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developing a mars hill mindset
developing a mars hill mindset
Developing a Mars Hill Mindset
By: Kevin Glenn
How in the world can a believer be in the world and not of the world?
If the Christian community had their own game-show network, this would be the million dollar
question. Just drop this bomb on a group of believers and you’ll see sparks start to fly. Some
will claim that Christians have no business being involved in the things of the world, while others
will seek to justify any and all worldly involvement in the name of “being all things to all men”.
The reality is that while we know we have been sent into the world we just don’t know what to
do with this world we have been sent into. It either feels too comfortable, or it scares us to
death…actually, both are often true at the same time.
The world often frightens us because of the thoughts, attitudes and behaviors are so different
from those of the Christian worldview. These opposing worldviews are communicated through
the vehicles of creativity. I define the collective and creative expression of a particular
worldview as a culture. Vehicles of creative communication that reach a large mass of
individuals, I define as popular culture. Pop culture consists of popular music (country, hip-hop,
rock, pop), movies, television, advertising, and literature. It is through these popular forms of
creative expression that the values of a society are communicated. Pop culture can
simultaneously be a directive and reflective force within a society. This is exactly where Jesus
has called us to take His message.
So, what’s the problem? I’d like to briefly summarize the two equal and opposite errors
believers make when dealing with the million dollar question.
The first extreme is to attempt to avoid culture. This approach may sound pious, but Jesus
made it clear that we were being sent into the world under the protection of the Father (John 17:
1-22). To be in the world but not of the world is our task, but how can this happen if we fail to be
in the world at all? (Matthew 5:14-16)
The second extreme is to embrace culture. Some Christians simply find it easier to integrate
the values of the culture into their own life. Is this Kingdom living, or practical atheism?
(Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15-16)
I am convinced that a follower of Christ can and must find a way to flesh-out the Great
Commission. I am further convinced that the Bible gives us as clear a methodology as it does a
mandate for reaching the culture. I suggest such a Theology and methodology of cultural
engagement is found in the narrative of Paul’s visit to Athens in Acts 17.
If Pop Culture is contrary to God’s perspective, why should I engage (theology), and how
should I do it (methodology)?
Why? - We have been sent into the culture
I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They
are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your
words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. John 17:15-18
It was Paul’s understanding and obedience to the call of Christ that compelled him to be in
Athens in the first place. Paul modeled what it meant for believers to be involved in the lives of
all those around them. “ To the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
How? - Concerned Interaction
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was troubled because he saw that the
city was full of idols. In the synagogue, he talked with the Jews and the Greeks who worshiped
God. He also talked every day with people in the marketplace. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic
philosophers argued with him, saying, "This man doesn't know what he is talking about. What is
he trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to be telling us about some other gods," because Paul
was telling them about Jesus and his rising from the dead. Acts 17:16-17
Notice Paul’s approach here. It would have been easy for Paul to look upon a city full of idols
and simply write them off as infidels. Instead, what he saw troubled him in a manner that
evoked compassion. Paul wanted to help the Athenians. He started with those who feared God,
but he didn’t stay in the Christian ghetto. Paul went to where the people were and engaged them
there. His concern for the people led him to interact with them.
Why? - To gain a window of insight.
They got Paul and took him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said, "Please explain to
us this new idea you have been teaching. The things you are saying are new to us, and we want
to know what this teaching means." (All the people of Athens and those from other countries
who lived there always used their time to talk about the newest ideas.) Acts 17:19-21
Paul earned the right to be heard. How else would he have been invited into world? His
interaction at the marketplace gave him valuable insights into the lives of the Athenians, allowed
him to communicate effectively. To learn what he did, Paul had to listen to the people.
How? - Respectful Understanding.
Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, "People of Athens, I can see you
are very religious in all things. As I was going through your city, I saw the objects you worship.
Acts 17:22-23
Paul affirms their search! He encourages them as they seek to understand life here and life
beyond. Yes, he is troubled by their idolatry, but Paul respects the idea that everyone deserves
to be heard and understood. Paul does not present his message at the expense of these people.
An important element in any dialogue is the truth, yes, but also the presentation of that truth
with “gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Additionally, the fact that Paul understands the Athenians in no way means he approves of their
way of life or their religious practices. Understanding does not mean approval!
Why? - To reveal the reality of our faith.
I found an altar that had these words written on it: TO A GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You
worship a god that you don't know, and this is the God I am telling you about! Acts 17:23
Dr. Phil has a famous question for the clients on his TV show. When challenging their ideas he
asks “how’s that working for you?” The methods we adopt can be dysfunctional, but we keep
them just because they are familiar. The Greeks had the same problem. Polytheism can be
scary. If you forget to pay homage to an insecure deity, it could ruin your day. To cover the
bases, the Athenians had a “just in case we left any other god out” altar. Polytheism wasn’t
working. Paul takes advantage of their concern and demonstrates both the reality of the God
they were leaving out, and the inadequacy of the gods they were following. It was the unknown
God who was real, not these other deities that needed food from the hands of mortals! Today,
pop culture is screaming “who is real”?
How? - Mindful Evaluation
The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He
does not live in temples built by human hands. This God is the One who gives life, breath, and
everything else to people. He does not need any help from them; he has everything he needs.
God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live
everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live. God wanted
them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far
from any of us: Acts 17:24-27
Every message from culture needs to be measured against God’s message of reality. Our
conversations, dialogues and engagement with culture will eventually come to a point of
evaluation. We are not engaging culture honestly if we never reach a point of critique. Yes we
are in the world. No, we are not of the world. We represent a different way. That difference
must become clear as we continue to engage.
Why? - Establish a point of contact with un-believing culture.
For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, 'We are his offspring.'
And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or
silver or stone. Acts 17:28
All truth is God’s truth. All creativity bears at some level the mark of the creator.
Joseph became vice-regent of Egypt, yet he held to the God of his father Jacob. Daniel
excelled within Babylonian culture, yet he did not forsake Yahweh. Jeremiah instructed
the exiled nation of Israel to build homes, plant vineyards, have babies… in other words
to become a part of the culture in which they lived. Jeremiah even told them to pray for
the prosperity of Babylon. Being a part of the culture allows us to be familiar with the
values of a culture with which we may not agree. Paul’s familiarity with Greek poetry
established a point of contact, and provided a redemptive analogy for Paul.
How? - Confident Engagement.
When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed,
but others said, "We want to hear more about this later." That ended Paul's discussion with
them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of
the Council, a woman named Damaris, and others. Acts 17:32-34
Paul demonstrates that connecting with culture is difficult. Verses 32-34 remind us that the
dialogue may have varying results, as our engagement with culture becomes a call to join
another path, another way of thinking, believing and living. A theology and methodology of
cultural engagement still relies upon the power of God Himself to work through the dialogue to
bring about transformation.
The approached described above simply incarnates our faithfulness, willingness, and availability
to be used by God to change this world by being involved with it. It requires a trust in God that
will move us out of our comfort zones and into a confused culture that seeks real answers from
real people about real life.
By: Kevin Glenn
How in the world can a believer be in the world and not of the world?
If the Christian community had their own game-show network, this would be the million dollar
question. Just drop this bomb on a group of believers and you’ll see sparks start to fly. Some
will claim that Christians have no business being involved in the things of the world, while others
will seek to justify any and all worldly involvement in the name of “being all things to all men”.
The reality is that while we know we have been sent into the world we just don’t know what to
do with this world we have been sent into. It either feels too comfortable, or it scares us to
death…actually, both are often true at the same time.
The world often frightens us because of the thoughts, attitudes and behaviors are so different
from those of the Christian worldview. These opposing worldviews are communicated through
the vehicles of creativity. I define the collective and creative expression of a particular
worldview as a culture. Vehicles of creative communication that reach a large mass of
individuals, I define as popular culture. Pop culture consists of popular music (country, hip-hop,
rock, pop), movies, television, advertising, and literature. It is through these popular forms of
creative expression that the values of a society are communicated. Pop culture can
simultaneously be a directive and reflective force within a society. This is exactly where Jesus
has called us to take His message.
So, what’s the problem? I’d like to briefly summarize the two equal and opposite errors
believers make when dealing with the million dollar question.
The first extreme is to attempt to avoid culture. This approach may sound pious, but Jesus
made it clear that we were being sent into the world under the protection of the Father (John 17:
1-22). To be in the world but not of the world is our task, but how can this happen if we fail to be
in the world at all? (Matthew 5:14-16)
The second extreme is to embrace culture. Some Christians simply find it easier to integrate
the values of the culture into their own life. Is this Kingdom living, or practical atheism?
(Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15-16)
I am convinced that a follower of Christ can and must find a way to flesh-out the Great
Commission. I am further convinced that the Bible gives us as clear a methodology as it does a
mandate for reaching the culture. I suggest such a Theology and methodology of cultural
engagement is found in the narrative of Paul’s visit to Athens in Acts 17.
If Pop Culture is contrary to God’s perspective, why should I engage (theology), and how
should I do it (methodology)?
Why? - We have been sent into the culture
I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They
are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your
words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. John 17:15-18
It was Paul’s understanding and obedience to the call of Christ that compelled him to be in
Athens in the first place. Paul modeled what it meant for believers to be involved in the lives of
all those around them. “ To the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
How? - Concerned Interaction
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was troubled because he saw that the
city was full of idols. In the synagogue, he talked with the Jews and the Greeks who worshiped
God. He also talked every day with people in the marketplace. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic
philosophers argued with him, saying, "This man doesn't know what he is talking about. What is
he trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to be telling us about some other gods," because Paul
was telling them about Jesus and his rising from the dead. Acts 17:16-17
Notice Paul’s approach here. It would have been easy for Paul to look upon a city full of idols
and simply write them off as infidels. Instead, what he saw troubled him in a manner that
evoked compassion. Paul wanted to help the Athenians. He started with those who feared God,
but he didn’t stay in the Christian ghetto. Paul went to where the people were and engaged them
there. His concern for the people led him to interact with them.
Why? - To gain a window of insight.
They got Paul and took him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said, "Please explain to
us this new idea you have been teaching. The things you are saying are new to us, and we want
to know what this teaching means." (All the people of Athens and those from other countries
who lived there always used their time to talk about the newest ideas.) Acts 17:19-21
Paul earned the right to be heard. How else would he have been invited into world? His
interaction at the marketplace gave him valuable insights into the lives of the Athenians, allowed
him to communicate effectively. To learn what he did, Paul had to listen to the people.
How? - Respectful Understanding.
Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, "People of Athens, I can see you
are very religious in all things. As I was going through your city, I saw the objects you worship.
Acts 17:22-23
Paul affirms their search! He encourages them as they seek to understand life here and life
beyond. Yes, he is troubled by their idolatry, but Paul respects the idea that everyone deserves
to be heard and understood. Paul does not present his message at the expense of these people.
An important element in any dialogue is the truth, yes, but also the presentation of that truth
with “gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Additionally, the fact that Paul understands the Athenians in no way means he approves of their
way of life or their religious practices. Understanding does not mean approval!
Why? - To reveal the reality of our faith.
I found an altar that had these words written on it: TO A GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You
worship a god that you don't know, and this is the God I am telling you about! Acts 17:23
Dr. Phil has a famous question for the clients on his TV show. When challenging their ideas he
asks “how’s that working for you?” The methods we adopt can be dysfunctional, but we keep
them just because they are familiar. The Greeks had the same problem. Polytheism can be
scary. If you forget to pay homage to an insecure deity, it could ruin your day. To cover the
bases, the Athenians had a “just in case we left any other god out” altar. Polytheism wasn’t
working. Paul takes advantage of their concern and demonstrates both the reality of the God
they were leaving out, and the inadequacy of the gods they were following. It was the unknown
God who was real, not these other deities that needed food from the hands of mortals! Today,
pop culture is screaming “who is real”?
How? - Mindful Evaluation
The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He
does not live in temples built by human hands. This God is the One who gives life, breath, and
everything else to people. He does not need any help from them; he has everything he needs.
God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live
everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live. God wanted
them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far
from any of us: Acts 17:24-27
Every message from culture needs to be measured against God’s message of reality. Our
conversations, dialogues and engagement with culture will eventually come to a point of
evaluation. We are not engaging culture honestly if we never reach a point of critique. Yes we
are in the world. No, we are not of the world. We represent a different way. That difference
must become clear as we continue to engage.
Why? - Establish a point of contact with un-believing culture.
For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, 'We are his offspring.'
And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or
silver or stone. Acts 17:28
All truth is God’s truth. All creativity bears at some level the mark of the creator.
Joseph became vice-regent of Egypt, yet he held to the God of his father Jacob. Daniel
excelled within Babylonian culture, yet he did not forsake Yahweh. Jeremiah instructed
the exiled nation of Israel to build homes, plant vineyards, have babies… in other words
to become a part of the culture in which they lived. Jeremiah even told them to pray for
the prosperity of Babylon. Being a part of the culture allows us to be familiar with the
values of a culture with which we may not agree. Paul’s familiarity with Greek poetry
established a point of contact, and provided a redemptive analogy for Paul.
How? - Confident Engagement.
When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed,
but others said, "We want to hear more about this later." That ended Paul's discussion with
them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of
the Council, a woman named Damaris, and others. Acts 17:32-34
Paul demonstrates that connecting with culture is difficult. Verses 32-34 remind us that the
dialogue may have varying results, as our engagement with culture becomes a call to join
another path, another way of thinking, believing and living. A theology and methodology of
cultural engagement still relies upon the power of God Himself to work through the dialogue to
bring about transformation.
The approached described above simply incarnates our faithfulness, willingness, and availability
to be used by God to change this world by being involved with it. It requires a trust in God that
will move us out of our comfort zones and into a confused culture that seeks real answers from
real people about real life.
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