Discussion Questions

Dean read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “thermometer vs. thermostat” critique of the church and then asked the class the same question; where do you see your own church life (music, dress, economics, mission priorities) quietly “recording popular opinion” rather than “transforming the morae of society,” and what specific evidence would prove it either way? JumpstartAnother way to ask: In what ways does your church (music, dress, money, and mission) mostly follow what’s popular instead of changing the culture around it? What clear signs would show which one is really happening?

King described early Christians as “too God-intoxicated to be astronomically intimidated,” and Dean connected that to the church being willing to suffer; what do you think God is like if He intends His people to be that fearless and sacrificial, and what parts of your Christianity would have to change for that phrase to be true of you? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If God wants His people to be fearless and willing to suffer, what does that say God is like? What would need to change in your life for you to live that way?

Dean said Jesus would “show a shining example of the kingdom to the world instead of marching on Washington”; how does that claim reshape what faithfulness looks like when confronting public evil, and what kinds of actions today would count as “kingdom example” rather than political pressure? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Jesus wants the church to show the kingdom by example instead of using political marches, how does that change what it means to face public evil? What actions today would look like a “kingdom example” instead of political pressure?

Dean highlighted Ezekiel 36 (“I do not this for your sake… but for my holy name’s sake”) to argue salvation is about God’s glory, not ours; how would church decisions change if protecting God’s name—not preserving our comfort, reputation, or success—was the operating motive? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If salvation is mainly about God’s glory and protecting His name, how should that change the way a church makes decisions? What choices would look different if comfort, reputation, and success weren’t the main goals?

Dean tied Isaiah 9 (“the government shall be upon his shoulder… the zeal of the Lord… will perform this”) to Jesus’ kingdom and to the church as God’s plan for the world; where do you find yourself functionally trusting other “governments” (strategies, institutions, politics, wealth, education) to do what Dean says only Christ’s government can do? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where do you end up trusting other “governments” (politics, money, schools, institutions, or strategies) to fix things that only Jesus’ kingdom can fix? What does that trust look like in your real life?

In Dean’s overview of the Sermon on the Mount, he emphasized non-resistance, no lawsuits, radical marital purity, plain speech without oaths, private prayer, fasting, and anti-treasuring economics; which of these teachings feels most unrealistic or dangerous to obey in modern life, and what does your discomfort reveal about what you assume God requires versus what you assume He merely “recommends”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Which Sermon on the Mount teaching (non-resistance, no lawsuits, purity in marriage, plain speech, private prayer, fasting, or not storing up wealth) feels most unsafe or unrealistic today? What does that reaction show about what you think God truly commands versus what you think is optional?

Dean said the “straight gate” requires squeezing through obedience to Jesus’ words, and he warned that calling Jesus “Lord” isn’t enough if you don’t build on His teachings; how does that confront common evangelical ideas of assurance and “freedom,” and what would you say to someone who claims faith but refuses Jesus’ manifesto as their blueprint? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If calling Jesus “Lord” isn’t enough without obeying His teachings, how does that challenge common ideas about being “saved” and being “free”? What would you say to someone who claims faith but won’t live by Jesus’ words?

Dean’s history survey warned about mixing the kingdom with worldly power—Constantine, revolutionary movements like Müntzer, the Münster tragedy, and even Mennonites in Paraguay with a Hitler portrait behind the altar; what are the modern equivalents of “kingdom design getting mixed with kingdoms of the world” that could blind sincere Christians today, and how can a church detect that drift before it becomes normal? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What are today’s ways Christians might mix God’s kingdom with worldly power and not notice it? How can a church spot that drift early, before it feels normal?

Dean pointed to the early church in Acts as sharing possessions and repeatedly seeking fresh empowering (Acts 2, Acts 4 “the place shook”), then called today “Acts 29”; what practices of waiting on God, communal sharing, and Spirit-empowered mission would look abnormal—but credible—in your congregation, and what would they cost you personally? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What would it look like for your church to share more, wait on God more, and depend on the Spirit in mission in a way that seems unusual but real? What would that cost you personally?

Using Kennegy’s language, Dean contrasted “history makers” on the margins with “history stoppers” in the comfortable middle, and paired it with Dante’s warning about neutrality in moral crisis; where have you chosen the “middle road” to avoid losing status, control, or affluence, and what concrete step would move you from “not losing our skin over the deal” to living a “costly gospel” that could actually change your community? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where have you taken the “middle road” to avoid losing comfort, status, or control when something morally serious was happening? What one clear step could you take toward a “costly gospel” that could truly help your community?