Coffee Talk

With Marc & Denise Atchley

THE CHRISTIAN IN THE MARKETPLACE AND IN THE WORLD (Part 1)

MISSIONAL can be defined as "ordinary people doing ordinary things with Gospel intentionality."  Pastor Giotis Kantartzis, First Greek Evangelical Church (Athens, Greece)

In 2015, Marc was asked to teach a Sunday school class at our church for a summer term.  It was suggested that he choose a topic that was "in his wheelhouse," so Marc pulled together a course which he titled: "The Christian in the Marketplace and in the World". At the time we weren't missionary appointees and we had no idea that God would eventually call us to Greece. But we had a burden to serve the Lord overseas and in a capacity that could meet people's material and spiritual needs. We wanted a business that would employ people and be a part of the community and that would give us a natural platform to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

Interestingly, Marc missed teaching the first lesson because he was in Nicaragua exploring possibilities of setting up a coffee shop and working with a young church planting movement there.  In his absence, he asked our church's missions director to play for the class a video of Greek Pastor Giotis Kantartzis speaking at the Presbyterian Church in America 2013 Global Missions Conference. Denise and I had been at that conference and had heard Pastor Kantartzis speak, and we thought how wonderful it would be to be a part of what God was doing in Greece ... but at that time we had no idea of how we could contribute (Marc was not yet working inthe coffee industry).

Pastor Kantartzis titled his session, "The Theology of Missions: A Vision of God". Using the passage of Act 17 that describes the Apostle Paul's visit to Athens, Pastor Kantartzis demonstrated a number of characteristics of God that should inform our view of missions.

First, "Our God is the God of the Ordinary."  It was as the Apostle Paul is in Athens, waiting for Silas and Timothy to catch up to him, that he became provoked in his spirit by the prevalence of idols, leading him to reason with the Jews and with others. God works through the ordinary events of our lives to accomplish His purposes.  Thus, missional can be defined as "ordinary people doing ordinary things with Gospel intentionality."  Pastor Kantartzis noted that this God of the Ordinary is also the God of Providence. God places the right person at the right place at the right time.  Therefore,missional can also be defined as "ordinary people doing ordinary things under Divine intentionality."

Second, "Our God is the God of the Marketplace."  The marketplace (agora in Greek) is the place where people engage in media, art, politics, education, commerce, and religion.  The foreground of the illustration above shows the agora of Athens in the first century (the Acropolis and Parthenon are depicted in the upper left and the Areopagus/Mars Hill, where Paul proclaimed the Gospel to the Areopagus Court, is the prominent outcropping a little lower on the right).   In Acts 17:17 we read that the Apostle Paul reasoned not only in the synagogue but also in the marketplace.
As Pastor Kantartzis pointed out, God is not only for Jerusalem, He is also for Athens. God is not only for the synagogue, He is also for the agora. God is not only for the religious, He is also for pagans.  Our theologyrequires us to go outside our comfort zones and into the world.  God wants us to take His Gospel everywhere.

Third, "Our God is a Zealous/Passionate God."  The Apostle Paul is provoked and distressed by the idolatry of Athens.  The Apostle's feelings reflect God's own feelings towards idolatry.  It is not enough to know how God feels, we must also feel as He feels.  We should weep for the lost (Luke 19:41), longing for their salvation, and rejoice when they repent and trust in Christ (Luke 15).

Fourth, "Our God is the God of the Resurrection."  In his meeting at the Areopagus, when the Apostle Paul declares that judgment is coming by one (Jesus) whom the true God has raised from the dead, some listeners openly mock.  The Apostle embodies the cross of Christ: "For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings …Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Cor 1:5,9, ESV)  Though we face ridicule and persecution and perhaps even death, we know that our Redeemer lives and so will we.  Pastor Kantartzis concluded by saying that "there is no way to move into mission without believing in a God who raises the dead.

This "Vision of God" demonstrated from Acts 17 isn't so much a call for missionaries to take the Gospel abroad as it is a call for all believers (whoever we are, wherever we are) to take the Gospel, in the power of our risen Savior, to the lost (whoever and wherever they might be).  For some, this may take the form of street preaching or door-to-door visitation.  But for most of us, it will involve pursuing conversations and relationships with Gospel intentionality -- at work, at the gym, with other parents at our kids' school and sporting events, etc.  Honestly, we (Marc & Denise) don't always feel like being missional.  But we're praying that as we grow in Christ-likeness our passions will continue to conform to His and, like Jesus, we will always be about the Father's business.  To God be the glory!

Mountain Fellowship
We are super thrilled that Mountain Fellowship (Signal Mountain, TN) is partnering with us in this ministry to make disciples in Greece. We had a wonderful time with their missions team and church members in mid-August and look forward to deep and lasting relationships!

Private School in Greece
As Greece recovers from its economic crisis, more Greeks are investing in education by sending their children to private schools. And as we've talked with education specialists and other missionaries, it seems that an English- speaking private school might be the best option for our children as well, at least as they enter middle school and high school. In private school our children will still study Greek and have both Greek and international classmates, but the English instruction will allow them to thrive in school as they prepare for university. Here in the States we've homeschooled and have enjoyed access to abundant resources, cooperatives, organized sports and other community activities. As best we can tell, this is not the situation in Greece. And rather than keep our kids in a bubble, we want to embrace the host culture and assimilate in the best way for our family. Plus, we the parents will need to spend adequate time in language studies and in developing relationships with our ministry partners.

That said, private school is a departure from our preference to homeschool and it's expensive. We are seeking partners who will pray specifically for our children - for their adjustment to Greece and to school, for their continued spiritual formation and growth in love for Jesus, for their witness to fellow students and teachers, and for friends who will have a good influence.  And we need the Lord's provision to helpus pay for the tuition and fees as well.  Through TEAM we can receive both one-time gifts and monthly commitments, which can be used toward schooling expenses. We would greatly appreciate your prayer for our children and, as the Lord leads, your contribution to their education and witness in Greece. Thank you so much!!!

Marc and Denise
TEAM