Class 6 (Mar 17): Nationalism (Part 1)

Nationalism as a lived worldview in competition with Christianity, should not be taken as a condemnation of patriotism. However, we want to say just as forcefully that a patriotism that loses perspective and offers our highest loyalty to a specific state is an evil and destructive thing. In essence, nationalism is the imbalanced and distorted form of something that is good—patriotism.

Here's are the class resources:

• Click here to download the class notes.
• Click here to download The Ten Seasoning Principles bookmark.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. Find ways to talk about the underlying story behind our loyalties - who and what defines the "We?"
2. Remember our missional agenda. We must live transparently as people of the new world that God is advancing by his Spirit! 
3. Do you think God’s plan for history will be severely hampered if the USA ceases to exist as a nation in 25 years? Consider the trans-national reach of the Gospel.

Food for thought:

No nation is the manifestation of absolute goodness. Thus, granting ultimate loyalty to a country indicates that we have lost sight of what is absolutely good and have elevated the nation, a created, transitory and partial good, to a place that should be reserved for God alone.

– Hidden Worldviews, p78.

Resources recommended:

• Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).
• Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

The Transformation Model (The inside-out approach to engaging worldviews)

Class 5 (Mar 10): Consumerism

Consumerism's marketing message has a way of being fixated to mind in more ways than we realize. Note that their themes of happiness, joy, peace, "the ultimate," and "the best" mirrors the good news of the gospel. At the heart of it, consumerism is another gospel. Since the fulfillment of needs is what salvation is about, consumerism is, in reality, a secular religion. 

Here's are the class resources:

• Click here to download the two-page class outline.
• Click here for the audio recording of the class.
• Click here to download The Ten Seasoning Principles bookmark.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. It is more than the purchase, there is the perceived fulfillment of being self-sufficient, smart, and feeling superior to those who did not buy.
2. Do our children get to see us sacrifice - the trading of comfort and desires for a higher purpose, for something of a greater value, for something eternal?
3. Consumerism is the most potent competitor for a Christian worldview in our culture. "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Mt 6:24) 

Food for thought:

Consumerism is also about shopping for one's own brand of customized faith:

"The majority of American adults pick and choose their religious beliefs to create, in essence, a "customized" religion rather than adopting the set of beliefs taught by a particular church, a new study found. By a three to one margin (71 percent to 26 percent), Americans say they are more likely to personally develop their own set of religious beliefs than accept a comprehensive set of beliefs taught by a church or denomination, a Barna study, released Monday, shows. "

– The Christian Post, Jan 12, 2009.

Resources recommended:

• Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).
• Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

The Transformation Model (The inside-out approach to engaging worldviews)

Class 4 (Feb 25): Individualism (Part 2)

As a follow-up to last week's class on Individualism, we had a deep dive focus on the conversational dynamics involved when it comes to seasoning our engagement with salt (Col 4:5-6). Our focus is not to impose solutions, and giving "I am right, you are wrong" or "I am going to fix you" vibes but to understand the story behind the symptoms. Here are a few insights gathered from those who attended:

• I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care.
• Look for conversational "dips" which indicate hurts and backstories worth exploring further.
• Seek for clarity in their backstory, bearing in mind that deep seated hurts manifest itself as blame.
• Look out for "I have been done wrong" moments.

Here's are the class resources:

• Click here to download the two-page class outline (with discussion case study).
• Click here to the audio recording of the class.
• Click here to download The Ten Seasoning Principles bookmark.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. We do not need to "get to Jesus" ASAP but to engage in such a way that others would ask, "Why do you keep coming back?", "Why do you continue to care?" When the questions start coming, then their heart is ready for the answer.
2. As we listen to the core of what constitutes their story, be looking out for areas of commonality (as fellow human beings) to facilitate "Oh, I see" moments.
3. When does the Good News begin? It is triggered by how far we are from Shalom, what is it supposed to be? Listen to the absence of Shalom. 

Food for thought:

Consider the centrality of Shalom (as you observe common greetings across different cultures):
”Salam” in Arabic and “Ping-an” in Chinese means peace. In Korean, ”Anyoung Haseyo” translates “Are you at peace?” People seek it more than you know. 

Resources recommended:

• Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).
• Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

The Transformation Model (The inside-out approach to engaging worldviews)

Class 3 (Feb 18): Individualism

What makes individualism such a temptation to Christians is that this philosophy is woven into our cultural fabric. Individualism's influence on Christians is apparent in the often-heard statements like, "My faith is between God and me," "My religion is a personal thing," or "I believe in God. I don't need to go to church." While Christianity embraces the truth that Gid is interested and involved in each of our lives, individualism takes this to such an extreme that it ceases to be Christian truth. In this class we take a closer look at the convictional beliefs behind individualism, the truths in this worldview and the perversions that make individualism so attractive. (p29, Hidden Worldviews).

• Click here to download the two-page class outline (with discussion case study).
• Click here for the audio recording of the class.
• Click here to download The Ten Seasoning Principles bookmark.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. Community is esse not bene-esse, essential not merely beneficial: We are created for relationships, will only flourish as live in community for His glory and to love/bless others.
2. In the letter to the Hebrews, the author used the word "you" 31x, out of which 1x is addressed to the individual while 30x it is used in the plural, addressing the community of believers. As Christians, we are called into a community, not into individualistic lives.
3. We are created for community with God and others, responsible together under Him.
   Shalom: Harmony/flourishing is possible only when Creator/creation roles honored, celebrated.

Food for thought:

When individual liberty is our primary value, we identify obstacles to fulfillment as something outside us (e.g., other people, mass culture, government restrictions) rather than internal deficiencies in our character. In other words, goodness is not obtained by internal transformation, but by rearrangement of external circumstances.

Resources recommended:

• Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).
• Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

The Transformation Model (The inside-out approach to engaging worldviews)

                                          

Class 2 (Feb 11): Listen First!

What is the difference in being interesting vs being interested? Consider that salt in the right amount, it does not draw attention to itself but enhances the flavor of the substance it comes into contact with. So, if my speech is to be always gracious, seasoned with salt (Col 4:5-6), then I ought to start by truly listening to the deeper story. We discussed the case study of Shonda (see class outline) and then spend time unraveling the Transformation Model, from "Hidden Worldviews."

Often, we move in the wrong direction, focusing on external moral/actions and then try and go deep in the conversation. Such an approach will only increase a person's level of self-defensiveness. The key is to move from the inside-out, starting with the story. 

• Click here to download the two-page class outline (with discussion case study).
• Click here for the audio recording of the class.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. Referring to the case study, the teacher involved was too eager to dispense neat Systematic Theology "nuggets" without getting into the grief, pain, confusion, and emotions of 9 year old Shonda. Imagine what that did to Shonda's sense of identity subsequently and how she perceive God? Consider Jesus' encounter with the women at the well, He began with her story and she was transformed from the inside out. 
2. Imperative #1: The Challenge of Time. Do our schedules allow us time to be patient to really listen to where the other person is coming from? There are many living in quiet desperation who would love for someone to hear their stories.
3. Imperative #2: The Brokenness of Sin. Even the story itself is broken; we cannot deal with the narrative leading to behavior without dealing with the pervasive presence of sin. We need a robust view of sin that goes beyond just mistakes and bad decisions. Life is not as scripted and reductionistic as what Robert Sapolsky might have us to believe in his article, "Why Free Will Doesn't Exist."

Resources recommended:

"Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives" by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).

Class 1 (Feb 4): Everybody Has a Story!

Welcome to the first class of  BE READY! Engaging Today's Cultural Narratives.

We confess that God is Lord of all, and that He calls us to be a display of His splendor in our city. That requires us to bless the city by engaging our neighbors and their beliefs, yet always from a posture of grace and truth. This Sunday School class will help prepare us “to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Pet 3:15). 

Furthermore, in our apologetic calling, we need to "walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of our time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each one." (Col 4:5-6). 

• Click here to download the two-page class outline (with case study assignment).
• Click here for the audio recording of the class.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. Instead of rushing to give the "right" answers, we ought to be aware of what are the questions. In other words, we make an attempt to understand the narrative (see class outline - the six questions, there could be many answers, but the few fundamental questions remain the same). Consider the narratives of popular movies, what questions are they trying to answer and what are the conclusions?
2. The passage 1 Pet 3:15 is in the context of Christians suffering from persecution. How we respond to suffering will open up opportunities for others to be curious in finding out why we remain hopeful.
3. In engaging with others, my role is not to cast stones of "evidential clarity," rather it is to put a pebble in their shoe so that they begin to think and ponder about how they view the world, people, and even themselves.

Resources recommended:

"Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives" by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).