three-strands

Think about the people you are trying to reach with the gospel or would like to start reaching. Identify ideas (often very ordinary ideas) for building relationships with them, sharing the gospel message and introducing them to the network of believing relationships [this is the three-strand model of evangelism]. Introductions might involve nothing more sophisticated than inviting both Christian and non-Christian friends round for a meal or an evening out.

... not all of us are eloquent or engaging. Not everyone can think on their feet. Some people are simply not good at speaking to strangers or forming new friendships. One of the practical benefits of the three-strand model of evangelism is that it gives a role to all of God's people. By making evangelism a community project, it also takes seriously the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in distributing a variety of gifts among his people.

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, 'Total Church', page 59

teaching the bible

We should be teaching one another the Bible as we are out walking, driving in the car or washing the dishes. People should learn the truth of justification not only in an exposition of Romans 5, but as they see us resting on Christ's finished work instead of anxiously trying to justify ourselves. They should understand the nature of Christian hope not only as they listen to a talk on Romans 8, but as they see us groaning in response to suffering as we wait for glory. They should understand the sovereignty of God not only from a sermon series on Isaiah, but as they see us respond to trials with 'pure joy'!

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, 'Total Church', page 115.

Total Church

I've heard a lot about the book 'Total Church' by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, but until now I've never actually got round to reading it.

From what I've heard, I've always expected it to be a book that I love. So far, I'm not disappointed!

I thought I'd share a quote about mission being for the whole of life - something that I'm often trying to say (and doing so badly), and trying to live (and doing so even more badly!).

We sometimes ask people to imagine they are part of a church planting team in a cross-cultural situation in some other part of the world:

- What criteria would you use to decide where you live?
- How would you approach secular employment?
- What standard of living would you expect as pioneer missionaries?
- What would you spend your time doing?
- What opportunities would you be looking for?
- What would your prayers be like?
- What would you be trying to do with new friends?
- What kind of team would you want around you?
- How would you conduct your meetings together?

Of course, as they argue in this chapter, each of us are called to be missionaries in the context that God has placed us. As such, these should be questions that we ask of ourselves where ever we live. They go on:

If someone was being sent as a missionary to a hostile context overseas, our attitude would be something like this: We would expect to pray often for them. We would expect progress in building relationships and sharing the gospel to be slow. We would be excited by small steps - a gospel conversation here, an opportunity to get to know someone there. We would thrive on regular updates from the front line. But the truth is that the lives of many Christians in work, and play, are just like the life of that far-flung missionary! They are lived out in tough environments where progress is often slow and many factors make evangelism extremely difficult. The challenge is to make news from the staff canteen as valued as news from the overseas mission field.

Exciting stuff!