I read these notes from John MacArthur's opening address to this year's Shepherd's Conference and I simply don't understand how he can say the following:
Whether the gospel was preached to Jews or to
Gentiles, the message did not change. And all those whom God had
chosen, responded to that message in faith.
The apostles went out for absolute disdain for contextualization.
The modern drive for cultural contextualization is a curse, because
people are wasting their time trying to figure out clever ways to draw
in the elect. Contextualization is “zip-code
ministry.” The message of Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is
transcendent. It goes beyond its immediate culture or sub-culture. It
crosses the world, and ignores the nuances of culture. It never
descends to clothing or musical style, as if that had anything to do
with the message of the Gospel.
Does your message ignore the trends and superficial
icons of culture, and bring heaven down in its transcendent reality?
Can you take your sermons and preach them anywhere?
I have some questions:
- Was Paul's approach the same in Athens (Acts 17) and in Antioch Pisidia (Acts 13)?
- Why are there four different versions of Jesus' life on earth?
- Is there a difference between changing the message of Jesus and shaping the message of Jesus?
- While the gospel is bigger than any one culture, do the particularities of every culture not create opportunities to display the multifaceted contours of the gospel?
- I'm always intrigued when brothers wearing particular styles of clothing in churches using particular styles of music say that clothing and music have nothing to do with the gospel. So then why do they have a problem with what someone wears or the music they play...if neither has anything to do with the gospel.
- Does anyone's sermons ignore the trends of culture? I read Edwards and hear 18th century America; I read Spurgeon and hear someone British; etc.
- Can anyone take their sermon and preach it anywhere? Anywhere? Not just in places that are into the cultural presuppositions you bring to the table? What about places that don't speak English?
I sincerely don't intend any disrespect but in my estimation, Dr. MacArthur has spent more than a little time over the past year or so disrespecting friends of mine in ways that I would consider to be (surprisingly) unnuanced and irresponsible.
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