On being a prophetic community

As a young man in my late teens and early 20s, I was shaped by two very different streams within the evangelical church. On the one hand, I am from the “Keith Green Generation”; those young people in the late 70s and early 80s who went “bananas for Jesus” through the music and message of this short-lived prophet. The other stream of influence that shaped my Christian life during the same period is best symbolized by Clarence Jordan, the Greek New Testament scholar in overalls, who started an interracial farming community in Georgia in the 1940s. He is remembered for writing the “Cotton Patch Version of the New Testament” and for inspiring a multi-millionaire named Millard Fuller (founder of Habitat for Humanity) to become a Christian.

Many InnerCHANGE missionaries share a similar journey of seeking to integrate the diversity of influences that impact how we see the world and seek God’s kingdom. Our founder, John Hayes, does not refer to one ministry as “social” in nature and another as “spiritual”. He has gifted InnerCHANGE with a “seamless” gospel, one without qualifying labels.

It is precisely this gift that God wants to use at this critical time in our journey as a prophetic community in the Church. I am deeply concerned about the prevailing spirit of line-drawing that holds God’s people in its grip. I see that line drawing spirit in many ways:

“Abortion is a moral issue…war is a necessary evil.”
“Opposing free trade is political engagement…defending the unborn is about doing what is right.”
“God-fearing Christians vote Republican.”
“We are the greatest nation on earth.”
“The environmental agenda belongs to a few green freaks.”
“The (only) way to love your neighbor is to tell him about Jesus…”
“That is a liberal agenda…this is the right-wing agenda.”
“If you get too concerned about social issues you’ll lose focus on saving souls.”
“God is on our side.”
On and on it goes…

I believe God has formed InnerCHANGE to be a small, yet significant, alternative to this prevailing spirit. But, what is that alternative? Is there another way for Christians today? What do we offer the wider Church as a prophetic community? How is God speaking to us at this moment in our journey?