SemperReformanda said: What do you mean by "risks"?
I'm talking going against what is "expected" by most of the church for Christians to do. I was under the impression that the gospel was liberating. That once saved, we didn't have to worry so much about what people thought and about conforming to the patterns of this world (I think a good example is legalistic attitudes). It's a risk to go into a bar and share the gospel with someone...it's a risk to go into the inner city and share the gospel...it's a risk to go where the lost people are and share truth with them in a loving way and a way they will understand. It's a big risk to go where the people are who need the gospel. It's not only a risk of our life, but a risk of our reputation. It's a risk of the self-righteous people in the church who have added rules to being a Christian beyond what Scripture commands looking down on us.
Yes, we need to live holy lives and lives that glorify God. But what glorifies God more...sitting on our butts on a comfortable pew Sunday after Sunday and praying for lost people or going out to where they are and sharing truth with them that we are praying for? I choose the latter because it is what God has commanded. God never commanded us to stay inside the four walls of our comfortable church buildings and pretend they will come to us. We can have the best theology and the greatest scholars and be the most biblically accurate people on the face of the earth intellectually speaking, but if we're not putting those doctrines into practice than we are no better than the ones running around spreading lies and stealing money on TV.
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And why exactly is it that we need "heroes" (in the sense that Webb is talking about, anyways) that are non-Christians?
Like I said, that part I don't agree with him on. I just think we often overlook some of the people who aren't so glamerous and popular in the Christian world. I agree...we should have spiritual role models who are living right lives, but I also see nothing wrong with looking up to someone who tries and fails miserably and shows genuine repentance...which is where I disagree with Derek's choices of people.
