Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 10
She warns that as society declines, plain people may lose “wide margins” and privileges, and she urges churches to “open up that lens” from neighborhood to “eternity,” adding, “let’s give them Christ…not shoe fly pie”; where do you see your church tempted to substitute cultural goods for Christ, and what concrete changes would it take to offer both real help and unmistakable discipleship?
Another way to ask: Where might your church be offering “good things” instead of truly giving people Christ? What real changes would help your church give practical help while also calling people to follow Jesus?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript suggests the temptation is to offer community culture and practical help while failing to clearly bring people to Christ; she urges churches to keep widening their vision and ensure help carries explicit discipleship. Concretely, her examples imply moving toward shared life, church-based service to hard needs, and intentionally “giving Christ” alongside good works.
- She warns plain people may lose “wide margins…from the government” and current “privilege.”
- She says the church must be able to “handle that,” and her social work may help.
- She urges an expanding focus: neighborhood ? “the whole city” ? “society” ? “eternity.”
- She frames the goal as “letting Christ, Christ in you, impact.”
- She critiques substituting culture: “let’s give them Christ…not shoe fly pie… and barn raising.”
- She highlights concrete embodied ministry: the community meal; crisis intervention plans; serving “fresh out of jail and homeless”; and churches possibly starting “a homeless shelter.”