Musings about Universalism, Part 9: The Urgency of Joy: On Evangelism and Mission

Over the years I've gotten a few emails from working missionaries who have read my thoughts about universalism wanting to know how I reconcile my belief in universal reconciliation with Christian missionary work and evangelism.

So let's talk about that.

But before getting into those issues, let me point you to Brad East's post Reflections on Universalism: Hermeneutics and Proclamation as his thoughts are relevant to any discussion of universalism and evangelism. Brad is specifically wrestling with the question about if universalism should be the overt proclamation of the church. I urge you to engage with his post and reflections.

For my own part, I believe Christian mission and evangelism is simply this: Proclaiming and participating in the Reign (basileia, "rule", "reign", "kingdom") of God that has broken into the world through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This is "the good news": the victory over sin and death, the abundant life Jesus promised, and the gift of the Indwelling Spirit are available...today. We do not need to delay gratification, awaiting some far off heaven in the sweet by and by. God's life is available right now.

So any urgency in Christian mission is the urgency of joy. It is not the urgency of doom and gloom. The urgency of turn or burn. The urgency of fear.

It is, rather, the urgency that the eschatological wedding banquet is in full swing and you're missing out.

So it makes no sense to ask, "Well, if everyone is getting to heaven eventually why proclaim the Kingdom?" Seriously? Imagine a slave who has been liberated but who refuses to leave the slave master our of fear, or comfort or a "slave mentality." Imagine a prisoner sitting in his cell when the door has been unlocked. True, the slave and the prisoner will eventually come out of their bondage and fear, but that doesn't stop me from taking them by the hand today and leading them out into the freedom of God. Wake up! Join in the party! I bring good news of great joy.

Christian mission is about proclaiming what God has done. It's not a prediction or ultimatum about you and your future.

And this vision of things also helps address another common question asked of universalists: "If everyone is getting to heaven why not just live it up in this life?" Again, seriously? If you have to ask this question I have to wonder if you're even a Christian. Because you are basically claiming that the life of sin is "better" than the abundant life found in Jesus, that people would prefer sin, today, over the Kingdom of God. You are insinuating that the Christian proclamation isn't good news.

And I think that's really the heart of the issue. If you ever hear a person raise these questions about mission, evangelism or calling people out of a life of sin you are dealing with a person who doesn't really believe in the good news. Because hellfire appears to be the only motive for evangelism these people can imagine. They can't compute a proclamation of joy. Hellfire also appears to be the only motive for calling people out of a life of sin. No hell, no reason to give up sin. Sin, in this view, is the best! Sin is the party, not the Kingdom.

Maybe this is why people who believe in eternal torment are so grumpy, mean-spirited, and miserable. If hell is the only motive for coming to God, if sinners are the one's having the most fun, well, of course these "turn or burn" Christians are unhappy. They've been called out of a fun and joyous life into the Kingdom of God where all is proper, boring, structured, grey and lame. But hey, at least they aren't going to hell! So there they sit in their churches, jealous and grumpy that the world is throwing a party that they can't attend because they had to dress up and go to church on Sunday. No wonder these sorts of Christians want the world to go to hell. They are jealous.

For my part, I'm not jealous. I believe in the good news. I believe in the abundant life. Any missional or evangelistic fervor I have is the urgency of joy. I believe that, as the title of Tony Campolo's book says, the Kingdom of God is a party.

And I'd love to offer you an invitation.