Rector's Reflections

Following is
Fr. Tournoux's current "Rector's Reflections" article
from the Christ Church Tidings Newsletter. This
issue and several past issues are available in PDF format.
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The Evangelization of Postmoderns Through Holistic Cells:
March
2010
February
2010
An Introduction to Postmodernism:
January
2010
December
2009
November
2009
October
2009
September
2009
August
2009
(March 2010)
Over the past six months, we’ve been
discussing the evangelization of Postmoderns through holistic
cell groups. This month, I will introduce the Upward, Inward,
Outward, and Forward values of God’s Kingdom.
More specifically, the
Upward (Mark 12:30) value of God’s kingdom is the experience
of Jesus Christ’s presence in a cell group (Matthew 18:20) so
that God’s people build a living and loving relationship with
Jesus (John 15:5; 17:23), manifested in obedience to the Word
(James 1:21-25), life transformation (II Corinthians 5:17),
Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and Holy Spirit
empowerment (Luke 11:13; Acts 1:8). Bible application (II
Timothy 2:15), prayer (Acts 2:42), and worship praise (Ephesians
5:19-20; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews13:15; Revelation 5:8-9) are
normative to cell life, which will result in the evangelization
of Postmodern pre-Christians (Acts 2:42-47, 6:1-7).
The Inward (Mark 12:31)
value of God’s kingdom is the experience of Jesus Christ’s
presence in a cell group (Matthew 18:20) so that God’s people
are gifted by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:4-11) for
body-life ministry (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:12-31; I
Peter 4:9-11) expressed in love (John 13:35; I Corinthians 13;
Philippians 2:1-5). S.H.A.P.E. (Spiritual Gifts / Heart /
Abilities / Personality / Experiences) discovery (Psalm
139:13-16) is normative to cell life and equips members
(Ephesians 4:7-13) to effectively manifest the mutual ministry
of "the ‘One Anothers’ of the New Testament" (Carl George,
Prepare Your Church for the Future, 129-132), resulting in
Christ’s body (Ephesians 1:22-23) being built up in unity
(Ephesians 4:16), and evangelism of Postmodern pre-Christians
naturally taking place (Acts 2:42-47, 6:1-7).
The Outward (Matthew 28:19) value of
God’s kingdom is the experience of Jesus Christ’s presence in a
cell group (Matthew 18:20) so that God’s people, who are blessed
of God to bless others (Genesis 12:1-13; Acts 4:1-22; II
Corinthians 2:14, 5:11-21), will be mobilized to share their new
life in Christ with their Postmodern pre-Christian friends,
relatives, associates, and neighbors (Matthew 9:10; John
1:40-41; Acts 10:9-48, 16:16-34). Non-threatening relational
evangelism will take place by bringing and including
pre-Christians in cell life (Mark 1:16-18), culturally relevant
compassionate servant ministry (Matthew 5:16; Mark 10:45; Acts
3:1-10; I Corinthians 9:19-23; I Peter 2:12), cells working
together as mission teams (Luke 5:1-7; John 4:37-38),
penetration of people groups (Luke 10:1-9; Acts 1:8, 10:34-48,
13:1-3, 26:17-18), prayer (II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:12,
18; Colossians 4:2-4; I Timothy 2:1, 4), and seeker sensitive
personal testimony (Colossians 4:5-6; Philemon 1:6; I Peter
3:15), which will result in the evangelization (Romans 10:17; I
Peter 2:12) of pre-Christian Postmoderns.
The Forward (Matthew
28:20) value of God’s kingdom is the experience of Jesus
Christ’s presence in a cell group (Matthew 18:20) so that God’s
people are continually transformed (Romans 8:29; II Corinthians
3:18; Philippians 1:6, 3:12-14) and developed for leadership of
holistic cells (Exodus 18:13-27; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 16:3-5).
Grassroots leadership formation and development through
mentoring (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 31:1-8; I Kings 19:19-21;
Mark 3:13-14; Acts 9:26-28; I Corinthians 1:11; I Thessalonians
2:8; II Timothy 2:1-2) and a systematic process of training
(Luke 9:1-10, 10:1-24) and equipping (Ephesians 4:11-16) will
assure an ever-expanding multiplication (Genesis 1:28, 9:7; Mark
4:30-34; Luke 13:20-21) of cell groups reaching Postmodern
pre-Christians with the Gospel (Acts 9:31, 12:14) "house to
house" (Acts 20:20). Please join me next month as I begin a more
in-depth discussion of the Upward value of God’s kingdom.
Faithfully in Jesus Christ,

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