are we here? What the meanin’ to all of this?

Man, have you ever really wonderedLike why are we here? What the meanin’ to all of this?


Delighted by Culture

WITHDRAWWITHDRAWOffended by Culture

Distressed by Culture

ASSIMILATEASSIMILATE

ENGAGEENGAGE

. . . 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

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


While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was he was greatly greatly distresseddistressed to see that the to see that the city was full of idols. So city was full of idols. So 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 For as I walked around and looked looked carefully at your objects of worshipcarefully at your objects of worship. . .”. . .”

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

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,he was he was greatly greatly distresseddistressed to see that the to see that the city was full of idols. So city was full of idols. So 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 For as I walked around and looked looked carefully at your objects of worshipcarefully at your objects of worship. . .”. . .”

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


“Greatly distressed”“Greatly distressed”

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)

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)

Guiding Students to Think

Worldviewishly


Worldviewishly


The little boat drifted across the pond exactly the way The little boat drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t. a bowling ball wouldn’t.

The little boat drifted across the pond exactly the way The little boat drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t. a bowling ball wouldn’t.

Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots at the center. at the center.

Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots at the center. at the center.

Her vocabulary, was as bad as, like, whatever.Her vocabulary, was as bad as, like, whatever.Her vocabulary, was as bad as, like, whatever.Her vocabulary, was as bad as, like, whatever.

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.

John and Mary had never met. They were like twoJohn and Mary had never met. They were like twohummingbirds who had also never met.hummingbirds who had also never met.

John and Mary had never met. They were like twoJohn and Mary had never met. They were like twohummingbirds who had also never met.hummingbirds who had also never met.

The politician was gone, but unnoticed, like the period The politician was gone, but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.

The politician was gone, but unnoticed, like the period The politician was gone, but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.

The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.backstage during the storm scene in a play.

The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.backstage during the storm scene in a play.

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like raced across the grassy field toward each other like freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.at a speed of 35 mph.

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like raced across the grassy field toward each other like freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.at a speed of 35 mph.

Cultivating Worldview ThinkingCultivating Worldview Thinking

1. Educating1. Educating

2. 2. IntegratingIntegrating3. Mentoring3. Mentoring

Elements of Worldview ThinkingElements of Worldview Thinking

ExplanationExplanation

InterpretationInterpretation

ApplicatiApplicationon

Focus: Biblical InstructionFocus: Biblical InstructionGoal: Think BiblicallyGoal: Think Biblically

Focus: Personal and CulturalFocus: Personal and Cultural EvaluationEvaluation

Goal:Goal: Discernment Discernment

Focus: Personal Decision-Focus: Personal Decision- makingmakingGoal: ChristlikenessGoal: Christlikeness

Examples of Worldview TeachingExamples of Worldview Teaching

1.1. Explore the distinctives of the BiblicalExplore the distinctives of the Biblical worldview. Ask, “What if . . . “worldview. Ask, “What if . . . “

2.2. Explore the distinctives of otherExplore the distinctives of otherworldviews. Ask, “How would a ____worldviews. Ask, “How would a ____explain or interpret this?” explain or interpret this?”

3.3. Ask: “Why?” about everything. Ask: “Why?” about everything.

4.4. Collect worldview current events Collect worldview current events

Examples of Worldview TeachingExamples of Worldview Teaching

5. “Enslave” yourself to everyone. Ask:5. “Enslave” yourself to everyone. Ask:““What are your favorite . . . What are your favorite . . .

songs/groups? Why?songs/groups? Why?movies/celebrities? Why?”movies/celebrities? Why?”

6. So What? Ask:6. So What? Ask:““What do these songs/movies/etc.What do these songs/movies/etc. tell us about ourselves? What istell us about ourselves? What is the underlying worldview? What the underlying worldview? What values, actions, beliefs do theyvalues, actions, beliefs do they promote? How do these line uppromote? How do these line up with a biblical view of life?” with a biblical view of life?”


Worldviewishly


Worldviewishly


Where Have All the Dreamers Gone?

Where Have All the Dreamers Gone?


engaging the culture with the heart and mind of christ engaging the culture with the heart and mind...

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