Providing a theological

foundation for our mission service

Beyond DutyBeyond Duty -- A Passion for -- A Passion for Christ, a Heart for the WorldChrist, a Heart for the World

To To engage in engage in the the mission mission of God is of God is to to participatparticipate in e in history’s history’s greatest greatest love love affair and affair and manifest manifest signs of signs of wholeneswholeness in a s in a broken broken worldworld

Give more…Do more…Love more…Serve more

There is a very real danger that we are using the rest of

the world to make up for deficits in our own lives

Is this the 21st century form of Christian Missionary

Imperialism

That which is yet to be done…

…is far less than that which has already been done!

“All authority in heaven and

earth is given to Jesus”

“All things have been created by and for Jesus”

It is our privileged participation It is our privileged participation

in the life-giving action in the life-giving action

of the Triune Godof the Triune God

FROM: What a few people do

TO: Participating

with the Global

Church in the Mighty Acts

of God

In a few places

In responseto infinite

needs

With uncertainimpact

Not…the Church of God has a mission

in the world

““We have received a Kingdom which We have received a Kingdom which cannot be shaken.” (Heb. 12.28)cannot be shaken.” (Heb. 12.28)

We have received “a hope which is We have received “a hope which is an utterly reliable anchor for our an utterly reliable anchor for our lives, fixed behind the innermost lives, fixed behind the innermost veil of heaven, where Jesus has veil of heaven, where Jesus has already entered on our behalf.” already entered on our behalf.” (Heb. 6.19-20)(Heb. 6.19-20)

““In Jesus, the one thing that needed to In Jesus, the one thing that needed to happen has happened in such a way that it happen has happened in such a way that it need never happen again in the same way. need never happen again in the same way. The universe has been reconciled to its The universe has been reconciled to its God....For the human sickness there is one God....For the human sickness there is one specific remedy, and this is it. There is specific remedy, and this is it. There is no other.” no other.” (Bishop Stephen Neill)(Bishop Stephen Neill)

What does it mean to seek 1What does it mean to seek 1stst the Kingdom of God?the Kingdom of God?

Subject of Jesus’ first sermon Subject of Jesus’ first sermon (Mk. 1.14, Lk 4.18)(Mk. 1.14, Lk 4.18) Subject of Jesus’ last sermon Subject of Jesus’ last sermon (Acts 1.1-8)(Acts 1.1-8) Point of all Jesus’ teaching Point of all Jesus’ teaching (Lk. 8.10)(Lk. 8.10) That which we seek first That which we seek first (Mt. 6.33)(Mt. 6.33) We hunger for its justice We hunger for its justice (Mt. 5.6)(Mt. 5.6)

First among our prayerful petitions (Mt. 6.10)First among our prayerful petitions (Mt. 6.10) End not arrive until it’s proclaimed to End not arrive until it’s proclaimed to

all nations all nations (Mt 24.14)(Mt 24.14)

GuiltGuiltActivismActivismAdventurismAdventurismCharityCharity

Provide the world with hors d’oeuvres of Provide the world with hors d’oeuvres of the future--the future--signs of the Gospel of hopesigns of the Gospel of hope

in in liveslives of grace and joy of grace and joy

in in deedsdeeds of mercy and justice of mercy and justice

in in wordswords of prayer and proclamation of prayer and proclamation

Past Present Future

Signs of theKingdom

Life

Wor

d

Deed ?Raising the

questions to which only Christ and the Kingdom are the

answer

Not Souls or Bodies, Not Souls or Bodies, but Persons in Communitiesbut Persons in Communities

Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength and mind--and love our strength and mind--and love our

neighbors as ourselvesneighbors as ourselvesevangelism alone isevangelism alone is

ministry to ghostsministry to ghostsdevelopment alone isdevelopment alone is

ministry to corpsesministry to corpses

two sides of a cointwo sides of a cointwo wings of a planetwo wings of a plane

Without the whole KingdomWithout the whole Kingdom people remain people remain only partially convertedonly partially converted

Our daily life is dominated by‘earthborn’ Our daily life is dominated by‘earthborn’ totalitarianisms and by twin dualisms:totalitarianisms and by twin dualisms:

physical physical spiritual spiritual

secular secular sacred sacred

Sacred (religion,

worship, prayer, morality)

SubjectivePrivate

Personal

Secular (science,politics, business)

ObjectivePublic

Corporate

Opinions and beliefs

Truths and facts

Behavior formed by image & marketing

Experience as authority

No theology for everyday life: business, money, science, society, politics

EarthbornTotalitarianisms

Sacred

Spiritua

l

SecularPhysical

Religion, values

Science, gov’t,‘truth’, money

God’s Redemption of all Creation

Church

Education

Government & Society

Family & Health Care

Business & Science

Not sequentially—but simultaneously:Not sequentially—but simultaneously: In theIn the UnavoidableUnavoidable WorldWorld

JerusalemJerusalemJudeaJudea

In the In the AvoidableAvoidable WorldWorldSamariaSamariaThe rest of the worldThe rest of the world

Pointing towards a Redeemed CreationPointing towards a Redeemed Creation

Show the Show the world TODAY world TODAY

what what tomorrow will tomorrow will

look like!look like!

Mission is not the task of a few fanatics

But the passion of all God’s

people

Because it’s the passion of the Living God

““May the God of May the God of hope fill you with all hope fill you with all joy and peace in joy and peace in believing, so that believing, so that you abound in hope you abound in hope by the power of the by the power of the Holy Spirit” Holy Spirit” Romans 15.12-13Romans 15.12-13