GOING DEEPER
01.17.2021 | DANGEROUS INTERSECTION | Wk 3: “Emerging Culture”
Join the community and go deeper with this Bible study.
Breaking Ground
What is your favorite movie? Why?
The Dig
Spend this week reflecting on the third part of E3’s vision statement that we are exploring – emerging culture.
What comes to mind when you think about the term emerging culture?
Read Acts 17:22-28. As discussed on Sunday, this is a fascinating sermon, in terms of how Paul engages the surrounding Greek culture. He uses their language, mirrors their philosophical teachers, employs Greek metaphors, & acknowledges aspects of truth from their own arts, stories, ideas, & history.
In your experience, does this willingness to meet the surrounding culture where it’s at, speak its cultural language, & affirm the positive aspects of it reflect how you’ve seen Christians engage with its surrounding culture?
Why do you think Paul does this? What does this show us about how the Church is called to engage surrounding culture?
Next, read Acts 17:29-34. To close, Paul changes tones & challenges the Greco-Roman practice of idolatry (believing that gods could reside in things human’s create & worshipping them through idols). Paul believed that every culture had idols that were antithesis to what God was doing.
What is it about cultural idolatry that Paul believes is counter to the Church & Christ’s story?
This reflects two truths the Church must balance: 1.) that no one human culture could confide God – thus, every culture has truths that better point us to God & the Church should engage diverse cultures with humble curiosity; & 2.) that every culture had its own, unique idols that need to be challenged.
Reflect on our current, emerging culture in America. What aspects do you see as positive/containing spiritual truth?
Where, in our American culture, do you see cultural idolatry? That is, the worship of things, systems, worldviews, or ideas that aren’t God.
What might it look like for us, as American Christians, to balance meeting the culture where it’s, while still speaking truth to these areas of cultural idolatry?
Finally, Paul always challenged the Church to identify, challenge, & deconstruct where cultural idols had creeped into the Church before challenging culture on idolatry.
Where have you seen American cultural idols intertwine with the Church in America? How would disentangling from them better equip the Church to reflect Christ, achieve its mission & engage emerging culture in a healthy way?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time in this series to reflect on & pray over each part of Element3’s vision statement. This week, focus on emerging culture. Ask yourself:
- What does this part of the vision statement mean to me?
- Where does E3 currently help me (or others) engage with this?
- How can I help E3 be a place where this aspect of E3’s vision is experienced more deeply (by myself & others)?
Journal, reflect, & pray over these questions. Ask God where you need to hear & take part in God’s work to make E3 the community it wants to be. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
Sacred Companions by David Benner
A Community of Character by Stanley Hauerwas
The Church on the Other Side by Brian McLaren
TheBibleProject.com – website by Tim Mackie
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, January 24: Join us for week one of our new series Rhythms of the Garden – where we will be looking at the Garden of Eden & how it invites us into rhythms of life defined by divine creativity, work, relationship, & rest. .
* Please see mye3.org for details.