1 The Gates of the City Monday Church Project September 2007 Darrow Miller

2 The Nature of the Church Without Walls

3 Martin Luther The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, 1520 “The works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks, but that all works are measured before God by faith alone…

4 Martin Luther The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, 1520 …Indeed, the menial housework of a manservant or maidservant is often more acceptable to God than all the fastings and other works of a monk or priest, because the monk or priest lacks faith.”

5 Jesus’ Prayer John 17: My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

6 Small Group Discussion John 17:15-19 What is the principle Jesus is articulating in His prayer?

7 Conformed Indistinguishable from the World

8 Disengaged In the Church and Out of the World

9 Impacting the World In the World but not of the World

10 Gathered & Scattered Gathered for worship & equipping Scattered for service & discipling the nations

11 The Externally Focused Church

12 Every Christian a Minister “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

13 Like Christ - Every Christian A Minister  Prophet – Speaking on behalf of God to the people – ministry in word (Acts 1:8; 2:14-18)  Priest – Speaking on behalf of the people before God – ministry of service and mercy- deed (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9)  King – Having delegated authority – ministry of steward (Matt. 28:19; Revelations 1:6)

14 Out of the Building To the Gates of the City

15 Kuyper on the Domains “  no sphere of human life is conceivable in which religion does not maintain its demands that God shall be praised, that God’s ordinances shall be observed, and that every labora shall be permeated with its ora in fervent and ceaseless prayer. Abraham Kuyper The Stone Lectures, 1898

16 Kuyper on the Domains (cont.) Wherever man may stand, whatever he may do, to whatever he may apply his hand, in agriculture, in commerce, and in industry, or his mind, in the world of art, and science, …

17 Kuyper on the Domains (cont.) … he is in whatsoever it may be, constantly standing before the face of his God, he is employed in the service of his God, he has strictly to obey his God, and above all, he has to aim at the glory of his God.”

18 Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

19 The Gates of the City – The Place of Public Life  Business and commerce  The Law read and adjudicated  Governing and administration  News and public announcements  Public meetings and discourse

20 The Gates of the City  The defense of the city  As a metaphor, represents the glory of the entire city  In pagan times, the place of cultic worship

21 The Modern Equivalent  Sectors of Society  Spheres  Spheres of influence  Domains The Province or Sphere of Influence The Place of Occupancy Equivalent to The Gates of the City

22 Christ’s Sovereignty “… there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” Abraham Kuyper Free University's inaugural convocation, 1880

Building Up the City Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. Proverbs 11:11 23

24 Three Fundamental Institutions  The Family – Social  Civil Governance – Government and Law  The Church

25 The Domains of Society  Social (Families, Churches, Communities, etc.)  Government and law  Business and economics  Art and communication  Education  Science and technology  Health

26 The Church The Conscience of the Nation

27 Gates of the CitySocialCommunication Business & Economics Arts Health Government & Law Science & Technology Education Kingdomizers

28 The Circles of Influence Individual

29 The Gatekeepers Responsibilities included:  Works of service  Guarding the city  Opening and closing the gates Modern gatekeepers to bring:  Truth  Beauty  Justice Hebrew shoer : “one who is occupied with the gate”

30 “Kingdomizers” Truth Beauty Goodness Truth Beauty Goodness Truth Truth Truth Beauty Beauty Beauty Goodness Goodness Goodness

31 “Kingdomizers”  A doctor, not for money, but for Jesus and for health in the community.  A lawyer, not for money, but for Jesus and for justice in society.  An engineer, not for money, but for Jesus and for the fight against the ravages of natural evil.  An artist, not for money, but for Jesus and the advancement of beauty in the world.  A businessman, not for self-aggrandizement, but for Jesus and for economic sufficiency for the society.

32 The Old Paradigm Dualistic/Gnostic Bridge The Call  Carpenter  Mechanic  Teacher  Musician  Artist  Caterer  Nurse  Housewife 10% Religious  Theologian  Church Planter  Preacher 90% Secular  Preacher  Carpenter  Artist  Church Planter  Teacher  Musician  Housewife  Nurse  Mechanic  Theologian  Caterer

33 The New Paradigm Biblical Worldview Bridge The Call  Theologian  Church Planter  Preacher  Carpenter  Mechanic  Teacher  Musician  Artist  Caterer  Nurse  Housewife “Kingdomize” all  Preacher  Carpenter  Housewife  Church Planter  Teacher  Musician  Artist  Nurse  Mechanic  Theologian  Caterer

34 Equipping the Saints For the Gates of the City

35 Equipping the Ministers It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11- 13

36 Equipping the Saints “The church is to train God’s people for the work of ministry. If our nation is to have thoroughly equipped pastors, then the church must train young men for the ministry of the gospel. George Grant, The Changing of the Guard

37 Equipping the Saints “If our nation is to have thoroughly equipped teachers, then the church must train young mothers and fathers for the ministry of education…

38 Equipping the Saints “…If our nation is to have thoroughly equipped craftsmen, artists, musicians, philosophers, doctors, laborers, lawyers, scientists, and merchants, then the church must train them for the ministry of acculturation.

39 Equipping the Saints “And, of course, if our nation is to have thoroughly equipped magistrates, then the church must train them for the ministry of cultural and political involvement.”

40 What will it take to equip ministers for the market place? 1) The pastors-teachers being equippers. 2) Consistent teaching from the pulpit on biblical worldview, precepts and theology of vocation. 3) Discipling classes to prepare people to work wholistically in the market place and public square. 4) Public ceremonies to commission and send equipped businessmen to minister in the market place, lawyers into the judicial system, and public servants into government.

41 What will it take to equip ministers for the market place? 5) Establish local church sectoral cell groups to study and apply biblical truth and principles into their occupation. 6) Establish Church in the City sectoral groups to strategically plan and affect their sector. 7) Establish Church in the City Action Councils to develop multi-sectoral integrated strategy for impacting the city.

42 Lives of Impact

43 Social Domain  Wilberforce – Slavery  Amy Carmichael – Liberating girls/women  Larry Ward – Poor and hungry  Gary Skinner – AIDS patients and AIDS orphans

44 Domain Impact  Government and law  Business and economics  Art and communication  Education  Science and technology  Health