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Christian essay on missions
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Missions have always revolved around Christians reaching out to others and living out their lives to glorify God. Jesus displayed this evangelical mission throughout his ministry in the early church when he was living with the disciples. Through reading different articles I have discovered that the new emerging church in the postmodern context has a kingdom view of missions. The kingdom of God is the key to missions which is portrayed in the early church and in Jesus ministry; it is also an evident necessity in recent emerging churches in postmodern context, and reveals itself through ministries that serve to help the needy.
According to Mark Beach, the kingdom of God (or heaven) consists of Jesus’ preaching. During Jesus’ ministry it is evident that preaching and the many miracles that take place reveal his plan for humanity . The kingdom of God included Jesus ministry which he healed the poor and sick, and gave to the needy. This mission to help others in need, to heal the poor and sick, and provide for those who need it gives a description of how God has plans for humanity. He sums this up in Matthew 11: 4-6 where it describes how Jesus came to heal the blind, help the needy, raise the dead and preach the good news to the poor. In this ministry the kingdom of God was being displayed and active in the life of Jesus. If Jesus could implement this kingdom view when he was living life with the disciples, I believe that this should be the view of the church and missions. Christians need to believe that our God is more powerful and can still provide miracles for those in need in our present culture and context.
As Jesus told the Pharisees, He will drive out the demons and that the kingdom of God would be near. For instance, Mark...
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...heir own problems. Therefore I think that integrating this kingdom view into our churches helps creates a new community that reaches out to others who are in need which in return helps fight the apathy that can be found in Christianity in America.
Works Cited
Beach, Mark The Kingdom of God: A Brief exposition and its meanings, Mid-America Journal of Theology:23 2012, p 53-76
Shane Claiborne, Scott Bessenecker, Jonathon Hargrove, Living Mission: The vision and Voices of New Friar, Intervarsity Press, IL: Downers Grove, 2010
Cray, Graham Fresh Expressions of Church and the Kingdom of God, Cantebury Press, UK: Norwich, 2012
Bunkowske, Eugene How does God build His Kingdom? A case study approach
Missio Apostolica 20 no 1 My 2012: p 30-50
Bosch, David Transforming Missions: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Missions, Orbis Books, NY: Maryknoll, 2012
N.T. Wright: During my first semester at Northwestern College, I was assigned the book, “The Challenge of Jesus” by N.T. Wright for one of my Biblical Studies courses. This book and every other book Tom Wright has written has dramatically impacted my Christian faith. Dr. Wright has not only defended the basic tenants of the Christian faith, but also has shown how an academically-minded pastor ought to love and care for his or her congregants. N.T. Wright was previously the Bishop of Durham and pastored some of the poorest in the United Kingdom. His pastoral ministry has helped shape his understanding of God’s kingdom-vision which he is diagramming within his magnum opus “Christian Origins and the Question of God”. This series has instructed myself and countless other pastors to be for God’s kingdom as we eagerly await Christ’s return. Additionally, I have had the privilege of meeting with N.T. Wright one-on-one on numerous occasions to discuss faith, the Church, and his research. I firmly believe Tom Wright is the greatest New Testament scholar of our generation and he is the primary reason why I feel called into ministry.
· Lewis, CS. Mere Christianity. New York: Doubleday, 1982. · McBride, David. The Story of the Church.
Holy Bible, Authorised King James Version Moorman, J.R.H. A History of the Church in England. 3rd ed. London: A&C Black, 1980.
Douglas, J.D., 2nd edn., The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. Exeter: Paternoster Publishing. 1978
Wells, Ronald A. "Episcopal Future." Christian Century 128.10 (2011): 32-34. Religion and Philosophy Collection. Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
Jenkins, Phillips. The Lost History of Christianity. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2008. Print. Phillips, Jonathan.
While studying the Kingdom of God from the perspectives of Derek Morphew in Breakthrough and Charles H. Kraft in Christianity with Power, it has opened my mind up to completely new and interesting discoveries when considering the power that has already been given to God’s children while here on earth. It is utterly mind blowing realizing that many Christians, including myself, have not tapped into their full potential of unleashing the expectations of the risen Savior. Christians have come to believe that they are helpless and powerless against any of Satan’s attacks; however, that belief is not the reality that Christ intended when He laid down His life on the cross. When Jesus came to live on earth and walk among His people, He came not only with a goal to unleash His Kingdom, but He also came with the supernatural ability to unleash His Kingdom and thereby impressing upon His children the victorious ability to daily live in supernatural abundance. He came for so that those who believe in Him would be set free and no longer held bondage. Kraft stated in Christianity with Power, “But Jesus acted as if healings and other uses of spiritual power to overcome natural, human, or spiritual conditions ought to be the normal occurrences” (Kraft, 1989, p. 102). Derek Morphew stated it this way in Breakthrough, “the mysterious nature of the kingdom consists of the fact that it is always here, almost here, delayed and future” (Morphew, 1991, p. 66).
"History of Missions." Home - Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. .
The church has more than one definition. The local church, which is a body of believers that have a specific place that they gather to worship and study the Word of God. The other definition is the Body of Christ, which includes every person that has accepted Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Both of these “organisms” preach and nurture Christians, which is missions.” God birthed the church, and when the church puts God at the center of the church, the focus of the church will change from being a church centered mission to a mission centered church and God will begin to use the church as His instrument for missions. Jesus after He was raised from the dead told all of His followers to proclaim that salvation was complete through His death burial and resurrection and it was/is free to those who will receive it. (Luke 24:44-48) The church has been divinely appointed by God to get the Gospel out into the world. The work of the church and God’s message of salvation will be for nothing if the church is not obedient and follow through with the instructions that God has tasked it with. (Acts 10:36) When the church is in line with God’s intention and is Spirit led, God the Father will be preparing hearts, Christ the Son will invite “whosoever will” and the Holy Spirit will convict and draw sinners to respond. (Rev.
Bromiley, Geoffrey William, Fredrich, Gerhard, Kittel, Gerhard. “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” Struttgart, Germany. W. Kohlhammer Verlag. 1995. Print.
Mead, Loren B. The Once and Future Church Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier . The Alban Institute, Inc., 1991. Kindle eBook file.
Lane, William. The Gospel According to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974.
Schaff, P. (1997). History of the Christian Church. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
The Kingdom of God defined by the Israelites as a physical place here on earth. The Kingdom of God is also called the “Kingdom of Heaven.” It means God’s rule in the lives of His chosen people and His Creation. In the Old Testament, the people in God’s kingdom were the Israelites. In the New Testament and now, the people in God’s kingdom are those who believe in and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus comes again, then God’s kingdom will become visible to all people. The term “Kingdom” according to (Kingdom of God,2011) means the rank, quality, state, or attributes of a king; royal authority; sovereign power; rule; dominion; monarchy. It can also be used in the context of a divine kingdom, the term Kingdom appears 13 times in Matthews, 7 times in Luke and 2 times in John.
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity. 2nd ed. New York City, NY: HarperOne, 2010.