Welcome to the May/June issue of Equip for Ministry. We mentioned to our readers earlier that Christian Education and Publication’s five-year ministry strategy is focused around the theme “Making Kingdom Disciples,” that has now subsequently become the overarching philosophy of our ministry. 

Great Commission Publications produce our Sunday school curriculum and in their recent catalogue, they mentioned that Making Kingdom Disciples, A New Framework expresses the philosophy that overarches the GCP curriculum. It is a resource training book used by CE&P staff and regional trainers. It was also highlighted at the annual Women in the Church Leadership Training in February.

I recently had the privilege of teaching the book for a week in Jamaica through the Ministries In Action IONA Studies Center. Dr. Michael Woodham, a member of the CE&P committee, leads the center. The lead article is a condensed version of a 45-minute interview recorded in a Kingston station on the book. The interview summarizes much of the book’s content and will develop the theme of making kingdom disciples. The full audio interview is available on the CE&P website.

The “In Case You’re Asked” page deals with a timely subject that has created much discussion and raised many questions recently. While teaching a seminary class based on Making Kingdom Disciples, I was questioned by several students. They asked how the church relates to culture. They wanted to know how far the church can go in accommodating the culture, or how much can the church resemble the culture. We built a response to those types of questions around n review of Reclaiming the Center. By doing so, we hope to challenge you to think discerningly about those matters.

In the case statement of CE&P, we say Christians either confront the culture, or the culture confronts us. This leads to the question of why should a reformed worldview matter. It matters because Christ has called us to engage the world, not run from it. To echo Dr. Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., author of Engaging God’s World, “Suppose we get close enough to secular culture to understand it, to witness to it, to try in some ways to reform it. How do we keep from being seduced by it?”

While we do not allow culture to dictate our message, we cannot minister effectively without a clear understanding of culture. We begin to know how to confront the culture with the Truth when we have that understanding. Jacque Ellul had a point when he said that God often uses the world to help the church know what it should be addressing. Yet our message must not be driven by the culture. We believe it is important to be “in the world, but not of the world.” But that does not mean that we are to be like the world/ As a matter of fact, the more we are like the world, the less we are like kingdom disciples.

We have intentionally and carefully selected several books, to encourage and challenge you. The Truth About Worldviews by James P. Eckman is an excellent book on the characteristics and differences among the major world religions. Churches, homes, and Christian schools should intentionally teach this book.

How Should We Then Live, by Francis Schaeffer may sound familiar. It is a reprint in honor of the fifty year ministry of L’Abri. Schaeffer understood the culture and has helped many people come to grips with a Christian world and life view. This book is a classic. Philip Ryken’s He Speaks To Me Everywhere is a good book to remind us that God is sovereign and involved in all aspects of life and reality. The Kingdom Focused Leader by Michael Miller is highly recommended for leaders.

Bob Edmiston, coordinator of CE&P’s training program, writes the “Equip Tip” on the making kingdom disciples. In brief form, he gives important aspects of that task.

We believe this is an important issue. We truly believe the content in this issue are extremely important in the life of the church and your role as a leader and member.

Following a discussion of recent events, especially surrounding the Terri Schaivo tragedy, someone said, “Charles, I don’t think we can do anything to help or make people think.” I could only say, “I hope you are wrong and I hope we can make some contribution to a generation of people that are known for their carefully strategic thinking.” To that end we commend this issue to you and pray that it will play some small part in encouraging you, as a kingdom disciple, “to think God’s thoughts after Him.” You see, it is not our thoughts about God that make the difference, but His thoughts revealed to us that make the difference.

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