So the title of this session really threw me off. Turns out “Caught between Reading Ted Dekker and Searching for Kat Von D” had very little to do with current culture, and was actually taught by an Old Testament Scholar about people like Ezekiel ministering across cultural lines. He also emphasized Jeremiah 29, and the commands from God to settle down, build houses, and to seek the good of the culture. Nevertheless, Dr. Garnett Reid’s presentation focused on 22 main areas of reaching out cross-culturally, that he sped through toward the end. These are:
1. We have 2 homes – Culture and Kingdom, we are called to engage and be faithful to God.
2. Look UP! – Ezekiel had a vision of God’s GLORY, which is not simply a nebulous spiritual good thing. He had a great illustration of “glory” here, referring to Springfield, IL having some of Lincoln’s glory everywhere. 🙂
3. It was their choice. – Ezekiel was reminded that some WILL NOT choose to listen/follow, but remain faithful.
4. No Fear. God is with us. Not about brute strength, but about peace no matter what comes.
5. Be Scripture Soaked – To understand challenges that come in the light of God’s Word.
6. 4:20 (his illustration that we need to be aware of culturally relevant symbolism and language/mind-sets)
– We consider/hear the culture and aim to engage/respond
– Today has a large culture of “self”, and is very fragmented, offering many opportunities for separate identities.
7. Avoid “Water-cooler Theology” – coined by Phyllis Tickle – Many people seek a validating God, and see many paths toward that goal.
8. He’s Here! – God is with us, as we leave comfort.
9. Take it to the vet! (test, appraise, and discern in the name of Jesus)
10. Are you talkin’ to me? – Community is important, but we answer to God individually.
11. Power of One – Ezekiel 22 – God sought ONE. Will you be that one?
12. Double Agents – Some may turn from God while in culture…be aware of that possibility.
13. What are you prepared to do? Ezekiel 16 – to lose his wife?
14. The Good, the Bad, and the Ungodly – We are tempted to please ourselves sometimes, as the leaders of Israel did early in Ezekiel.
15. Kitchen-Table Answers – We are invited/invite others to a gracious, forgiving, and truth family table.
16. Crowd-Sourcing Turned Ugly – Crowd pleasing brings only smiles, content for more smiling.
17. Semper Fi – we are called to be, as Christ, always faithful
18. Solus Christus – Jesus will do what no one else can. Ezekiel 34
19. “The biggest thing about you is the gospel” – John Piper..(yup, Baptist-sourced event yielded more than a couple Piper quotes.)
20. Immigrants ALL – We are ALL of other citizenship, and thus transcultural in our existence.
21. Over It! This culture will come to an end, and we Hope toward it being swallowed up by Life!
22. Total Glory – Ultimate Goal = His Glory among the nations.
So yeah….a bunch of bullet points, many with little explanation, though I’m sure he had it in his head. Plenty there to chew on anyway. He ended with quoting 1 Chronicles 12:32, and challenging us to “know what to do, and make Jesus King….”
words from wick 
Why is Kat von D used in the title. She is a tattoo artist and got nothing to do with the topic.
Ha…I attended the session, and am still not quite sure how to answer your question.
He opened with a vague story about being at his usual coffeehouse, asking a man reading a Ted Dekker book why all the leather jacketed people were there…and the guy told him Kat Von D was gonna come do a book signing.
I suppose he connected better with the Dekker reader than the Kat fans…which led him to the title. But I agree….huh? 🙂