Essay Example on Timothy Keller's Center Church targets the role of the church in today's society and politics

Introduction Timothy Keller's Center Church targets the role of the church in today's society and politics The text is divided into three sections The Gospel The City and The Movement Though each section thoroughly explains the doctrine as it relates to today The City places emphasis on how to evangelize culturally For one to be effective when engaging with society research indicates the individual must be present practice discernment develop theology find courage speak clearly and love Keller declared if we are not deliberately thinking about our culture we will be conformed to it without ever knowing it is happening never the less the word declare that spiritual being should not conform to the world How can one establish change in society if there is no distinction between the behavior and minds of society and the church We as spirit led individuals must be intentional in our thoughts and our behavior Change is birthed by presence presence is formed through vision and vision comes from thought In other words the ambassadors of the gospel must be present before a shift can take place In Acts the fifth chapter the very shadow of Peter brought healing to the sick If Peter made his presence known the sick would have never experienced change This task sounds simple enough but being present in the world these days is made difficult because of the Christian sub culture the church has created around itself Being present means being a part of the community God has sent you to not just the community he wants you to help create 

With all thy getting get understanding Proverbs 4 You cannot be a culture engager if you are not a theologian Can God s wisdom overpower the wisdom of man Indeed it can nevertheless it is necessary that one gains full understanding of theology to accurately minister to the culture of sin Where to start Read text that targets on theology and its application to life and community Discuss with others who share a maturing zeal for both the gathered church and the sent church This is perhaps the most important rule of engaging culture Interacting with others not only includes engaging ideas but people people who are made in the image and likeness of God individuals who feel those who Christ calls us to love and serve How can we proclaim love for our neighbor if love is not expressed in what we say and how we act Whether we are rejecting receiving or redeeming love for God and others must be what moves us to speak and act How My Gift Pursues My City The call to be city centered according to Keller means that Christians should be focused on urban centers of culture The city in this context is more of a way of talking about cultural context in general whether that be in rural suburban or urban areas Being intentional is a necessity in cities today due to rapid pace of change This is perhaps the most important rule of engaging culture Interacting with others not only includes engaging ideas but people people who are made in the image and likeness of God individuals who feel those who Christ calls us to love and serve How can we proclaim love for our neighbor if love is not expressed in what we say and how we act Whether we are rejecting receiving or redeeming love for God and others must be what moves us to speak and act