These two mindsets involve fundamentally different values. The highest value of a community with a tribal mindset is self-preservation. A tribal community exists solely for itself, and those within it keep asking, “How can we protect ourselves from those who are different from us?” A tribal mindset is marked by an unbalanced patriotism. It typically elevates personal and cultural preferences to absolute principles: If everybody were more like us, this world would be a better place.
But in a missional-minded community, the highest value isn’t self-preservation but self-sacrifice. A missional community exists not primarily for itself but for others. It’s a community willing to be inconvenienced and discomforted, willing to expend itself for others on God’s behalf.
A tribal mindset is antithetical to the gospel. The gospel demands that we be missional, because the gospel is the story of God sacrificing himself for his enemies. Both these approaches are robustly present in Jonah’s story. Jonah represents the best of a tribal mindset, the absolute best. He’s like the trophy-boy for tribalism. And God—ever-gracious, ever-pursuing, ever-compassionate—carries the trophy for mission-mindedness.
Jonah runs from his enemies; God runs toward his enemies. Jonah serves himself; God serves the world.
- Tullian Tchividjian,
Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels
, 134,135
3 comments:
"A tribal mindset is antithetical to the gospel."
There is very little biblical or logical support for this statement, in my opinion. One could make the case that America is very tribal (at least as defined by the author) but at that same time, it's also easily the most sacrificial, generous and "missional" society to ever exist on earth. Thus, they aren't mutually exclusive concepts.
I'd add that in terms of Christianity, it's very important to be "missional". But if the author here is saying that we should apply this to national policy, I just believe that he's living in a fantasy world.
Does anyone really want the National Security apparatus of the United States to stop being to preoccupied with American self-preservation? Of course not. It's idealistic to talk about a world holding hands and living in harmony, but it's also naive. The reality is that we live in a competitive world in which people are generally bad, and many want to do others serious harm.
I, for one, hope that a Christians, we also approach the world from the missional standpoint. But I also hope that as Christians, we never make the mistake of translating that Christian mission to national geopolitical strategy.
He is not saying that at all. He has no view to politics here.
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