.
When Jesus launched his one-man invasion of planet earth, he began by gathering a band of disciples to advance his kingdom-movement. He ended by entrusting his movement and his dreams to his inner circle with these words: "As the father sent me into the world, likewise I am sending you!" The mantle of the Jesus movement was not only taken up by the 12, but by the next generation (Stephen and Philip) and the next generation (Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Apollos) and the next generation (Timothy, John Mark, Titus) and beyond. Movement leaders gather people around tables and bread and wine and vision. Meals make movements. We are in the cafes and clubs and campuses of Romania to mobilize the next generation of Jesus' movement to overthrow injustice and exploitation and indifference. Table to table. Jesus style.

Monday, January 7, 2013

The Jesus Way

This is our model for how we announce the kingdom of God. It is not designed for speed, and it is not designed for concentrating people. It is not a verbal formulation of facts, or a statement people sign their name to. Read it carefully and notice the things Jesus did NOT say.
Jesus called the twelve together (Luke 9:1-6), and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now after this (Luke 10:1-12) the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking [e]what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
Big fat question: Does Jesus way differ from the regular way Christians proclaim the gospel? Or is this basically how we do it today?
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