Strategic?

Friday, July 13, 2007

You should read this conversation over at 9Marks to get the full context, but, here is an excerpt from a post that Thabiti wrote:
I do struggle with the sometimes too easy association of "strategic" with "large city." I understand the crossroads argument, but some small college towns are as influential in setting cultural ideas, etc. as any urban epicenter. Also, I sometimes struggle with whether or not "strategic" is the 9Marks/Reformed equivalent of the pragmatism we dislike and find unhelpful. Of the two options--look for a strategic location or go to any location--I'm gonna go with "go to any location" and trust the Lord has a strategy beyond what we can see.
I thought that was really insightful. I have always found myself a bit uncomfortable talking about "strategic" ministry. We who would fall in a more reformed circle of thinking can easily find ourselves thinking just like those whose theology we don't subscribe to. What makes something strategic? The fact that it appears, from a human vantage point to affect more people?

Think about this, wouldn't it have been more strategic for Christ to come in this generation? After modernity and post-modernity have come and gone? (or not gone?). I mean today, Jesus could have his own direct TV channel, his own webcam, international appearances and have undeniable worldwide credibility. That seems more strategic to me than grabbing a bunch of uneducated Galilean fishermen to follow him around for a few years then unleash them on the world. The fact is that much of God's strategy just doesn't make sense to us. I don't think God needs our help in strategizing. I think the emphasis should be on faithfulness to the task before each one of us. God will work out the strategy in his own wisdom.

3 comments:

Adam Bailie said...

There you go again, speaking wisdom. Love you, man, and I trust you will thrive in grace motivated faithfulness. Tell the wife and munchkin hello for the Bailies.

Dave Crawford said...

"I don't think God needs our help in strategizing." Well said. Hope you guys are doing great. How's the coffee down there?

BK Smith said...

You didn't take Dr Farnell's NT History class did you? Otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question about why Jesus didn't come in this culture!

Hope all is well and make sure those kids are catching all the moles they can... probably a business model in there somewhere...