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Thoughts on Mission:. Theological Touchstones Mission Think Tank, Pittsburgh Presbytery, 2002. Complexities of Mission…. With Clarity and Compassion. Let’s stop and think about Christian Mission. Mission Is Not Only for the Old…. …it is also for the young.
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Thoughts on Mission: Theological Touchstones Mission Think Tank, Pittsburgh Presbytery, 2002
There are many definitions of Mission: • Reaching the unreached • Liberating the oppressed • Carrying the good news across boundaries • Evangelizing the heathen • Christian ministry across salt water • Everything the church does is mission!
Fear not!After 300 years of Protestant missions, we have learned a thing or two!
Today, however, we need to learn both from our history, and from the nations.
The following Thoughts on Missionare Theological Touchstones
And which show we have learned from History and from the Nations
Ten Touchstones to Testour Practice in Mission Ten ways of checking our fidelity to God’s mission And yet…
Ten Touchstones listed 1. Missio Dei: It is God’ mission 2. Mission is Trinitarian 3. Witness to the Kingdom of God 4. For all people (all nations) 5. Must avoid reductions and dichotomies…………..next slide please!
Ten Touchstones (continued) 6. Continues the sufferings of Christ 7. Ecumenical, inclusive, exclusive and sacrificial 8. Done in bold humility 9. Centrality of the local church 10. Crossing barriers
Christian mission is our participation in the Missio Dei: The mission of God. Therefore… a. Christian mission is as great as the redemptive work of God for the world b. It is NOT our mission
--The Father sending the Son… --the Father and Son sending the Spirit… --the Church being sent by the Triune God into the world. (Jn. 20:21) 2. Christian mission is Trinitarian: Therefore… Christian mission is sending and being sent in the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. Christian mission is centered on witness to the coming Kingdom of God; the good news of Jesus Christ; the mystery of the ages, now made known.
Therefore… a. Mission concerns a kingdom community b. Good news is for poor, disenfranchised, unreached, excluded… c. Good news involves preaching and healing and liberating (Lk. 4:16-30)
The Good News is for all people (panta ethne) and all of creation. Therefore…
All people have the right to hear and see the coming of the Kingdom in power and glory. This Gospel reconciles all peoples
5. Christian mission must avoid reductionisms and dichotomies that have misrepresented the witness of the Kingdom in the past: *evangelism versus social action *local versus global * peace versus proclamation (…as if Christ were divided!)
6. Christian mission involves continuing the sufferings of Christ for the World. • Success therefore, is measured as faithfulness, not product
*ecumenical (both global and all churches), *inclusive (“that all may believe”) *exclusive (mission is “in Christ”), and *sacrificial (“unless a seed dies”). • Christian mission must be: • Our model is Jesus, the paradigmatic mission of God. • b. All four will be costly and misunderstood.
8. Christian mission must be done in boldhumility (listening, repenting, doing), representing in what is done, who we represent. Therefore….
Mission begins with confession and compassion and continues with clarity and confidence.
9. The local church is the missionary presence in each context, and the sending body. • The local church is a mission outpost…
…and local churches are to takeinitiative for they are gifted and empowered for mission.
10. Christian mission means crossing barriers There is a difference between local ministry and mission
Thoughts on Mission: Theological Touchstones are not exhaustive. These are offered as a reminder of key themes which are often forgotten in our new missional context.
A new context where two-thirds of the world’s Christians are not westerners. Therefore, we need to remember past lessons and learn from people who are poorer,less educated and who suffer “in Christ.”
Theology must be expressed. What does this mean for you… for your church… for our churches?
What does it mean, for example, to keep peacemaking and proclamation together?
What does it mean to sacrifice for the poorest and most needy?
What would it mean to reach out to those who have never heard of Jesus?
What would it mean to proclaim an exclusive message which is inclusive? Confucius sees the nailmarks in the hands of Jesus.
God still loves all the world, and sends his people out…maybe he is sending you.
Theological Touchstones have been brought to you by Mission Think Tank, Pittsburgh Presbytery David Brewton, chair Jean Kennedy Trip Torbet Gloria Armstrong Jack Lolla Linda Weaver Leslie Boone Cindy Miller Vera White David Carver Susan Nilsen Don Dawson Mark Plumb Bob Downs Doug Ronsheim Don Guinn Emily Rosenthal Jay Hollinsworth Scott Sunquist (show designer)
