A Theology of Mission for Free Methodist World Missions Table of Contents
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A THEOLOGY OF MISSION FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS GLOBAL GOOD NEWS: A THEOLOGY OF MISSION FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS 3 COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION: PRINCIPLES FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS 9 DEVELOPING LEADERS: PRINCIPLES FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS 13 WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT A WESLEYAN THEOLOGY OF MISSION? A WESLEYAN PERSPECTIVE ON FREE METHODIST MISSIONS 20 By Howard Snyder ENCOUNTERING WORLD RELIGIONS: AN EVANGELICAL RESPONSE By Mathias Zahniser 29 RECOVERING THE MISSIONAL CHURCH: INTEGRATING LOCAL AND GLOBAL 43 By Dan Sheffield SHALOM: GOD'S UNREASONABLE MISSION By Philip L. Capp 53 THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH With consideration of the Mission of the Free Methodist Church in Asia 64 By David Yardy Edited by Dan Sheffield Designed by Lisa Howden REVISED EDITION - 2006 GLOBAL GOOD NEWS: A THEOLOGY OF MISSION FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. [Psalm 67:1-2] The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. [Psalm 98:2] Jesus said to them . , “Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” [John 20:21 NRSV] God . reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Cor. 5:18-19 NRSV The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. 2 Cor. 13:13 NRSV THREE FOCUSING AFFIRMATIONS n the basis of Holy Scripture and in light of the stated mission of the Free Methodist Church, Free Methodist World Missions affirms its theology of mission by declaring our faith in the Triune God of grace Oand truth who sends the Son into the world in the power of the Spirit and creates grace-empowered communities of holiness, truth, love, justice and compels grace-empowered mission to all peoples. I. GOD THE TRINITY: The mission of the church is our participation in the mission of the Triune God who created the world as an expression of his love, power, and creativity, who sustains and rules the universe, and who sent Jesus Christ into the world in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit as healing, liberating Savior, and who will bring about final reconciliation and restoration. (Gen. 1:1-2:2, Heb. 1:1-4, Col. 1:19-20, 2 Cor. 5:18-19, John 20:21, Acts 3:30-21) [Love - grace - communion] II. THE BODY OF CHRIST: The gracious, outreaching love of God the Trinity is the truth that creates and defines the church in its character, internal life, and mission in the world. The church is the community of God's people, redeemed through Jesus' reconciling work on the cross and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the visible Body of Christ and is God's ongoing mission to people near and far. It is called to worship God and bring other people to the worship and loving service of God. The church is called to be a grace-filled community growing in holiness and mutual giftedness and ministry in which all believers are ministers of the gospel of reconciliation. [Communion - grace - love] (1 Pt. 2) III. SENT INTO THE WORLD: The nature of God and of the church as Body of Christ defines the church's message and its mission locally and globally. The mission of the church is in fact the church's obedient participation in that action of the Spirit by which the confession of Jesus as Lord becomes the authentic confession of every people, each in its own tongue. The church proclaims and witnesses to the Good News that God is reconciling the world toward relationship with the Triune God; that God has a "plan" or "economy" to bring all things into proper relationship under the headship of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:10). God does this by creating "one new humanity" out of 3 GLOBAL GOOD NEWS: A THEOLOGY OF MISSION FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS alienated, antagonistic persons and peoples, "thus therefore recognize and honor the image of God in making peace" or shalom in the new community of the all persons and peoples. Spirit that is the church (Eph. 2:15-16). [Grace - love - 3. We recognize that all human cultures similarly reflect communion/ community] something of the truth, beauty, and creativity of God, even though in all cultures God's truth is in KEY IMPLICATIONS FOR MISSION various ways distorted and denied. We believe that These three focusing affirmations give direction to God delights in the diversity of human cultures, each everything the church does in mission. They provide of which has unique gifts of worship and service to guidance and imply practical tests for the elaboration of offer to God. mission theory and practice. Though this elaboration 4. The biblical theme of the Kingdom of God affirms will always be an ongoing process, we affirm the God's sovereign power over and loving governance of following implications as particularly important for Free the universe, and reveals God's firm intent to bring Methodist Missions at this time: all creation into a peaceful, reconciled relationship, as the Old Testament prophets proclaim. We affirm Jesus' statement that there is no timeline for the fulfilling of this theme. We also affirm that the various programmatic schemes for the order of events for the end times are extra-biblical and are therefore not part of the truth we need to accept. 5. The powerful, self-giving mutual love of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the source and ultimate basis of Christian mission. As the deepest, most profound reality in the universe, the Trinity defines our understanding of human personhood, the church, and God's intent for human society. 6. The deepest malady of the human condition is the moral disease of sin. Sin alienates people from God, from one another, and from the created order. Through his atoning death, Jesus Christ is the divine source of all healing. Jesus heals the brokenness that results from sin and brings persons and peoples into I. GOD THE TRINITY: The mission of the church is wholeness and communion with God, other people, our participation in the mission of the Triune God who and the physical environment. The healing God created the world as an expression of love, power, and provides is the good news of reconciliation and creativity, who sustains and rules the universe, and who transformation personally, socially, culturally, and sent Jesus Christ into the world in the power and grace of ecologically. the Holy Spirit as healing, liberating Savior, and who will bring about final reconciliation and restoration. II. THE BODY OF CHRIST: The gracious, outreaching love of God the Trinity is the truth that 1. The God of holy love and justice desires and invites creates and defines the church in its character, internal all peoples to come into reconciled relationship with life, and mission in the world. The church is the the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God will finally community of God's people, redeemed through Jesus' and fully establish a just reign in the restoration of reconciling work on the cross and empowered by the creation and the judgment of all evil. Holy Spirit to be the visible Body of Christ and is God's 2. God has created all men and women in the Triune ongoing mission to people near and far. It is called to image with an inherent capacity to love and serve worship God and bring other people to the worship and God. Though this capacity has been marred and loving service of God. The church is called to be a grace- distorted by sin, it has not been totally lost. We 4 GLOBAL GOOD NEWS: A THEOLOGY OF MISSION FOR FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS filled community growing in holiness and mutual giftedness and ministry in which all believers are ministers of the gospel of reconciliation. 1. The church is the people of God in local Christian congregations and families, in larger denominational families and networks, and as the universal Body of Christ within the world and beyond. The church in all its earthly manifestations is called into mission. 2. The church grows in its relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through an ongoing and deepening life of praise and prayer; worship as word and sacrament. The central relationship of God and the community of God's People is worship. In worship the church listens for the Word of God while affirming its faith in liturgy and participating in the life and intent of God through sacrament both in the liturgy of Holy Communion and as "Living ours to keep, and that can be freely shared with Sacrifices". (Rom. 12:1,2) others. We affirm therefore that our communities of 3. The church is called to be a socially visible faith should reflect a simplicity of form and demonstration of the gospel and the mission it substance that is not self-serving and a generosity proclaims. that is not anxious about the future (Matt 6:25-33). 4. The church is called to a life of holiness. Holy love 8. Scripture affirms the blessing of human families, defines our relationship with God and one another. extended families, clans, tribes, and nation.