The Christian Mission: An Overview (part 2)

continued from part 1

The second problem, a narrowness of perspective, may be viewed from two different angles: historical and geographical. With respect to the first, it is easy to lose the clarity of vision that may be gained by perceiving our era of mission as the culmination and continuation of a history-long movement which defines and gives impetus to our current task. When we are diligent to keep in mind the history of the gospel’s spread from the days of the apostles to our own, we are better equipped to sort out the greatest remaining needs; to see how the historical mission movement has gone forward, and how we might derive impetus from the inertial forces which are currently at play; and finally, to be instructed as to what basic approaches and ideals are likely to be successfully employed by the enabling grace of God. But even beyond this two-thousand year perspective, we must be able to place the post-ascension missionary effort in a broader context of the movement of redemptive history from the first gospel promise of Genesis 3:15. A fundamental presupposition that should instruct our efforts is that all of history is a unified and divinely-planned movement towards the final realization of the full effects of Christ’s great work of redemption, which was prepared for and foreshadowed from earliest times. When we have this world-history-encompassing perspective, we are enabled to deal more intelligently with the purposes and approaches peculiar to this era; and furthermore, we have a philosophical license to be instructed in our mission efforts by the Old Testament examples of Israel, whose history in many ways foreshadowed the history of spiritual Israel in this age, and by the examples of whom we, “upon whom the end of the ages has come,” are able to be admonished (I Corinthians 10:11).

The second area in which we may be benefited by a broadened perspective is that of geography, and the forces at play in the worldwide Church. If a missionary feels that he is called to reach out to a certain people, but is ignorant of the vision and work of the Church in other places, he may be cutting himself off needlessly from much helpful collaboration and synergy. For example, suppose an American Christian desires to evangelize an unreached people of Central Asia. If he is pursuing a worldwide perspective of the movements of the Church in other geographical venues, he may learn of the “Back to Jerusalem” vision of the persecuted Chinese Church, and, upon consideration, may find it a more valuable strategy for him to partner with this Chinese Church, bringing to them logistical assistance and theological training, and otherwise facilitating them to reach out to this particular people with whom they might have more cultural and linguistic affinity. Hence, he might be better able to labor for the spread of the gospel in Central Asia by working in China than by going to the target people on his own. Or even if he decided to go to the target people, he would at least be familiar with a different geographical sector of the Church which is also targeting this people, and be able to start thinking about how they could support and sustain each other on their common field of service. When every isolated segment of Christianity is pursuing a task with respect to its vision alone, much helpful co-operation might be lost; hence, a worldwide geographical perspective may prove invaluable for shaping how we go about the particular task that the Lord has laid upon our hearts.

Our final problem is closely related to the former: and that is, the essential fragmentation of the universal Church as she pursues her mission. If, as Christ proclaimed, the unity and loving inter-relationship of all Christians is a non-negotiable apologetic and testimony to the world of Christ (John 13:34-35), then the myopic point of view which chooses to interact only with other Christians of the same denomination and philosophical orientation is a tragic obstacle to the completion of the great commission. Denominationalism and fragmentation are among the great evils plaguing the Church in this day. This is a problem which holds forth immense difficulties; for many professing Christians are false teachers, spreading doctrines of the devil (I Timothy 4:1), and many are insincere professors, holding to an orthodox formulation of the faith in lip-service only (I John 2:19). Furthermore, many genuine believers are plagued by doctrinal errors of such import that evangelistic co-operation may prove more detrimental than anything else. However, as we pursue our Church-wide task, it is imperative that we seek to overcome this hurdle by humbly confessing the sin which is the cause of our division; by seeking great discernment in knowing who to condemn as false prophets and who to admonish as weaker brothers; and by laboring to partner together with true believers in spite of secondary doctrinal differences, attempting to teach those who have doctrinal errors and humbly submitting to be taught by those who have been enabled to see the doctrinal errors which we ourselves retain. If all humble, evangelical believers, even in this country alone, were motivated to work strategically together, instead of each particular group operating within the confines of its own little kingdom, I am convinced that God would be pleased to multiply our fruits exponentially.

to be concluded Monday

~~posted by Zioneer