Disruptive Discipleship

Disruptive Discipleship
 “We’ve now entered a new and unprecedented era in America, one I call the ‘negative world.’ That is, for the first time in the history of our country, orthodox Christianity is viewed negatively by secular society.” -Aaron M. Renn

 In his book, “Life in the Negative World,” Aaron Renn argues that American culture’s view of the church has radically shifted. Long gone is the time when the culture viewed Christianity and the church in a positive light. Long gone too is the time when Christianity was viewed as one plausible and good option among many. Now, the culture’s view of the church and of Christians is decidedly negative. How should Christians operate in such a landscape? What should Christians expect as they try to be faithful disciples who make disciples. We should expect resistance and deterrence. Acts 16 offers modern Christians a framework for faithful living in a hostile, negative world culture.
 
The advance of the gospel is often slowed or even stopped by three factors:
 

1. Inside Deterrence: The first deterrent encountered in Acts 16 comes from inside the church itself. Paul meets a young man named Timothy who he believes will be a faithful minister of the gospel. But there’s a problem: Timothy hasn’t been circumcised. This will be a stumbling block to those Jews Paul wishes to minister to. Being circumcised is quite a deterrent to ministry. It’s painful. It’s awkward. But Timothy doesn’t seem to hesitate. He submits himself to the pain and awkwardness for the sake of the gospel. When we face pain and difficulty inside the church, may we follow in Timothy’s footsteps – submitting to the difficulty, moving through it, and moving on.
2. Providential Deterrence: The second deterrent in Acts 16 comes from God himself. Paul and his missionary companions try to go into Asia and preach – but God forbids them to do so. Then they try and go into Bithynia and preach – but God forbids them to do so. We’re not told why God forbid them to preach in these places, but I imagine it was discouraging. Paul and his companions had worked hard and traveled hard to get to these areas, yet they are forbidden from proceeding further. But Paul carries on – knowing that his overall mission has not changed. When God closes ministry doors and opportunities to us, may we follow in Paul’s footsteps and keep at it – knowing our overall mission has not changed.
3. Outside Deterrence: The third and final deterrent in Acts 16 comes from the culture. Paul stirs up conflict in the city of Philippi when he casts a demon out of a fortune-telling slave girl. Her owners are furious because they’ve lost their source of income. So they drag Paul and Silas in front of the authorities and charge them with “disturbing our city.” Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in prison – yet even there in those cells, the work of the gospel goes on. If we are ever threatened by the authorities for doing the work of the gospel – may we be bold enough to carry on, even if that means being thrown in prison.

 
Paul and Silas never could have disturbed the city of Philippi with the gospel if they had been deterred along the way by any of the difficulties that faced them. We must confess that we are often deterred by much less. So we find that our city has not been disrupted or disturbed by the gospel. May we change – so that our city will change. May we be disruptive disciple makers in our own day and in our own place.
 
Your Pastor and Friend,
 
John Knox Foster