Jun

4

Party Theology

June 4, 2007 |

Eric Bryant, elder, speaker, and navigator overseeing the leadership team at Mosaic in Los Angeles explains “party theology” in an interview with Relevant.com. He says,

Every year at Mosaic, Erwin (McManus) does a message on what we call “party theology.” It’s basically looking at Levi (his name later became Matthew). Not knowing any better, after becoming a follower of Jesus, Levi decided to throw a big party, he invited all of his friends who happened to be tax-collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Upon the invitation, Jesus went. In turn, Jesus had a horrible reputation, because He went to this party; He was known as a drunkard, a glutton, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Although Jesus was neither a drunkard nor a glutton, He was willing to ruin His reputation on behalf of befriending people that He disagreed with and weren’t honoring to Him. More so, He (Jesus) didn’t expect people who did not know God to live like they did.

And so for us at Mosaic, every year we would hear about this “party theology” and started putting it into practice. It’s amazing that in the context of a party, it’s simply inviting people into your home that you would normally never invite into your home. For example, it’s canceling your small group so that you can attend a play because someone in the small group—how does not know God—is in the play. Rather than expecting them to always come to us, we go to them. Party theology is putting the needs of others before our own, in the context of relationship.

I love that line, “(Jesus) didn’t expect people who did not know God to live like they did.” I confess I’m not there yet—not even close. But I find it amazing that we expect pagans to behave like Christians when frankly, most of us don’t do a great job of it. Funny how we’re offended when “the world” behaves like the world.

I remember when I was a pagan. I knew absolutely nothing about Christianity, but I did know that those people, those bigots, expected me to behave according to standards I had no ownership it. I made it my goal to be obnoxious around them. No, it didn’t make me feel any better about myself, but neither did they. I was starving for love, but didn’t know it. I was starving for relationship and didn’t know how to find it. How I would have loved a little party theology thrown my way. And in fact, it was love and grace that finally won me, not judgment and condemnation. But now that I’m part of “the club,” I sure don’t throw open my doors to people who don’t know Jesus. Truth be told, I wouldn’t invite the old me to my party. Sad.

What do you think?


Comments

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind