Being offensive on the offense.

I was talking to my old stucopastor, Shawn Williams, this guy is a huge influence in the realm of multiplying student leaders and student worship locations. He is also a personal influence in my own life and has shaped me as a leader and as thinker. To all of the Lincolnites who consider my thinking anylitical it is mainly because of this guy.

So we were talking about the terrorists who were planning to attack the Sears Tower. I was asking him how we can live out our lives as Christians and still interact with these men and women who are just as devout in their faith.

Shawn took a different angle, as usual, and looked at Christ and the disciples lives as a map to how we should interact with different faiths. He stated that these men were on the offense, they never reacted to anything. Their cause was bigger than they were. However, they offended people left and right. They proclaimed the gospel on the offense but they proclaimed it in a way that was offensive.

We then continued to talk abou the fact that we can live morally right lives but that isn't going to change lives. Even pagans can live morally right lives and still not proclaim Christ. It comes down to a conversation.

So is there a balance. My generation is being fed the emeregant church bit. That relationships are essential. But then there is this old idea hanging there. Which is diolouge. The idea of offending someone is highly out of the question, but why? When did we get so concerned about what other people think.

So in essence, how do we proclaim the gospel on the offense yet live it out in a way thats offensive?