The Acts Mission Model

1. The Acts Mission Model A Compass of 10 Missiological Theories Developed from the Book of Acts Preparation: Read through the book of Acts

2. A Survey of Acts • What are the key turning points throughout the book? • When answered click next for answers Next

3. 1. Turning Points • Come: Acts 1:8 Gathered Church: Empowerment in Jerusalem • Go: Acts 8:1 Scattered Church: Dispersed Everywhere • Go Beyond: Acts 13:3-5 The Pauline Apostolic Sendoff • The Church throughout history repeats this tension between pastoral gathering and apostolic scattering Next

4. 2. The jerusalem church Model • Acts 2-4

5. 3. Multi-ethnic Urban Focus • In what ways is the Acts story, a story of Urban Mission? • What are the two urban mega-churches in the Acts story? • What are the major cities in the Acts progressions? • Has Christianity always been an urban religion? • When answered click next Next

6. The Multiethnic Urban Church ideal • What is the significance of 16 languages all speaking one language? • How does it relate back to Babel? • What was the point of tension in Acts 6 between two groups of widows? • From what people group were the first deacons? • What was the color and ethnic background of the apostles and prophets leading the Antioch church? • Is the Antioch or Jerusalem church a better model of a city church?

7. 4.What is a People movement? • Review Pickett’s (McGavran’s) theories on People Movements. • Go here for a Definition and description • What are the three main people movements in Acts and which peoples do they involve? • When answered click next Next

8. People Movements in acts • The Jewish Jerusalem Church • The Diaconal Breakthroughs to the Gentiles • Philip • Stephen • The Pauline Webs Next

9. WHO are the masses?

10. 5. The bridges of God • Peter and Cornelius • Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch • Barnabas and Antioch • Listen to the Spirit, expect the visions, follow the unusual voice of God • Don’t miss the turning points

11. 6. REDEMPTION and LIFT • What isMcGavran’s theory of redemption and lift? How fast does this occur? What are its limits? • Is this evident in Acts? • If the Bible is sufficient for every good work, why are some critical principles not developed within it? Is there core truth outside of the scriptures? Next

12. 7. Two Structures of God’s Mission (Winters) • Paul’s wandering apostolic band • Vs the local church, the council of Jerusalem • The same tensions occur throughout history. • Bishops vs abbots • Faith missions vs denominational structures • Prophets, evangelists and apostles are mobile • Pastor-teachers and pastors of pastors (bishops) are local/stationary • Orders and preaching friars vs Parish Priests • To the ends of the earth vs solving the problems of the people • Apostolics are goal driven, mobile, high authority • Pastorals are community driven, stationary, consensus based authority

13. INTernational Diaconates • Are there three structures? • What are deacons? (Acts 6) • Was Paul a deacon for two years gathering finances for Jerusalem? • Are international aid organizations made up of people with diaconal giftings of administration of finances Biblical or supra-Biblical? • Diaconates are mercy and administratively driven, fund-focused • But deacons were appointed to set the apostles free to lead

14. 8. Evangelism that leads to Justice • Why is there little emphasis on actions to bring about change in injust structures in Jesus? In Paul? In the early church? • Does McGavran develop his emphasis on people group movements in opposition to engaging in doing justice as the Latin American Fraternity claimed? • Is McGavran right? What roles are appropriate for missionaries? • When answered, click next Next

15. 9. Revival Movements • What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Acts? • What are the fruit of revival? • What is the relationship of the falling of the Holy Spirit and speaking the good news? • From Girgg, What is a revival movement? • When answered click next Next

16. WHAT ARE REVIVAL MOVEMENTS? • What are revival movements? • How would you apply this to the Acts story? • From Grigg, review the expansion of the idea of a revival movement into the idea of urban transformative revival. • Is transformative revival evident in Acts? Why or why not? • How long does transformation take? How do you know if a society is transformed? • When answered click next Next

17. 10. OIKOS EVANGELISM • Track the idea of households as the centre of evangelistic growth through the book of Acts. • Define Thom Wolf’s concept of Oikos Evangelism.

18. Action • How do you communicate these truths to others?

19. Books that source these ideas • Glasser, A., Charles van Engen, et al. (2003). Announcing the Kingdom. Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Academic. • McGavran, D. A. (1970). The Masses, The Classes, and Church Growth. Understanding Church Growth. 225 Jefferson Ave., S.E., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.: 269-294. • Pickett, J. W. (1938). Christ's Way to India's Heart. London, The United Society for Christian Literature. • Tippett, A. (1971). People Movements in Southern Polynesia. Chicago, Moody Bible Institute. • --- (1987). Introduction to Missiology. Pasadena, William Carey Library. • Winters, R. (1974). "The Two Structures of God's Redemptive Mission." Missiology II: No. 1, Jan. 1974. • Wolf, T. (1980). Oikos Evangelism: Key to the Future. Future Church. J. Ralph Neighbor. Nashville, Broadman Press.