We are Society pt. 3—Engaging Culture

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Vision Statement—
Society Church exists to be a expression of our God for Sacramento.

Two Core Distinctives—

Communal: We choose to deep, loyal, and emotionally mature friendships across the boundaries of race, class, politics, and culture. We actively resist the temptation to and divide based on categories of power or privilege.  

Contextual: We thoughtfully modern culture and seek creative mission while faithfully holding to our historic faith and Holy Scripture. We preach the Gospel in a way that deconstructs cultural idols and life in Jesus as the fulfillment of all existential longings.

Acts 17:13-16 NIV
But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 

Acts 17:17 NIV

So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

Rather than or hide from culture, the early followers of Jesus thoughtfully with culture to point the people within it to Jesus.

Acts 17:18-20 NIV
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”

Acts 17:21 NIV
21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Paul is now meeting the ancient philosophies head-on. This is a different team. You can’t just say what you say in the synagogue… This demands a different game plan, a different strategy. —N.T. Wright

Acts 17:22-27 NIV
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 

“These words of Paul are no missionary ploy. They present a transformation enacted by the Spirit that turns the logic of idolatry in a different direction.” —Willie James Jennings

1. God his story in the story of other .

Acts 17:28 NIV
28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

2. It is to be with popular art and academia.

3. It is important to lovingly where culture does not with Jesus.

Two things that must be avoided when living contextually: Insularism & Syncretism

“The greatest threat to the church in China is not persecution, it’s materialism.” —Dennis Balcombe

4. We are people of the word. The word.

Acts 17:29-31 NIV

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

5. In words and , preach .

Acts 17:32-34 NIV
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

1 Corinthians 19:19-23 NLT
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. 22When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

Contextual: We thoughtfully modern culture and seek creative mission while faithfully holding to our historic faith and Holy Scripture. We preach the Gospel in a way that deconstructs cultural idols and life in Jesus as the fulfillment of all existential longings.