Week 1, Wednesday

For the most part, class was pretty interesting today. I am especially fascinated with the state of the church and of the faith in Europe. I have been to Russia on several occasions. I find the history of the Christian church in relation to the state and to the populace an interesting thing. I believe that the marginalization of anything to do with Jesus in Europe a perfect example of why the "Unreached Peoples" terminology is flawed. Speaking in terms of those people on earth who are "Unreached" necessarily implies that there are others who are fully "Reached". While using "Unreached" thinking can be useful if defined precisely and narrowly, I feel that it largely leaves us to assume that some of us have arrived. That is, if some cultures/people groups are "reached", then there is nothing left for them to become. They are following Jesus fully already; right? Surely we can't assume that any culture has come to the point of being entirely at peace with the demands of Jesus. I think that the discussion of the decline and demise of the church in much of Europe highlights the fact that no culture is static. All cultures are changing, and some cultures really do "unconvert" so to speak. This doesn't mean that these cultures should somehow renounce all things contemporary and relive some kind of nostalgic "Christian" past, but these cultures are in need of mission afresh and conversion in the midst of their new situation.