My Sermon Notes: Modernism vs Post-moderism
Here are some in-depth notes from the message yesterday. I know it was way more information heavy then usual so I just wanted to clear up anything I might have made to confusing:
Pre-modernism vs Modernism vs Postmodernism
Pre-modernism - New Testament - 1500’s
Modernism - 1500’s - 1980’s
Post-modernism - 1980’s-now
Modernism believed that all human evils would be solved through reason and technology. Modernism was book focused, and from that point on literacy rates began rising and the primary way to communicate was the written page.
Postmodernism is no longer confident that reason and technology will solve all our problems, because technology has created as many problems as its solved. Postmodernism is suspicious that everyone has a hidden agenda, that there are no people who are entirely neutral. Characteristics of postmodernism are cultural pluralism, an emphasis on tolerance, a belief that there’s no such thing as absolute truth, and a focus on individual freedom and liberty.
Postmodernism (1980’s – Now)
- Service
- Relationship Based
- Process
- Demonstrate that the message is relevant
OK, so how do we share our faith?
By caring about others! Rom. 9:1-3
Now I’m not talking about caring about a person conditionally, as if it were a manipulation technique to get someone to believe in Jesus. Some cult groups practice something called "love bombing," where potential members are drowned in a sea of love and caring, but it’s all conditional upon their conversion and involvement in the group. Love must be genuine, without hypocrisy or a hidden agenda.
By praying for others! Rom. 10:1
That’s what we find modeled for us in Romans 10:1 Paul actually spent time praying for his countrymen who didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He wasn’t just praying for them as a faceless, nameless mass, but he prayed for actual people, family members and friends, former colleagues and friends who didn’t know Jesus.If you’re having trouble caring for a person, try praying for that person every day until you start caring. Ask God to bless that person, to fill his or her life with God’s presence and greatness. Some Christians find it helpful to do prayer walks in their neighborhoods. Just a casual walk around the block, but as you walk silently praying for the people you see, for that nosy neighbor across the street, for the family with the out of control teenager two houses down and so forth. We have no right to share with people we haven’t prayed for.
By affirming what is positive in their lives! Rom. 10:2
You see, Christians are reluctant to affirm positive things in other people’s lives because they’re afraid that this will be misunderstood as their endorsement of their whole lifestyle. So if I affirm my non-Christian friend’s honesty at work, it will make him think I approve of the fact that he’s living with his girlfriend and has a child out of wedlock. Yet Paul didn’t have that hang-up. He freely affirmed what he saw that was positive in their lives.
By speaking the message! Rom. 10:14-15
We must tell (Live) it accurately and positively.
By trusting in the power of the message! Rom. 10:17
So many Christians don’t really believe that the message itself is powerful. We think we have to prop the message up with special programs or sales techniques. We focus so much on methodology that we neglect the very thing that transforms people. If we believe in the power of the message, we don’t have to rely on special techniques or methods, because if we can just accurately communicate the good news, that itself will generate faith.
Pre-modernism vs Modernism vs Postmodernism
Pre-modernism - New Testament - 1500’s
Modernism - 1500’s - 1980’s
Post-modernism - 1980’s-now
Modernism believed that all human evils would be solved through reason and technology. Modernism was book focused, and from that point on literacy rates began rising and the primary way to communicate was the written page.
Postmodernism is no longer confident that reason and technology will solve all our problems, because technology has created as many problems as its solved. Postmodernism is suspicious that everyone has a hidden agenda, that there are no people who are entirely neutral. Characteristics of postmodernism are cultural pluralism, an emphasis on tolerance, a belief that there’s no such thing as absolute truth, and a focus on individual freedom and liberty.
Modernism (1500’s-1980’s)
- Conquest
- Program Based
- Event
- Prove that the message was true
- Conquest
- Program Based
- Event
- Prove that the message was true
Postmodernism (1980’s – Now)
- Service
- Relationship Based
- Process
- Demonstrate that the message is relevant
OK, so how do we share our faith?
By caring about others! Rom. 9:1-3
Now I’m not talking about caring about a person conditionally, as if it were a manipulation technique to get someone to believe in Jesus. Some cult groups practice something called "love bombing," where potential members are drowned in a sea of love and caring, but it’s all conditional upon their conversion and involvement in the group. Love must be genuine, without hypocrisy or a hidden agenda.
By praying for others! Rom. 10:1
That’s what we find modeled for us in Romans 10:1 Paul actually spent time praying for his countrymen who didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He wasn’t just praying for them as a faceless, nameless mass, but he prayed for actual people, family members and friends, former colleagues and friends who didn’t know Jesus.If you’re having trouble caring for a person, try praying for that person every day until you start caring. Ask God to bless that person, to fill his or her life with God’s presence and greatness. Some Christians find it helpful to do prayer walks in their neighborhoods. Just a casual walk around the block, but as you walk silently praying for the people you see, for that nosy neighbor across the street, for the family with the out of control teenager two houses down and so forth. We have no right to share with people we haven’t prayed for.
By affirming what is positive in their lives! Rom. 10:2
You see, Christians are reluctant to affirm positive things in other people’s lives because they’re afraid that this will be misunderstood as their endorsement of their whole lifestyle. So if I affirm my non-Christian friend’s honesty at work, it will make him think I approve of the fact that he’s living with his girlfriend and has a child out of wedlock. Yet Paul didn’t have that hang-up. He freely affirmed what he saw that was positive in their lives.
By speaking the message! Rom. 10:14-15
We must tell (Live) it accurately and positively.
By trusting in the power of the message! Rom. 10:17
So many Christians don’t really believe that the message itself is powerful. We think we have to prop the message up with special programs or sales techniques. We focus so much on methodology that we neglect the very thing that transforms people. If we believe in the power of the message, we don’t have to rely on special techniques or methods, because if we can just accurately communicate the good news, that itself will generate faith.
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