Finding Christ In The Situation

We’ve seen in this post and this post that God has been at work in the world ahead of his people throughout the scriptures.  He was ahead of Joseph (Genesis 37-50), ahead of Daniel (Daniel 4:10-17), ahead of Peter (Acts 10:19-48), and ahead of all the apostles (Acts 11:19-30).

If we see examples of God at work ahead of his people throughout the scriptures, what does that mean for us today?  Does it mean that God is ahead of his people still today?

I would argue yes! 

A Derivative Witness

We can be sure that there is no place where God is not already present in some way. God’s activity isn’t limited to the geographical location of God’s people, nor do we need to be anxious about the success of the church’s ministry.  I love this quote from Lesslie Newbigin in The Open Secret: “The church’s witness is secondary and derivative. The church is witness insofar as it follows obediently where the Spirit leads.”

Have you ever thought of your church’s ministry as “derivative”?  It almost sounds condescending, doesn’t it?  But when you consider it, the church’s ministry absolutely is derivative.  Because the church’s ministry derives from the ministry of the Spirit.  It derives from the mission of God and from what God is already doing in the world.

A Counterintuitive Strategy

​Ministry success can be measured, then, not in terms of size or numbers, but in terms of the church’s obedience to the Spirit. Robert Schreiter in Constructing Local Theologies puts it like this: “The prevailing mode of evangelization and church development should be one of finding Christ in the situation rather than concentrating on bringing Christ into the situation” (my italics).

“Finding Christ in the situation,” as opposed to “bringing Christ into the situation,” seems so counterintuitive.  Why?  Because we’ve been taught that it’s only when the church initiates programs of evangelism and mission that the church grows and people come to faith.

But God is already at work in the world.  God’s hand is already stirring things up in places and in ways we haven’t yet imagined.  All we need to do is become aware of what God is already doing—and then join God in that!

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Markus Watson

Markus Watson is a Director | Storyteller with Flourish San Diego. Growing up, Markus’ dream was to make it as a big-time movie director.He interned with a production company in Hollywood, and started working as a production assistant in Hollywood right after college…for a year. He brought his love for stories to Fuller Theological Seminary. There he was equipped to teach God’s big story, animating his congregations from Kentucky to San Diego, to live for the life of the world. Markus also completed a Doctor of Ministry with an emphasis on Missional Leadership also from Fuller. Markus loves Star Wars (the original three, that is) and surfing (but says he doesn’t get out in the water nearly enough).

Latest posts by Markus Watson (see all)

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