In my previous post, I made the case that the church is meant to be a harbinger of the new heavens and the new earth. That is, when people experience the community of people called ‘the church’ they should be given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth.
In order for that to happen, the church has to have a culture of gospel + safety + time.
Gospel
People need multiple exposures to the happy news of the gospel from one end of the Bible to the other
Safety
People need the safety of non-accusing sympathy so they can admit their problems honestly
Time
People need plenty of time to rethink their lives at a deep level because people are complex and changing isn’t easy
But when you stop to think about it, a church culture isn’t just a community, it’s also made up of individuals. So the question then is: when someone experiences you, is that individual given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth?
Think about that question.
When someone experiences you, is that individual given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth? Is your personal culture characterized by gospel + safety + time?
In the next few posts on this topic, we’ll explore what it takes for a church and individuals to be harbingers of the new heavens and new earth. For now, let’s pray and plead with God to make us into people who are like this.
