In general, I do not believe that Christian mission and contextualization occurs only when a Christian or a group of Christian travel to remote places in the world to spread the Gospel; that concept of missiology is another way of imperialist point of view. Mission and contextualization occurs every day, not only on mission abroad. I believe one does mission everyday, everywhere, specially at this time of globalization, when technology is placing people closer and closer one from another. As Bonino said, theology and spreading the Gospel is not an intellectual exercise only, is a day-by-day involvement. For instance, here in the United States, there are protestant people from all over the world, and the immigrants like me are forced to think
and believe what the Anglo-Saxon church believes. I wonder, why as an indigenous woman in this country, when I express my spirituality for example by saying, earth is a living creature and one must respect it, some Christians say, that I am wrong. In my culture, earth is “Pachamama” (mother earth) for whom people of my culture has highly respect. The role of culture is the way in which each person of a determined ethnic group practices his/her spirituality as an individual or as a group. Culture in relationship to the Gospel message should be respected from both parties: the minister and the ministered as a commitment.
Missionaries were a contradiction, one that is not easily sorted. The goals and objectives of the missionary themselves were often purest of heart. Missionaries’ goals were to spread of the gospel, the convert heathens to Christianity and enrich the communities they work in by providing education and medical assistance. On the contrary missionaries were also often “agents of cultural change.” (Stipe p.1) They carried with them American ideals, democracy, individual rights, free enterprise, universal education, and delayed gratification. (Clifford Putney p.7)
patients to know that I have a license to heal and not a license to
This is when said person raises money and takes off time to go over to help the poorer countries like Africa. They can be going over there to help build houses, plant gardens, and often times just to spread their joy with the children and families that live there. A mission trip is an amazing opportunity not a responsibility to go out of the comfort of you perfect house and step into the dirt floors of other countries. Open up your hearts to help other people, not because of the responsibility that has been bestowed upon you, because you don’t have a responsibility, but do it because you have been blessed with an opportunity to help other
Many people would not believe that worldview would be involved in the topic of work, but it certainly is. Worldview stretches throughout almost every facet of our lives and is even an intricate part of work. Christian and secular viewpoints differ immensely when it comes to work. Many Christians believe that work is an intricate part of God’s plan for mankind while the secular viewpoint sees it as more of a personal, everyday activity the serves no more of a purpose that that of personal success. The secular worldview has distorted the context of work and only the Christian worldview can redeem it to its original context.
The essay, “A Christian World View,” by Mickenzie Neely seeks to address some major themes that pertain to a Christian worldview. The essay, in summary, states that “serving others, accepting and giving grace, sacrifice, and justice are all essential to living for Christ.” This essay was presented in a way in which she used facts and scriptures from the Bible to support her point. This paper will analysis Neely’s main arguments and will evaluate my opinion of her writing. The main topics that apply to my Christian worldview are love, service, grace and forgiving.
My life is full of events and experiences, which lead up to my interest in working and achieving my goals to be hopefully successful with Colorado Christian University. This calling I have on my life, is not summed up in a singular event or experience. On the other hand, this outlook does surround my particular family. I look forward to part take in Christian studiesespecially being that I have witnessed and been testified to of the dealings.
There are many aspects of the Christian worldview that determines one’s faith. It all begins with God and what he did and why he so great. Then how humanity was shape with its issues and main purpose. The way we see Jesus and what has he done to be apart of are faith and what as humans have found for a restoration. Through analysis the Christian faith and how each of these tie in together. While reflecting on my faith and if lives to the standards of a Christian worldview. Through explaining my understanding of the four aspects of a Christian worldview I will analysis and compare it to my faith.
What is Christianity all about? What are the basic beliefs of Christianity and how did it begin? According to (AllAboutReligion, 2010),” Christianity began about 2000 years ago in Judea, [presently known today as Israel] with Jesus Christ and His faithful group of disciples”. This paper will address the viewpoint of the Christian faith and its outcome. The central message of Christianity is based upon the teachings of Jesus and his promises. Christianity teaches that there is merely one God in all existence and that God created the universe. It also teaches that Jesus is the only way to be set free from the coming judgment of God and that Jesus desires his values and his standards to abound. Moreover, Christianity is the only religion that offers a savior. Religion has been in every culture since the beginning of human society and there are many religions competing for the heart of humanity throughout the world at large.The following characterizations are based on the Christian faith: redemption, covenant and grace. Although Christianity is a matter of choice for the human race, what type of influence did it have on the China, Africa, and Rome inhabitants?
It may seem a little bit strange, but my favorite place in town in none other than this beautiful Evangelic Church. However, it wasn’t always so.
Those traveling on short term mission trips can gain the benefit of spiritual growth. Mission trips require individuals to be fully emerged in God’s word and presence. If individuals
This class has been quite the experience. I was raised in a Christian family. My parents met in church. We attended church every Sunday. Sometimes we would go to more than one church on a Sunday. On those particular days we were at church from 9 am until 5 pm.
The mission of the church commission by God has not changed. The church is a global enterprise that has entities in almost every country seeking the same goal. The churches mission surpasses time, change, and culture. The mission is unchanged but how it is achieved changes from culture and over time. “Mission is to be done that appreciates culture, taking into account the way the gospel is proclaimed and more deeply reflected upon, and this in ways that recognize the prior presence of God’s spirit among the world’s people (Bevans, 2013 page 8).” First Wesleyan Church seeking to fulfill the mission of the church to the unique culture of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Analyzing First Wesleyan’s mission and vision reveals the strengths and weaknesses compared with the unchanging mission of the church universal.
Ultimately, this is the question of contextualization. Contextualization involves striving to present the gospel in a culturally pertinent manner. Before moving further, a key distinction needs to be made between contextualization solely based on methods, versus contextualization of the gospel message itself. Contextualization of methods finds the source of contextualization in the activities of the Church. Although there are appropriate occasions when this can be challenged, often times when our methods or activities are the locus of our contextualization efforts it inclines itself to the prioritization of preferences, a cultural “syncretism” of sorts, and even a shallowing of the Church and the gospel.
Evangelism is one of the key component for changing people’s lives. McRaney states, “The word evangelism comes from a combination of Greek words for “good” and “messenger.” Evangelism involves bringing the goods. Kent Hunter reminded us that “when Christians witness, they tell how Jesus Christ has changed their own lives. The change in their own lives gives them the desires to share the Good News with others.” Christians must share their testimony to people and spread the gospel so that they can bring lost souls to Christ. God has commissioned every Christian to evangelize so that people will learn about Jesus Christ and accept Him as their personal savior. Matthew 28:19 states, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. Christians are required to spread the Gospel throughout the world and can no longer just attend church. Christians must plant seeds and water the seeds so that lost souls will be saved.
Truly, this humanly inconceivable mission requires divine strengthening and guidance. Jesus demonstrated an existence of supplication and Spirit reliance, just doing what He heard from the father in heaven. Holy spirit is the absolute driving force for the mission success and growth. No matter how much, as mere humans try for the growth of Church, without the intervention of the Holy Spirit it is very impossible for the certain growth of the Church. On all occasions, Our church mission goal should be portrayed by supplication and dependence on the Spirit, we should look for the will of the father in each circumstance for adequate extend of our ways and means. we should likewise accept his transcendence and his divine encounter. As God makes His allure through us, we should recall that