For Your Edification (7.12.13)

Here are few things for your edification to read over, watch, pray, and think about this weekend: ‘New’ Evangelism, Old Prayers, Finding the Time, and Christian & Politics.

‘New’ Evangelism

So hospitality is not new, and hospitality is not the new evangelism, but it is a way that Western churches need to think about evangelism in this new day. The Post-Christian West needs to rely less on programs and more on Spirit-filled opening their homes and telling the truth in the context of genuine relationships. On this note, David Mathis provides a helpful call for evangelism in the context of hospitality: Hospitality, the key to twenty-first century evangelism.

Here are a few more thoughts I wrote up this week:

Hospitality Evangelism
11 Questions for Hospitality Evangelism
Hospitality, Fellowship, and Evangelism

Old Prayers

Tony Reinke cites an old prayer by John Newton. This confession from the man who wrote ‘Amazing Grace,’ is a comforting reminder that the power of prayer comes from our prayer-hearing God, not our well-worded or even well-attended prayers. May his weakness in prayer spur us on to confess our weakness with him at the throne of grace, that we might receive help and strength in our hour of need (Heb 4:14-16).

Justin Taylor gives another look at prayer. In his post on Arthur Bennett’s book The Valley of Vision, he answers a few questions about this precious, Puritan prayer book (pun noted). I have used this book often and commend it to anyone who feels sluggish in their prayer life.

Finding the Time

When did Moses lead the exodus? When did David ascend to the throne? Who were the eighth-century prophets? Pastor Garrett Kell has provided a simple diagram to answer all those dated questions in his post:  A Biblical Timeline for the Old and New Testaments

Christians and Politics

Here is a short video with Eric Metaxas, author of Seven Men and Bonhoeffer, that addresses ways in which we as Christians must engage in politics.

On C-Span online, there is a longer video with Russell Moore, where he answers questions about the role of social conservatives in politics. Displaying a compassionate conviction, he answers questions about same sex marriage, abortion, immigration, etc. If you are looking for a model of how to engage your secular neighbors, along with what you might say, see Russell Moore’s Q & A.

For Your Edification, dss

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