Acts 14:8-20
Reflect
Contextualization of the gospel is an important part of our faith. Not only does it matter in modern missions and sharing the gospel in a foreign land, but contextualization happens at every church, workplace, school, and many other places.
Contextualization means the process by which people communicate, understand, and apply the Bible within a particular social and cultural context. We wouldn’t talk about the Laws of Thermodynamics with a 5-year-old in comparison to a university student! The same applies to when we talk about the gospel in different settings.
When Paul and Barnabas spoke to the Jews in the synagogue in Antioch or Iconium earlier on, they faced different challenges than speaking to pagans in Lystra. The locals in Lystra spoke in their native tongue (v11) and they worshipped their own gods (vs12-13). How did Paul package the gospel then? Without mentioning Jesus, the crucifixion, or resurrection, he preached a message regarding the worthlessness of worshiping multiple gods (v15). Paul did not over contextualize to the point where truth was diluted, nor was he someone who was stuck to a certain framework or way of communicating.
Apply
Contextualizing without losing the essence of the gospel is important to how we share our faith. How do you think you can contextualize the gospel in your setting?
Pastor Nathanael
Pray
- Pray for our Childcare staff, the children and their families this week. Pray for the Director, Kristy Thomas.
- Pray for our Audio/Visual Director, Grant Mix.
- Pray for our Lead Team Pastor, Terry Okken and his family.
- Pray for our Communications Specialist, Katrina Grey.