LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

THEOLOGY OF MISSIONS PAPER

A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. BRUCE TERRY

SCHOOL OF GLOBAL STUDIES

BY JOHNNY GAIL

ELKHART, TEXAS MAY 30TH, 2013 THEOLOGY OF MISSIONS

Table of Contents 1. Biblical Texts that Relate to Missions . 3 A. B. 2. 3. Old Testament .. 3 New Testament 4

How the Nature of God Relates to Mission . 5 How Mission Theology Relates to Other Aspects of Theology .. 6 A. B. Ecclesiology 6 Trinity . 7

4.

Two Themes of Mission Theology . 8 A. B. Kingdom of God . 8 Eschatology 9

5. 6.

Concluding Statement 9 Bibliography .. 10

INTRODUCTION Jesus gave as a last command to His disciples the command to go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15 (KJV)) In todays world we call the concept behind that statement, mission. The divine activity of sending intermediaries, whether supernatural or human, to speak or do God's will so that his purposes for judgment or redemption are furthered. The biblical concept is expressed by the use of verbs meaning "to send," normally with God as the expressed subject.1 The World Council of Churches has defined mission as "bringing all the resources of God to bear upon all of human need." God himself is the Great Missioner. God is in perpetual engagement with the created world, seeking always to bring order out of chaos, good out of evil. God seeks our cooperation in this task, and works with and through us, or, if we fail to respond, entirely without us. But the mission is Gods, not ours, and is to be done in God's way, not ours. We are given as models the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the taking on of our humanity by God in the Incarnation, and the waiting upon the Father of Jesus in his passion.2 This then is the imperative set down by a loving God to man from the moment Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden of Eden. The Holy Bible is packed with examples of the theology of mission in the Old and New Testaments. We will look at a few of these. Old Testament The first records in biblical history of God's sending is his banishment of Adam and Even from the garden and the angelic mission to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 3:23; 19:13).3 Perhaps one of the most notable is the patriarch Josephs call from God Scripture asserts "God sent ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great
1 2

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/mission.html Corbett, Ian D. "The Theology of Mission in Contemporary Practice." Anglican Theological Review 92, no. 1 (2010): 117-21 3 ibid

deliverance" (Gen 45:5, 7). In Joseph's case, aside from the dreams in his youth (Gen 37:5-11), there was no specific call to mission. But he could look back on harmful circumstances and discern God's sending of him to Egypt to preserve the nation.4 Perhaps the best known mission in Old Testament Scripture is the sending of Moses to Pharaoh to deliver the people of God out of captivity. In Exodus 3:4 10 Moses observes the burning bush that is not consumed and upon investigation Moses is commanded by God in verse 10 ; Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10) New Testament The New Testament is also replete with accounts of mission and missionaries. Among the New Testament missions is the Great Commission commanded by God in Matthew 28:18 20. Many assert that the Great Commission is simply a restatement of Gods promise to Abraham in Genesis 12.5 In verses 1 3 Abraham is commanded 1Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 12:1 3 KJV) In comparing the verses it can be said that God in both cases was sending His servants forth to evangelize the world, in Abrahams case his descendants became the nation Israel which were to be Gods example to the world and in the Great Commission Gods sending forth His servants to evangelize the world.6
4 5

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/mission.html http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/biblicnt.htm 6 Fitkin, Susan N., Holiness and Missions, Nazarene Missions International, Grand Rapids, MI. 1915

Another Example in scripture of mission is Acts 16:9 (KJV) 9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. In Pauls vision he is sent to Macedonia to the gentiles. How the Nature of God Relates to Mission Henry T. Blackaby and Avery T. Willis Jr. say that God is on mission. He has been on mission throughout history to accomplish His purpose throughout the earth. They say that every time we see God in the Bible He is acting in accordance with His purpose and that purpose is to reveal Himself that His name may be glorified, that His Kingdom would be established and that some from every people of the earth would be reconciled to Him.7 God tells us about Himself in the Bible and He came in person and showed us what He is like in the person of Jesus Christ. Looking at the life of Jesus the Messiah one can see the nature of God. God is love, and through that love He desires that all should come to a saving knowledge of Him. Gods Word says in John 3:15-17 (KJV) 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. And again one can easily discern the love of God for His creation as seen in 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) in which God through the Apostle Peter says 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. This great agape love shows that God wants to reconcile man to Himself.

Winter, Ralph D. and Hawthorne, Steven C., Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, William Carey Library, Pasadena, CA. 2009

Among other attributes of God we see that He is eternal and offers eternality to man through His son Jesus. God provides for His creation through His triune nature. God is father, Son and Holy Spirit. God in these manifestations offers to man things that are not provided by the other two. In our Gods nature He has placed people (missionaries) to go and preach the gospel that His creation might be rejoined to Him.8 How Mission Theology Relates to Other Aspects of Theology Gods plan for His creation is a perfect plan. Mission theology relates to other theological aspects in many ways. A look into Gods plan as revealed in His blessed Word shows the relationships between mission theology and other aspects of theology. Mission is an extension and amplification of God's very being. Missional theology builds on the understanding that God is Trinity and missional. Mission is participation in the life of God. It is to be caught up within the dynamic sending and being sent that God the Holy Trinity has done and continues to do.9 Ecclesiology According to Merriam Webster ecclesiology is 1: the study of church architecture and adornment. 2: theological doctrine relating to the church. For our purpose we will use this second definition. Gods master plan calls for the assembling of a people known as the church to be called to Himself at the time of the rapture. Paul the apostle said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (KJV)
13

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye

sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose

Vogel, Jeffrey. "A Little while in the Son of God: Austin Farrer on the Trinitarian Nature of Prayer." Scottish Journal of Theology 64, no. 4 (2011): 410-24,

Beukes, Johann. "Trends in Missional Ecclesiology." Hervormde Teologiese Studies 68, no. 1 (2012): 1-9

again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The church is the Bride of Christ or the people that God has through mission called to Himself. Trinity Mission theology relates to the Trinity in all sorts of ways. First and as mentioned earlier God the Father intends for man to be reconciled to Him and He has laid down the plan to make that happen. In this great plan God sent His Son to reconcile the world to Him. The Son Jesus Christ was sent by the Father in the same way Israel was sent by Him to be an example for the world. The contribution of Jesus was the calling out of the first church and the commissioning of it as it relates to being His own. Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (KJV) 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. So Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity to comfort, guide, direct and so forth in all things as it relates to missions.10 The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity makes it possible for men to carry out the mission of God. As earlier stated He gives direction, guidance and comfort.

10

Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God In Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: House, 1993.

Baker Book

Two Themes of Mission Theology Two themes related to mission theology are the Kingdom of God and the Missionary, Church Leaders, and Lay People. The Kingdom of God The Fathers eternal purpose in the incarnate Son shall be certainly and completely fulfilled. Accompanying the central theme of the kingdom of God are several motifs related to mission theology. Firstly, Jesus person and work is seen throughout all of scripture (cf. Luke 24:27; John 5:39). He is the King and inseparable from His kingdom. He is the central person with regard to the mission of God (cf. Luke 4:18-19; Heb 1-2). Secondly, the Holy Spirit is the agent by which God convicts sinners, empowers believers to be witnesses, and petitions God for the believers guidance. The Third Person of the Trinity makes it possible for men to carry out the mission of God hence to be missionaries or sent ones with the message of Gods impending kingdom (cf. Matt 24:14). Thirdly, Israel was singled out by God for an eternal purpose. From Genesis Chapter Twelve through the remainder of the Old Testament, this chosen nation is in focus. They were the channel through which God would eternally bless all nations. Jesus declared, Salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22) Fourthly, the church is Gods chosen vessel during the current dispensation to witness to the world. The church serves the Lord by continuing to work out His mission on the earth. Eagerly anticipating the coming kingdom, the church will enjoy a favored position with Christ in His kingdom (cf. Rom 8:17-25; Eph 1-3; Rev 2:26-27; 3:21). Other motifs are contemplated, but these four complement the central theme of

the kingdom. They bring unity to the mission of God as well as the missionary purpose of Gods people.11 Eschatology Eschatology is related to mission theology in that Jesus told us in Matthew 24:14 (KJV)
14

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;

and then shall the end come. So part of the end time events and a prerequisite to the end times is that the gospel of the kingdom be preached to all the world. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Gods mission to bring about the events described above continues to progress. The missionary, the church leaders and lay people not involved in full time ministry are all represented in Jesus command in the Great Commission to 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you

alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)) Every person that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ is commanded to take part in these commands. The missionary is to submit to the call of the Lord. He is to plan and carry out what God has called him to do through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The leaders of the church are to support, understand the problems of the mission, to keep the church informed and to pray for the mission and the missionary. The people that belong to God, the lay people not involved in full time ministry should never the less be immersed in the working of the mission. They should support it as the Holy

Crawford, Scott, The Theology of Missions, What is Gods Plan for Mankind? Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1993
11

Spirit leads and as scripture commands. They should aid, help and pray for the work of the mission and the missionary. In short we are all as the people of God commanded to carry out mission. Jesus commanded us to do it and love of our neighbor should ensure it.

Bibliography Winter, Ralph D. and Hawthorne, Steven C., Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, William Carey Library, Pasadena, CA. 2009 Corbett, Ian D. "The Theology of Mission in Contemporary Practice." Anglican Theological Review 92, no. 1 (2010): 117-21 Fitkin, Susan N., Holiness and Missions, Nazarene Missions International, Grand Rapids, MI. 1915 Vogel, Jeffrey. "A Little while in the Son of God: Austin Farrer on the Trinitarian Nature of Prayer." Scottish Journal of Theology 64, no. 4 (2011): 410-24 Crawford, Scott, The Theology of Missions, What is Gods Plan for Mankind? Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1993 Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God In Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1993. http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/biblicnt.htm http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/mission.html