Winning the World

134 Wi nn i ng the Wor l d: Fac i l i tat i ng Urban Chur ch P l ant i ng Movement s

A. The nature of truth-seeking in missiology and theology

John 7.24 (ESV) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. Prov. 24.23 (ESV) These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. John 8.15 (ESV) You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 1 Thess. 5.19-22 (ESV) Do not quench the Spirit. [20] Do not despise prophecies, [21] but test everything; hold fast what is good.

1. You simply can never know all about anything, but you can understand it well enough to make an informed, temporary judgment.

2. No two things, situations, or circumstances are identical, and we must be careful in evaluating them as such.

3. People and things may behave and act quite differently in new circumstances and new places.

4. Things exist in varying degrees.

[22] Abstain from every form of evil.

5. Things appear differently to different people because of the nature of our personal perspectives and experiences.

6. Everything changes, and so we must constantly be aware of applying old judgments to new developing situations.

B. The pitfalls of monological perspectives: the top ten triggers for small-mindedness

1. We cannot escape our tendencies and predispositions to hear things in a predetermined way: We are conditioned to believe our way is best.

2. We are prone to read things and to hear others in a certain way because of our own predetermined positions and perspectives: “I cannot hear you because of what I expect you to say.”