Reformission #2: "and now, the news"

This next chapter in Driscoll's book (The Radical Reformission) is both compelling and challenging for me to think through. He encourages us to take the timeless gospel and declare its relevance in any culture, particularly the culture we find ourselves in. Driscoll urges us to repent of two opposite dangers - nostalga and innovation. There hasn't been a "Golden Age" since Genesis 2 and we cannot live in the past. On the other hand, we can't become so eager to align with culture that we lose our prophetic witness, pointing people to God. We become too much like culture. Driscoll writes, "Innovation, when not tethered to the truth of the gospel, leads to heresy" (53).

Just as God has used great evangelists like Billy Graham and Bill Bright to communicate God's timeless truths to their culture, so we must do the same in ours - even our micro-cultures. Driscoll gives seven "signposts" for helping people find Jesus in his life (pp. 58-60) - I've summarized, on some points, what he's talking about.

1: the gospel connects to this life. It's more than just going to heaven; there are benefits to following Jesus in this life.
2: the gospel infuses daily activities with meaning.
3: the gospel names sin and points the way to forgiveness. We can't get away from the problem of sin when we contextualize.
4: the gospel transforms life. God wants to do an extreme makeover in our lives. The gospel won't let us stay the same.
5: the gospel builds a spiritual family. The church loving each other should be a powerful apologetic for the gospel, not a reason people reject Jesus.
6: the gospel is about participation with God. We're saved to do good works (Eph. 2.10).
7: the gospel is about Jesus as the means and end of our salvation. Jesus isn't supposed to get us anywhere. Glorifying Him is the destination, everything else is the means.

1. If you were to write a gospel for the people in your culture, where would you start?
2. If you were to write a gospel for the people in your culture, how would you explain sin?
3. If you were to write a gospel for the people in your culture, how would you explain Jesus?
4. If you were to write a gospel for the people in your culture, what about Jesus' life and teaching would they most resonate with? Why?
5. Which of the signposts have been most helpful to you personally?
   
   From The Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll, p. 61.
   

What do you think?