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Should the questions be, when I am afraid of someone:
Do I really have a heart for the lost?
Am I too ashamed of Jesus to get beyond my desire to blend in and not expose myself to rejection or ridicule?
Can I get over myself enough to realize it is not about me and the kindest thing I can do is share the Gospel out of love for others from a sense of a real burden for their souls?
With that in mind, how does the culture come into play? (sincere question)
Wow. Isn't that what the real issue is behind overtly contextualizing the Gospel after all? Fear of being viewed by those immersed in the culture at large as irrelevant, un-hip, and all that? Fear of being rejected by the culture because we are counter-cultural? Some things to think about here.
In your opinion, would this principle extend naturally to people whose ideas you're afraid of?
Or does it only apply to (say) reasonable fear of physical harm?
I'd say (to my own shame) it extends to any kind of fear or any kind of harm, including the perception of harm.
Great question Frank.
Ummm...I mean great statement...
Piper says the same thing in his post What the Pharisees Got Right.
A great book on this topic is titled, "When People are Big and God is Small." It takes a good look at what it means to fear the people instead of Lord.
"Fear of man is something we do naturally. Since the fall, it is a human instinct. But, sadly, our hearts have a partner in crime. The world and its sub-biblical assumptions aggravate our tendency to fear or reverence others."
- Edwart T. Welch
Welch goes on to give specific reasons why this is so in our culture, such as the culture of self-esteem, victimization, etc.
Its a good read!
I have that book in our library... sounds like that is the next book I should read. 
Tad, I agree it is a very good book. It should be on the basic reading list for all believers. Everyone I recommend it to comes back saying the same thing..."This is a great book." It is very practical and insightful.
Lisa, good call. Read it. You'll be richer for it.
Being a fellow Aussie to Jensen. I am interested to know if there is a link to this broadcast.
Cheers Ian
P.s. Those Sydney Anglicans are good value.
I forgot the link Ian:
here it is.
No worries mate!
In my case, it's the people I'm not afraid of.
They really scare me.
"You can't preach the Gospel to people you are afraid of."
Sure you can.
But you cannot preach the gospel with power if you do not live in the fear of God.
Campi
1 Cor. 1:26ff
{sigh}
Boo!
What about preaching the gospel to people we are angy with or "enemies" with? (Think political activism)
Make that angry.
First, I can't seem to find 9marks podcast anywhere. We did have two visitors from Cap. Hill Baptist today who will be in town a while so maybe they will know.
Maybe the statement should be that we can't preach the Gospel to folks when you fear man more than God. You know, as in Matt. 10:28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Like everything in life when God is not first, but is second and beyond we mess up. So the proposition is not that we can't preach to those we fear, but who we fear more.
Mark
Mark:
Bingo! Well said... And here is the link: http://
resources.christianity.co...d0ba5b34be.aspx
If I may humbly build upon your words brother: as reformed, what comfort there is that the power of the gospel is not stifled if we are sometimes overcome with fear to those whom we are proclaiming its truths; nor is it more impactful if we do not fear those to whom we are proclaiming its truths. That would be an Arminian pragmatic paradigm of evangelism... (similar to thinking that contextualization, culturally relevancy, seeker sensible/sensitive techniques, etc. somehow is necessary to "build the church" or provides the gospel with an "advantage" within postmodernism.)
But praise be to God that the efficaciousness of the gospel is not dependent upon the courage of man; but rests solely on the sovereignty of the One Triune God.
Frank
LIstening back this morning to the interview, I don't think contextually that Jensen was making a mandate for engaging culture. It sounded more like to me that he was sharing personally his own struggle with fear with those at the University to whom he was battling with. IOW, it was his personal testimony; not a strategery for how we view the "culture" discussion.
Having toured in Australia a few times before (loved every minute of it; amazing - great crowds, honest, wanting to dialogue, eager to learn, hungry for the gospel) I wholeheartedly agreed with his assessment of Australian people and how they view the faith, notoriety and fame.
He has some really good thoughts in this interview in how to engage college age students. Some of favorites were:
*Always teach on these two things: sex and sovereignty
*Don’t Become Peter Pan
*Natural Religion is Always Arminian
*Treat professing Christians as if they’re non-Christians
Interesting.
BTW, I thought you did well on Paul Edwards show with Joe Carter the other day. Not bad for a boy from Arkansas who doesn't get out much . I will be on today talking about the emerging church and evangelical cobelligerence.
Peace,
Campius
I missed Frank on Paul Edward's program?!? I am seriously disappointed.
*Treat professing Christians as if they’re non-Christians
I have always heard and done the opposite. Those professing to be Christians I hold to the standards of God's truth unless their profession comes into serious, concerning question.
Have I missed something and not gotten the full picture of this statement?
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