Finally! I’ve really enjoyed this book and I need to go back and put some of these principles into practice, particularly chapter 15. Given the cultural shift happening – modernity to postmodernity – there are some things we need to rethink in terms of being on mission in North America. How do we do this?
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires That We No Longer See Missions and Evangelism as Two Separate Disciplines
The world has come to us and we need to use missions approaches to reach our own culture. Stetzer says, “As we give up our rights and privileges as followers and engage those outside of Christ, we become the missionaries of God. …the mission of the church to fulfill the Great Commission does not get relegated to a program of evangelism, but it becomes intricately woven through the entire fabric of the local church” (p. 228).
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires that We Go to Unreached People
Few of them are coming to us. We need to go to emerging populations, 1.5 & 2 generation ethnic groups, those who are already “spiritual,” multihousing dwellers, urban dwellers, and college students.
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires that We Empower Apostolic Leaders
We need to send leaders into the North American field to “break the code.” These are essentially missionaries we need to support within our own culture.
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires the Development of Learning Communities
Dots need to be connected among those who are striving to, and succeeding, in breaking the code.
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires Preparing the Soil
There was a time when much of the plowing, sowing, watering and pruning were done for us as a culture, but now we’re in a place where there’s more soil preparation needed and it may take quite a while for a harvest of souls. It is going to take some patience in many cases, which is a challenge in our culture of instant gratification.
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires Seeing North America through a Different Set of Lenses
We need to keep learning and keep studying our culture. We need to continually approach our home culture as learners because it has changed significantly and it will continue to change.
Breaking the Unbroken Code Requires Approaching North America on Our Knees
We need to begin on our knees, not our feet and ask God to raise up code breakers and make disciples of all nations.
The Breaking the Code Challenge
1. What code remains unbroken within your community?
2. What will it take to break that code?
3. How do you turn your church into an army for breaking the unbroken code?
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