TODAY:

Acts 17:16-34 | Incarnational Mission

BIG IDEA:

God wants His creation to know Him & He calls us to boldly & compassionately share it in ways that makes sense to whoever we’re sharing it with

SCRIPTURES:

Acts 17:16-34, Romans 1:20, Romans 8:14-15, John 1:12-13

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Q: How would you describe the difference between syncretism & contextualization?

Q: How do the Scriptures/concepts from this week help you grow as a disciple who loves God, loves people & serves the world (lives on incarnational mission) in everyday life?

Q: Based on these Scriptures, how can you move from unbelief to belief, from just knowing to actually doing in your life?

Connect with God (UP)...

Q: Read Acts 17:24-29. What can we learn about God from what Paul shares?

Q: Read Acts 17:16-34. What part of Paul’s interaction & speech resonates most deeply with you? Why? What should you do about it?

Connect with Others(IN)...

Q: How can we as a church encourage each other to live out incarnational mission?

Connect with the World (OUT)...

Q: What are some of the altars & idols in our nation, region, community? How do people “sacrifice” to them & what effect does that have?

Q: Can we emulate Paul’s deep anger AND redemptive compassion towards what we see in the world around us?

Q: How can this help us overcome fear & motivate us towards action to engage the world around us?

NOTES & QUOTES

Paul changed his methods but never his message.

SYNCRETISM: blending two things together as one by changing one or both

CONTEXTUALIZATION: utilizing, drawing from & incorporating elements of local culture, identity, history, language, values, etc. to express & explain Biblical Truths in an understandable & compelling way

Syncretism minimizes differences to become the same, while contextualization uses similarities to explain differences.

Incarnational mission: be in, know & speak

ACTION STEPS:

1) If you haven’t yet, “offer yourself up for adoption” to God!

2) Quiz yourself on what the languages, needs, desires of your community/mission field are.

3) Share the Good News of Jesus with someone in a way that they understand.