Summarizing the Life Gauges

Imagine we are simultaneously enrolled in five discipleship ‘colleges’. The ultimate objective of our education is fluency in the culture of God’s kingdom.

HUMILITY | WORSHIP GOD
God is great. God is good. God is near.
We grow in our knowledge of God and our humble dependence on him.
(Mark 12:29-30, Acts 24:14-16, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 John 5:21)

RESPONSIBILITY | ATTACH TO JESUS | CO-REQUISITE: HUMILITY
Good stewards of God’s grace*.
We grow in our readiness to receive and take hold of the God-given position, authority, responsibilities, and resources available to us only in Christ.
(Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 13:24, John 10:27, John 15, Romans 11:16-22, 2 Corinthians 9:8-11, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 2:8-10, 1 Timothy 1:3-4, 1 Peter 4:10)

ACCLIMATION | LIVE FROM GOD’S KINGDOM | CO-REQUISITE: RESPONSIBILITY
People like us do things like this.
We grow into our God-given identity and we adapt to God’s ways.
(John 15:19, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 4:4-7, Galatians 5:16-26, Colossians 1:13-14)

IMITATION | LOVE THE WORLD | CO-REQUISITE: ACCLIMATION
We so love the world that we give.
We grow in our expression of self-denying, others-oriented love.
(Matthew 5:43-45, Matthew 22:37-40, John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13)

MISSION | PERSUADE OTHERS | CO-REQUISITE: IMITATION
Our story for God’s glory.
We grow in our discipleship influence on people and on every sphere of culture.
(Matthew 5:13-14, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 18:4, Acts 19:8, 2 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:20)

ALL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Not by might, nor by our power.
We participate in God’s government by his power and appointment.
(Romans 8:13-14, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Galatians 3:3, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 2:22, Ephesians 3:5, Philippians 3:3)

*The word 'grace' used here to mean: the unmerited God-given desire, ability, and resources to participate in God's economy (purpose, plan, activity) as His beloved.

A Thousand Little Things

This summer our church has been emphasizing ‘A Thousand Little Things’. It’s been a chance to dwell on the many ways Christians can engage the world, offering Kingdom life drip-by-drip. A series of nine videos was used to illustrate. Scripts from those videos can be found here.

Cultural Literacy and Fluency

In our more interconnected world, cultural literacy is a valuable asset. Cultural literacy is an awareness of cultural differences—an awareness that hopefully leads to more understanding, better collaboration, and greater influence. Cultural literacy is essential in areas like healthcare, education, and business.

Since cultural literacy is knowing about other cultures, a person can grow in culturally literacy from outside a culture. But to be fluent in a culture, that person must move inside. Cultural fluency is about becoming part of a culture in such a way that the culture no longer seems foreign or strange. It’s assimilation; adaptation to the deepest levels.

““The measure of Christian discipleship is Kingdom cultural fluency.”

This is a good metaphor for Christian discipleship. When we commit to follow Jesus—to be governed by him—we are transferred from the world’s system into his kingdom. We are adopted into his family. We become participants in a new culture. The measure of Christian discipleship is Kingdom cultural fluency. What is God’s kingdom like? Who am I? How am I supposed to live? How successfully am I living this way? How normal are the ways of the Kingdom becoming to me?

But as Kingdom citizens, we’re also left in the world’s system to represent Kingdom culture here. We’re called ambassadors. And to do that well, we must maintain a cultural literacy of the world’s system. What is the world like? What drives people? What are their (and our) struggles, needs, and passions?

The essential thing for Christians is that we know the difference between literacy and fluency—and that we are firmly convinced of which culture we’re to become fluent and of which one we’re to remain literate.