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Motifs in Mission Theology

Motifs in Mission Theology. Church. Holy Spirit. Shalom. Jesus. Reflecting God’s Glory through Worship. Kingdom of God. Return of Christ. Biblical Revelation. The Holy Spirit.

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Motifs in Mission Theology

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  1. Motifs in Mission Theology Church Holy Spirit Shalom Jesus Reflecting God’s Glory through Worship Kingdom of God Return of Christ Biblical Revelation

  2. The Holy Spirit • He is the agent who empowers Christians for mission and makes mission work possible for the Church (see Luke 24:45-49 and Acts 1:8). • He reverses Babel at Pentecost, confirming Jesus’ teaching that the Kingdom of God is not limited by language or ethnicity (Acts 2:1-11). • He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). • He “ripens” fields for harvest (Peters 1972, 80) convicting those who do not know Christ, wooing them to commit themselves into his care (Rev. 22:17).

  3. The Holy Spirit • He guides the Church in all truth (John 16:13) and in our missionary labors (e.g., Acts 16:7). • He works inside the human heart, empowering Christians for witness (Acts 1:8), motivating them to witness and giving them words to say (Matt. 10:17-20). • The Spirit also gifts the Church for the purpose of growth both in numbers (Acts 2:14-41) and in maturity towards Christ-likeness (Eph. 4:7-13).

  4. The Holy Spirit and the Missionary Call • One of the more mysterious areas of mission is that of “the call.” What is a call? What does it involve? What are the theological principles behind the idea of a call to missionary service? In fact, some question whether the idea of a missionary call is even defensible. • In this section we’ll explore some of the myths surrounding the idea of the “call” and look at what the Scriptures have to say about it. • We conclude the chapter with several helpful guidelines related to the missionary call

  5. Myths of the Call (1) • Myth 1: The Call Is a Definite Event • Myth 2: Paul’s Macedonian Call (Acts 16:9-10) Is a Model of the Missionary Call • Myth 3: Calls to Missionary Service Always Come through Mystical Experiences • Myth 4: You Cannot Become a Successful Missionary without a “Call”

  6. Myths of the Call (2) • Myth 5: A Call Is the Best Test of Fitness for Missionary Service • Myth 6: A Call to Full-Time Christian Service Is Given Only to Especially Gifted People • Myth 7: A Call Is Completely Irrelevant to Becoming a Missionary • Myth 8: A Call Involves Only God and the One Who Is Called

  7. Calling in the Bible • The Call to Salvation • The Call to Holiness or Discipleship • The Call to Ministry of the Kingdom • The Call to a Specific Assignment or Task

  8. The Call to Salvation • Through Jesus God calls people to enter into a relationship with him through salvation. • Jesus came to call sinners to salvation (Matt. 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32) • The writers of the New Testament used the same language to speak of our salvation experience (Acts 2:39; Rom. 1:5-6; 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:9, 24-26; 7:15-24; Gal. 1:6; 5:13; Eph. 1:18; 4:1-5; 1 Thess. 2:11-12; 1 Tim. 6:12; Heb. 3:1; 9:15; 1 Pet. 2:9; 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:10; and Jude 1:1).

  9. The Call to Holiness or Discipleship • Those who have responded to God’s call to salvation have a deeper call given by God—they are called to discipleship or holiness. • The call to a Christ-like life is emphasized most clearly in the letters of Paul and Peter (e.g., 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 4:7; 2 Thess. 2:13-15; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:18-21; 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:3). • This call is issued to all Christians. All of us are to be involved in the process of growing to be like Jesus and helping others to do the same

  10. The Call to Ministry of the Kingdom • God calls some Christians to serve him as their full-time vocation. • Biblical examples: • Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; see also Heb. 11:8 and Acts 7:4). • Moses (Exod. 3). • Jeremiah (Jer. 1:4-10). • Ezekiel (Ezek. 1). • The apostles (e.g., Matt. 4:19; 9:9; Mark 1:17). • A call to full-time service for Christ does not preclude the possibility that at times the one called may need to pursue vocational opportunities that generate income (Paul did this through tent-making).

  11. The Call to a Specific Assignment or Task • God provides more specific calls to people who are assigned limited duties or tasks. • Jesus sent the disciples out on a specific preaching mission after telling them to pray for laborers to enter the harvest field (Matt. 9:35-10:42). • Peter and John were sent by the Jerusalem church to investigate what was happening in Samaria under Philip’s ministry (Acts 8:14). • Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch to follow up on the church that had been planted there (Acts 11:22). • He and Paul were sent to Jerusalem with an offering from Antioch (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25). • God set apart Barnabas and Paul from the church in Antioch as full-time workers to the Gentiles (Acts 13:2).

  12. Guidelines on the Call • God’s Call Comes in Many Ways • All Are Called—Some Are Assigned • The Body of Christ Plays an Important Role in the Call

  13. The Holy Spirit and Power in Mission

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