Are social justice and evangelism mutually exclusive in the Christian faith?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 3:50PM Among evangelical Christians there seem to be some basic differences, perhaps one could even call them divides. One of the more common differences relates to what the intention of the Gospel (good news) of Jesus is about.
Some would suggest that the intention of the Gospel is to 'preach truth' to people so that they are convicted of their personal sin and so make a commitment to Christ that saves them from eternal damnation. The outcome of that process in this life may be a transformation of behaviour.
Others, such as myself, believe that the thrust of the Gospel has to do with connecting people with the saving power of Christ that not only deals with their personal sin, but also empowers them to engage with structural sins in the world around them. Why do persons steal? Frequently it is because they have need, or they have been poorly socialized.
So, are these two approaches mutually exclusive of one another? Here's a great video from Skye Jethani, the editor of the Leadership Journal and a founder of the 'Out of Ur' blog on this topic. I'd love to hear your feedback!
