It is obvious that in western societies Christians are again seen as too exclusive and narrow, and they, too, may soon be excluded from many government, academic, and corporate careers and jobs, and be socially marginalized in various other ways. What can we learn from the early church so that we can have our own effective missionary encounter?

The earliest church was seen as too exclusive and a threat to the social order because it would not honor all deities; today Christians are again being seen exclusive and a threat to the social order because it will not honor all identities. Yet the early church thrived in that situation. Why? 

This month I will join with Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times and John Inazu of the Washington University Law School, to discuss “Civility in the Public Square.” This could be read as nothing more than an appeal for people to be nicer to one another. However, I hope it will be an introduction for many to a much more crucial and ambitious project. 

We are in the midst of our Rise Campaign, and the most important part of that effort is to cast a vision for Redeemer’s ministry in the city over the next 10 years. This vision, if God blesses it, would allow us to minister to the city in ways we have always dreamed of — but in ways that up to now we have only dreamed of. It’s an enormous vision and a compelling one. But what’s our motivation? 

The reason is, still, always, first and last, the gospel itself. Let’s look at the components of the Redeemer vision that we have been addressing in this Spring’s sermon series.

This month we enter a  season where all of Redeemer will focus on a bold vision that will shape our church and our city for a generation or more. It’s a vision we believe God gave us from the earliest days of Redeemer’s formation, when it seemed to be a great but far-off prospect. Today we are at a wonderful crossroads — we can move toward the actual fulfillment of that calling.