Missional Tension

In the introduction, Dr. Eric Hallett mentions three components to consider when working out how to be missional in a particular context. There is, of course, the church of which you are a part. It has its own traditions, history, and understanding. Then there is the world that needs the good news about Christ, and that needs good news in general. More than anything else, there is God and his mission both for the world and the church.

Paul sets out his missional hermeneutic in 1 Corinthians 9:

In this passage, we see that Paul has God in mind. He has the world in mind. He also has the church in mind as he formulates a missional strategy.

The most important element to keep in mind is God’s charge to share the good news with the world. Earlier in the chapter, Paul has said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16). The good news is that Christ is king and is returning to restore God’s kingdom to the world, including salvation to all who give him their allegiance. The Great Commission is our charge to make disciples of the whole world (Matthew 28:18-20).

God has thus given us the charge, the goal, and he has given that charge to the church. He has given that charge to the church collectively, and we believe that charge applies to each of us individually as well. Jesus tells all within his hearing that they are to be salt and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). That is to say, we are all conveyors of the good news to the world. There may be some that God especially calls to play the role of apostle or prophet (Eph. 4:11-12), but all Christians are evangelists to some degree.

So, the mission is given by God. It is given to the church. And the mission is for the world. And this mission is not merely saving souls. We cannot listen to the Gospels and not hear good news in the gospel for the whole person. The Good Samaritan helps a man in real physical need (Luke 10:33-34). God indicts the “goats” at the judgment for not feeding the hungry or clothing the naked (Matt. 25:41-43). The spiritual is the most important, but it does not exhaust God’s mission in the world.

This is all easy to say, but how does it play out in a concrete context? Dr. Hallett mentions a moment in his early ministry where the question of buying donuts on Sunday became a debate point. On the one hand, the donuts were effectively bringing young people to the church who otherwise would not have come. But in that church’s understanding, buying on Sunday went against their understanding of Scripture. In their mind, two commands of God were in conflict, and the command to honor the Sabbath won out because it was a principle and donuts were a tactic, not to mention the fact that they were the ones in authority.

Paul would not likely have agreed with the church’s decision in this case. He says, “To those not having the law, I became as one not having the law… so as to win those not having the law” (1 Cor. 9:21). To be sure, Paul’s prioritization of the commands of the Mosaic Law is complicated. He would not have murdered or committed sexual immorality in order to win someone to Christ. But he does tell non-Jews that the Sabbath law was a matter of their personal conviction (Rom. 14:5; Col 2:16). To be frank, Sunday isn’t even the Jewish Sabbath. Thus, this church had a hermeneutical problem that went beyond donuts.

These are matters where the church must “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). This task inevitably requires some spiritual prioritization. Dr. Hallett suggests that, as we work through these tensions in our understanding, we prioritize the mission. He suggests that, most of the time, we give mission the “trump card” in these debates. What if there was a young person in that mix who ended up going to hell because the church wasn’t willing to buy donuts on a Sunday? The Lord is merciful, but we remember the words of God to Ezekiel, “I will hold you accountable for their blood” (Ezekial 3:18).

As we wrestle with the complexity of Scripture, we inevitably create a hierarchy of values. When our biblical values come into tension with each other, we have to decide which values are more central and why. Unfortunately, it is a tendency of religious groups, ranging from the ancient Pharisees to some in the church today, to make rules and traditions more important than people. However, the primary way that we demonstrate our love for God is by loving our neighbor, and what is more loving to our neighbor than saving their souls?

Dr. Hallett thus asks us to prioritize the missional aspects of Scripture. He urges us to give the mission to seek and save the lost a higher priority than what in the end are traditions in the church. It is hard for us to see them as traditions. We think we are following the Bible. But any tie should go to winning the lost.

At the same time, we should not be flippant when we are trying to stretch the people of God. They are God’s people, too. We do not want them to fall away, either. Dr. Hallett urges patience and empathy along with good communication. We try to help those with influence see the bigger picture and understand that tension is inherent in the missional journey. 

In all these struggles, the Spirit will be with us. The Spirit can soften hearts. The Spirit can give us the creativity to pivot or work around. Sometimes, we will have to walk away.