Where should we focus our ministries – personally and corporately –as we seek to strengthen Christian witness in a post-Christian culture?

In these days when there are so many external and even internal pressures ranged against the Christian church, and where intolerance and persecution seem to be gathering strength and boldness, we need to gird ourselves for the changing landscape that lies ahead.

If the Christian life is anything, then surely it is a journey. We should not be surprised, then, that the landscape will change – sometimes quickly and dramatically. This should not alarm us.

How should the individual Christian believer prepare himself or herself for the challenges that lie ahead? What is reallyimportant in these days as we begin to prepare for what many are increasingly calling the end times? Where (some) institutional church leaderships seem intent on adopting the World’s agendas and, in a very real sense, becoming indistinguishable from the World around them, many individual believers are deeply uncomfortable with the trajectory of their local churches, not to mention broader denominationalism. Where should their focus lie?

What is really important now that we live in a post-Christian and post-truth society?

The most straightforward answer to that question, of course, is that our focus should be fixed on Jesus Himself. 

If we live in a post-truth world, where else should our gaze focus except on the Man Who called Himself “The Truth”? (John 14:6)

At the autumn regional Foundations Conferencein 2016 we reflected on seven areas of focus for the Christian. We were trying to assess ‘what is foundationally important in the days we presently live in’? The Bible is clear that “where there is no vision, the people :perish”(Proverbs 29:18). What is the vision that God is graciously promoting to His people today? Seven key areas are suggested here as we focus where it really matters. Opticians speak of 2020 vision as an index of the power and effectiveness of an individual’s eyesight, where 2020 vision represents the apex of visual acuity. Maybe we need to seek something similar as we try to discern God’s key ministry tasks for His people in these days.

Unfamiliar landscape

The table below provides a framework to explore the currents within God’s holy purposes in these days. The scripture texts selected are by no means exhaustive, but they capture the essence of God’s priorities. Of course, we could say that these have been His priorities down through the last 2000 years. Yet there is a sense in which the ‘landscape’ has changed dramatically in one key area – that of Israel – so we should not be
surprised that our need to respond to this prophetic work of God has become more urgent. Similarly, the global persecution of believers has now changed our priorities as we respond to the needs of our brethren.

Readers are invited to prayerfully work through these seven ‘visions’, searching the Scriptures to seek God on how they personally should respond to His prompting. With seven key themes identified as 2020 Vision,this might be done as part of your personal devotions over a one-week period. 2020 Vision then is something that individual believers might want to adopt as a part of their personal sacrifice of worship to the Lord Jesus. If these are not our priorities, then it begs the question, what alternative priorities could there be?

Changing the Church for the better…  Changing  ourselves for the better…

VISION #1 : Disciples of Jesus listening intently to the Shepherd’s voice (John 10: 27)

Today there are many siren voices which try to persuade us to take our eyes away from Jesus. But His disciples know His voice and feel deeply uncomfortable when a “gospel” is preached that is not totally focused on Jesus. The task of the true disciple of Jesus is to constantly listen-out for His voice.

ALSO: Psalm 23; John 10: 1 – 30; Hebrews 2: 1; 

FOCUS: JESUS

VISION #2 : Disciples of Jesus attuned to the scandalous nature of the Gospel message – and sharing it joyously (1 Corinthians 1: 23)

The gospel – the reality that it is ONLY through a crucified God that we may find ultimate peace – is a scandal to the world at large. Christians need to be attuned to the reality that this gospel is a scandal. Very often the world sees the gospel not as good news but as bad news! 

ALSO: Colossians 1: 15 – 23

FOCUS: Good News!

VISION #3 : Disciples of Jesus seeking to understand end-time realities whilst witnessing to a real-time world (Acts 1: 7 – 8)

It is clear that God does have an end-time plan and we are called to be aware of “signs” that the end may be near. But in the meantime and for always, our call is to witness to Jesus to a now-time world.

ALSO: 2 Peter 3; Revelation 22: 7 – 17; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 5: 11; 2 Thessalonians 2; 2 Timothy 3

FOCUS: End-time

VISION #4 : Disciples of Jesus at ease with the reality of “one new man” – believing Jew and believing Gentile united in Christ (Ephesians 2: 15)

It is clear that God continues to work out His purposes through the Hebrew people (Ephesians 2: 11 – 22 and Romans chapters 9 through 11). Christians seem to react violently either becoming very anti-Jewish or very pro-Jewish. But the call is to understand – to recognise what God is doing and to wonder at the outworking of His covenantal purposes. That is why we need to be “at ease” with these concepts. Otherwise we will be perplexed!

ALSO: Ephesians 2: 11 – 22; Colossians 2: 6 – 12; Romans 10: 16 – 11: 12;

FOCUS: One New Man

VISION #5 : Disciples of Jesus rejoicing in the Hebraic root, understanding Jesus in His Hebraic hinterland and rejoicing in the precisely balanced relationship of the New Testament and the Old Testament (Romans 11: 11 – 12)

Jesus came to bring the good news first to the Hebrews and then to the wider world (John 10: 16). His family was always going to be enlarged. God’s covenant with the nation of Israel was always going to be enlarged. The challenge for believers today is to understand God’s on-going purposes in the land He has set aside as His land for His people, as well as His purposes in the wider world. 

ALSO: Romans 1: 16; Matthew 15: 24; 2 Timothy 3: 16 (note – precisely what Scripture was Paul referring to?); Luke chapter 24 -especially verse 27.

FOCUS: Hebraic

VISION #6 : Disciples of Jesus praying and working tirelessly for our persecuted brothers and sisters (John 15: 18 – 21)

There has always been persecution and always will be. The Bible makes it clear that at the end persecution will entail significant analogies with persecution at the beginning. Whilst we have the freedom and ability to act, we owe a special debt to our suffering brothers and sisters, wherever they may be.

ALSO: Matthew 5: 3 – 12(especially 11-12); Matthew 10: 17-42; Mark 13: 9; John 15: 18 – 16: 4; Revelation 2: 9 – 10 and 13; Revelation 6: 9 – 11;  Romans 8: 17; Ephesians 6:18

FOCUS: Suffering Church

VISION #7 : Disciples of Jesus commited to prayer and to the study of the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18)

Prayer is always the believer’s vital breath. If we do not pray, we will not see God’s power displayed. God gives us the privilege to pray direct, not through priest or intermediary, but through Jesus our Lord (John 14: 13). God has given us His word; it is the utmost folly for a believer not to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the word He has given.

ALSO: Matthew 6: 9 – 13; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14-15 ; Jeremiah 29:11-15 ; Matthew 21:21-22;  Acts 2: 42; Jeremiah 33: 3; James 1: 5 – 7

FOCUS: Individual commitment