The use of words is fascinating to me, so I loved the way Newbigin used both senses of the word "gauntlet" to describe the challenge facing the North American church.
In the first sense, that of a medieval challenge (as in to throw down the gauntlet), Newbigin challenges the church to not only see its own backyard as a missionary field, but also to be as diligent about its outreach to it as we have been in efforts to evangelize other nations.
In the second sense, Newbigin uses the word gauntlet (as in running a gauntlet), to describe the high-wire act that comes from balancing public "facts" and private "values" which is complicated yet again when we consider our own culture as a mission field. We need to walk a line between striking out against the culture and being completely absorbed in it.
In Newbigin's model, culture rests as a corner of a missiological triangle in which gospel and church for the other points. On the axis between gospel and culture, we see the gospel being presented in a relevant manner in the culture, precipitating conversion. The culture point is also connected to the church along an axis of the triangle, creating a place for missionary dialogue and witness to the community. The final axis of the triangle exists between the gospel and the church. It is on this axis that discipleship happens as the Bible is studied, leading the church to better understand its own history and the story of God.
To see the gospel as just being about people being saved and baptized is to see an incomplete picture of both the gospel and the people to whom it is being presented. Being saved and baptized isn't an end goal, it's a beginning and helping the new believer make their way in this crazy culture of ours should be as much a priority as the initial presentation of the gospel. Suddenly, the assumptions they grew up with may no longer be valid and they need to learn how to view a variety of issues through the lens of Scriptures.
We also have to realize that culture shapes the attitudes into which we are trying to speak the truth of Christ's love for sinners - all sinners - and his atoning death on the cross. Our culture tells us there has to be a reason for someone to love us, especially to love us to the point of death. Christ tells us we just have to be who we are. Our culture is full of broken families and imperfect parents while we talk of God as the perfect Father. Our culture tells us we have to do something in order to receive. Christ just says come. We need to be aware of this baggage that people are carrying lest they turn down the volume on our presentation of the gospel because we have shown an amazing lack of sensitivity to their situation.
Presenting the gospel will, in some cases, make us the real revolutionary in the world. Where the rest of culture is presenting a me-first attitude, the message of Christ puts others first. Where our culture tells us to make a lot of money and retire early, the message of Christ tells us to keep working to make His kingdom happen on earth.
Looking back at Paul's address to the Athenians on Mars Hill in Acts 17, we see that the apostle found common ground on which to begin a conversation about the gospel. It is the same way in our culture as we might find something as simple as a popular song or movie as an entryway to a conversation about the gospel.
We need to remember that Christ said we were to be in the world, but not of it. We are to be aware of what is happening so that we can speak his truth into it; yet not hold the things of the world so closely that there's no room for his truth.
And, so, another balancing act is begun ...
