When the average church is told, ‘now we’re going to do some theology’, the odd keen bean will be on the edge of his pew, but the majority give their brains a rest in the sure knowledge that ‘this bit isn’t that important’.
Such is the place of ‘theology’ in the lives of many Christians in today’s church. Either that, or it’s seen as a danger to steer any would-be students well clear of. Certainly, if it’s a mission-focused church, theology is the last thing they want to spend their time on! Of course, it’s the experience of God and the simple gospel that a church with missional aspirations requires. Not theology. That’s for people who want to ‘go a bit deeper’, but far from essential for every would-be witnessing believer. Or is it?
Whip them or whip them up?
There are basically three ways to motivate people to mission. Option one is to whip them. The Pharisees understood this very well. If we continually remind people of their obligations and the consequences of non-compliance, they will most likely do what we ask, especially if we have a position of power over them. Or, we can whip them up. Many a CU leader (the author included!) has been guilty of this: ‘God’s going to do great things!’ is the promise. ‘If you come to the prayer meetings, if you bring your friends to the CU events, then God will transform this university!’ God may do great things! But, the desire for success in evangelism cannot be our primary motive.
Theology drives mission
So how should we motivate people to mission? When the 72 returned from their thoroughly successful mission trip, during which ‘even the demons obeyed’ them, how did Jesus respond? ‘See?! If you just get out there you’ll transform the world?!’ No, he didn’t even use their real success to motivate them; he said: ‘Do not rejoice [in this], but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ Rejoice that though you were once enemies of God, now through the gospel, your name is graven on his palm forever. This is how to motivate people to mission: by grace, through the gospel.
Whipping people with guilt and whipping them up with promises of immediate fruit can be successful at modifying behaviour, but only temporarily.
But the gospel changes hearts! ‘If you love me, you will obey what I command’, Jesus said. ‘We love’, John explains, ‘because he first loved us’ (John 14.15; 1 John 4.19). The love of God in Christ is able truly to transform us, so that we want to make him known, so that we want to take up our cross, because it awakens our love.
So what does all this have to do with theology? Isn’t theology an ivory tower academic discipline that undermines biblical faith? Well, it isn’t meant to be! Theology is essentially about knowing God better. It’s in the word: theos — God; logia — language or logic. Christian theology is the study of the language of God, who has revealed himself through his Logos, Jesus Christ.
Theology is about knowing God through his Word. And what is his word to us? His word is gospel, his word is Jesus Christ. Christian theology is about removing the veil from our faces and beholding the Lord’s glory in all its depth and breadth and wonder, as his Spirit transforms us ‘into his image with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Corinthians 3.18). And what is this transformation? Surely it is to love the Lord our God with heart, soul, mind and strength! Theology is not for ivory towers; theology is for the people of God. He invites us to come and ‘be transformed by the renewing of [our] minds’ (Romans 12.2).
This is why UCCF, a mission organisation, is so keen to promote http://www.theologynetwork.org among students. We want CUs across the country to be thinking deeply about the wonders of God so that his gospel increasingly permeates their thinking, living and speaking. For a sample, try Mike Reeves’s talks on Union with Christ (http://www.theologynetwork.org/christian-beliefs/justification/starting-out/union-with-christ-1-and-2.htm). UCCF is a mission organisation and gospel theology is our fuel. Theology is about knowing God better, producing love that overflows in living and speaking for Jesus. Theology drives mission.
Angus Moyes is the Theology Network Administrator for UCCF.
