Party Theology
Read this: Party Theology
Not knowing any better, after becoming a follower of Jesus, Levi decided to throw a big party, he invited all of his friends who happened to be tax-collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Upon the invitation, Jesus went. In turn, Jesus had a horrible reputation, because He went to this party; He was known as a drunkard, a glutton, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Although Jesus was neither a drunkard nor a glutton, He was willing to ruin His reputation on behalf of befriending people that He disagreed with and weren’t honoring to Him. More so, He (Jesus) didn’t expect people who did not know God to live like they did.
And so for us at Mosaic, every year we would hear about this “party theology” and started putting it into practice. It’s amazing that in the context of a party, it’s simply inviting people into your home that you would normally never invite into your home. For example, it’s canceling your small group so that you can attend a play because someone in the small group—ho does not know God—s in the play. Rather than expecting them to always come to us, we go to them. Party theology is putting the needs of others before our own, in the context of relationship.
We need more of this in The Rock.
And this has also been my experience:
I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way apologetics turned into arguing with people, trying to convince them intellectually that our way is the right way. What I’ve discovered in my conversations with people is that, although I’m not a great debater, and I’m not a great theologian in that sense, if I allow someone the context to honestly seek God, they will discover His name is Jesus. They will be shocked. It’s a supernatural, mystical and powerful experience where Jesus becomes real to them. I can’t hit them over the head with enough facts to get them to that point. There are some people who move in that intellectual world, but I think a lot more of us are changed because we encountered Jesus and we can’t explain how that happened.
I recently have found that philosophically/politically (and therefore religiously), I can almost always find a common ground with someone - even if it would appear that we share no similar beliefs. Using that as a starting point to share my faith has proven to be effective, at least in that no one has freaked out on me and been unwilling to listen.
I haven’t seen anyone suddenly renounce their ways, but getting to know a person (say, over a drink at the Bali), conversing, and then using a line like, “well, as the token right-wing conservative Christian here,” always gets a laugh, and generally allows me to share my faith in some pretty unusual circumstances.
Matt, this is a great note!
The book “Shaping of things to Come” by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch write something very familiar… if can let you borrow the book if you haven’t already read it and are interested.
Okay… but before we start going to everyone’s thing, let’s remind ourselves that Jesus went to Levi’s party, according to the blog quoted above, because he converted. Now that is a reason to celebrate! And I’m sure that the occassion of the celebration affected what kind of party they had.
So, yeah, let’s throw parties all the time that celebrate the handiwork of God. We have many reasons for joy!