Gospel Of American Individualism Analysis

Words: 1206
Pages: 5
Open Document
After a personal examination of evangelistic program, tracks, booklets, and even textbooks, Alan Street (Chairman and Professor of Evangelism, The Criswell College) asserted that concept of the kingdom of God is devoid in modern evangelism in the Western world: “An anthropocentric gospel of American individualism has replaced the God-centered ‘gospel of the kingdom?’” (5). Alan’s paper was a response to the Southern Baptist Convention’s (2002) decision “to concentrate fully on the kingdom of God” (7). The success of the SBC’s initiative depended on the abandonment of Americanized gospel for the kingdom, according to Alan (Ibid.). As a result, Alan took it upon himself to discuss the biblical basis, the nature, a comparative analysis of …show more content…
Somewhere along the way American believers distorted the gospel of the kingdom, which promoted inclusion of an individual into a community, to suit the individualistic ideology. In Alan’s comparison of the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of American individualism, he noted that the gospel of American individualism focuses on an individual’s entrance into heaven, not community; focuses on meeting the needs of the individual, not calling for “public repentance and obedience;” produces an “ahistorical existentialism,” not salvific history; a private mater, not emphasis on community; personal experience, not experience in community (13–17). Though Alan’s intent seemed to be aimed at provided an understanding of the kingdom of God, he is really respond to a movement that had distorted the gospel to fit individualistic American …show more content…
According to Lane, preacher must learn how to use illustration in their preaching in order to reach the postmodern and visual culture. Lane began with a discussion explaining how God is an illustrative God, who reveals himself through his Word, which contains both stories that illustrate the propositional truths presented therein (27–28). When one is able to identify the illustrative material in a text, the are truly then able to understand the textual meaning because they can identify with the illustrative material (30–31). Finally, she offered some guidelines with regard to developing skill in creating and using
Show More

Related Documents: Gospel Of American Individualism Analysis

Love: Communication and Transmission View Essay

errors, we might extend his thought by seizing upon the same contradiction he perceived in our use of the term "communication" and use it in turn as a device for vivifying our studies. Two alternative conceptions of communication have been alive in American culture since this term entered common discourse in the nineteenth century. Both definitions derive, as with much in secular culture, from religious oirigins, though they refer to somewhat different regions of religious experience. We might label…

Words 8149 - Pages 33