The modern generations is looking for their identity, meaning and
purpose of life. But the get boredom, melancholy and despair. The new
generation find themselves, they are offered all trendy self help
methods and therapies of modern pop-psychology. Rather than something
beyond themselves and bigger than themselves, they are offered
self-enhancement and self-actualization via positive mental attitude and
possibly thinking.
Modern man is encouraged to embrace a
positive image on himself by plethora of platitudes and admonitions.
They think that they must believe themselves and to more presently
perceive themselves to be. Accept yourself, love your self, have a
positive self –image, self concept, self-identity, self worth,
self-esteem, self-help, self-improvement. They thinks that they can do
all things because they have unlimited potential of evolutionary
progress and productivity.
This is our challenges to present
Gospel according to their need. Traditional church present “you need
Jesus to forgive your sins and you get heaven when you die”. The problem
is the are living In the world, not when they hear the gospel they die
directly. They still have struggles to survive. This is not the answer,
we need new approach.
1. Gospel
is the good news of the vital indwelling dynamic of the life of the
risen Lord Jesus, whereby the Spirit of Christ actuates the divine
manifestation of life in the individual receptive to such by faith.
2. Salvation
is make one safe from the destructive dysfunctions of man’s
self-reliance, in order to function constructively as intended by the
creator, living out of the dynamic of divine enabling.
3. Grace
is the dynamic free-flow of God’s activity, consistent with His
character, whereby he actuates His life within His creations by His Son,
Jesus Christ.
4. Faith is our receptivity to God’s activity.
5. Righteousness
is to be conceived as the character of God, manisfested in Jesus
Christ, the Righteous One, by whose dwelling Spiritual presence one is
“made righteous” in order to allow for the dynamic manisfestation of
God’s righteous Character on the fruit of righteousness.
6. Bible
is a collection of inspired scriptures that contain an accurate record
of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ, and the implications thereof for
men’s lives in every age.
7. Church
Is the collective expression of individuals who are receptive to
dynamic grace expression of God in Jesus Christ, and desirous of
encouraging on another in the functionality of the saving life of
Christ.
So the imperative that we point out that Jesus is the
essence and the reality of Christianity, the sole basis of identity,
security, meaning, purpose and fulfillment of modern man, as well as for
men of every age. (conclusions from “presenting the gospel to a modern
world, by James A. Fawler)
