Chapter 6

 

Mission: The Propagation of Our Profession      

 

The Task of the Church

 

The church is a missionary organization.  In the Book of Acts we do not find missionary organizations outside of the church.  The healthy church is self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating (cf. John L. Nevius, Planting and Development of Missionary Churches).  We are too often satisfied when we have achieved the first two.  The church is the missionary organization.

After Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch we are told “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.  And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.” (Acts 13:48, 49).  Paul told the Thessalonian church “For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.” (1 Thess. 1:8).  Acts 1:8 gives us the scope of our missions enterprise in concentric circles starting in Jerusalem and encompassing the earth.  Paul’s missionary journeys are ever widening circles of witness.  As a city set on a hill (Matt. 5:14) we are continuing that circle of gospel witness.  We are called to nothing less than discipling the nations (Matt. 28:18-20).  The church is always in the missions mode or else it is less than a Biblical church.  One of the chief failures of the Old Covenant church was its failure to be a light to the Gentiles (Acts 13: 16-47; cf. Isa. 42:6; 49:6).

Those who possess the rich historical expression of the whole counsel of God known as “the reformed faith” have an awesome missionary responsibility.  Rather than inhibit aggressive evangelism the sovereignty of God in salvation should call and embolden us to spread the word of God.  After Paul preached at Antioch we are told that “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed”.  In Corinth God’s elective purposes formed the ground of his confidence to preach: “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (Acts 18:9-11).

We ordinarily think of missions as something that happens elsewhere.  But in the Bible what happens elsewhere begins at home.  Paul and Barnabas were originally sent from Palestinian Antioch (Acts 13:1-3).  Home and Foreign missions are simply  discipling the nations near and far.  The task and goals are the same: to spread the Good News for God’s glory.  Thus evangelism and missions are one task.  Evangelism is the means of promoting missions and the glory of God through worship and service is the goal.

We must be careful to distinguish this task from less than Biblical views.  We are not multiplying disciples for the sake of numbers.  In fact, instead of “saving souls” we are making disciples to worship and serve the risen Lord.  Those who become disciples are called to spread this worship and service.  Thus the worship services of the church are not evangelistic meetings.  We are to go out from worship to call others to worship and serve the King.  Furthermore the call to salvation is not a call to be forgiven only.  It is a call to discipleship through repentance and faith.

 

The Message of Missions

 

God is a speaking God who constantly speaks through His creation and providence (Rom. 1:20); but because of the blindness caused by sin has spoken by the sending of His Son the Speech or Word of God incarnate (Heb. 1:1-3).  The message of evangelism is the message of the good news that God has sent His Son to save the world from sin and death.  Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of his message: “how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20, 21).  This is the message of the entire Bible in essence (Luke 24).

The minister of the word is the chief ambassador. He is responsible for the actual public proclamation of the word.  But the entire church is responsible for missions in two ways: as personal witnesses themselves, and by using their gifts and graces to promote missions.  Every Christian is to pray for missions that people would beg to hear the gospel  (Acts 13:42); that God would create a hunger; as well as praying for family, friends and neighbors.  Every Christian is to pray for the Preacher regularly and specifically (Eph. 6:19; 2 Thess. 3:1).  Church members and especially elders should make sure that the minister of the word is free to pursue the ministry of the word and prayer.  This is why the first deacons were ordained (Acts 6:2).  Every Christian is to give self-sacrificially to missions.  Every Christian is to ask what else can I do to help spread the word?   Natural gifts and training in every area can aid the missionary task.  Medical services is one excellent example. 

Furthermore, every Christian is to be ready with an answer for the hope that is in them (1 Pet 3:15).  The New Testament indicates that all Christians spread the word by telling the good news to others.  “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4; cf. Matt. 10:32).  The word “preaching” here is literally “evangelizing”.  The news was too good to keep to themselves.

Many Christians feel inadequate to the task.  Many do not have many contacts outside of the church.  Some thoughtful preparation, fervent prayer and the cultivation of love for the lost will make up for all of these deficiencies.  Be ready to tell the basic facts of the Bible about who God is, what sin is, what Christ has done for sinners and how to repent and trust in Him.  Will Metzger’s Tell The Truth is helpful in preparation for the task.  John Blanchard’s evangelistic booklet Ultimate Questions gives the basic message in the Biblical order, and is therefore excellent to remind you of the message and to give to unbelievers.  All God expects you to do is tell what you know.  Being ready of course means that we need to study to know more (2 Tim. 1:12; 2:15).  If someone asks a question that you cannot answer, just say “I don’t know.  But I’ll find out.”

The gospel message is central to our witness, but personal testimony to what the Lord has done for us is an excellent personal supplement (1 Tim. 1:15; cf. Paul’s testimony Acts 22:1ff; 26:1ff).  Personal testimony, however, is never a replacement for the message by which we were saved.

 

 

Deed Ministry in Missions

 

Demonstrating God’s love for sinners in our personal lives is an essential aspect of our witness to a loveless world.  Deed ministry is never a substitute for the message of the gospel, but we must be examples of the reality of the gospel.  We need to develop God’s attitude toward people.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16; cf. 7:16).  “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:10).  “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men” (2 Cor. 3:2).  Exhibit the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26). The gospel makes a difference in the lives of sinners, and we must demonstrate the difference it makes.

Deed ministry is not just doing nice things for people.  It is the coming of the kingdom of Jesus Christ through His people with deeds of truth and love in a false and loveless world.            This means that we will imitate Paul when he says “to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22).  We need to be sensitive to the humanity of sinners and try to meet them on their own turf.  Of course, this never means compromising the truth or ethical standards.  But it does mean we are to have genuine love for people as God’s image bearers, and compassion because we too are sinners saved by grace alone.  Remember they are dead in sin and blind to the truth you see so cleerly.  We need to earn their respect.  This is the reason that personal evangelism is far more effective than simply passing out tracts, though there is a place for both.  “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!  But wisdom is justified by her children.” (Matt. 11:19).  “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34; cf. Luke 15:1ff).

 

The Method of Missions

 

Far too much emphasis is placed on methodology in the modern church.  If we practice word and deed ministry our methods will be obvious with a little common sense. Whatever we do should be done honestly and done well.  Look at examples of personal encounter in the Bible and learn from the approach of evangelists like Jesus in John 4 and Philip in Acts 8.  Good literature, brochures and tracts should be used.  Invite unbelievers into your home and to church if they show an interest in the gospel.  There is no magic method.  But every legitimate avenue should be explored by the church, especially in the marketplace and the public forum, where the church is presently least visible.  One reason for this is that ministers of the word are expected to be CEO’s, administrators and psychologists, when their primary calling is to minister the word to the church and the world.  Every member should take responsibility by making suggestions to the session, supporting their efforts and praying for their planning.

 

 

 

 

Apologetics in Missions

 

Apologetics is literally a defense of the faith.  “I am appointed for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17).  “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15).  The gospel has intellectual integrity because it is the truth.  It can therefore be argued humbly and in love.  We are to love God with all of our minds.  Paul argued in the synagogue and in the pagan forum “Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.” (Acts 17:17; cf. 18:4).  Proud argument is condemned in Scripture: “he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” (1 Tim. 6:4, 5).   However, godly argument is commanded: “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

Paul spoke the language of his hearers.  This means that while he quoted Scripture in the synagogue he did not use it in the same way in the pagan marketplace.  He knew his audience and started wherever they were in their thinking, knowing that living in God’s world, with minds and consciences made in God’s image, he could bring them face to face with the claims of the gospel.  We need to be aware of what our culture is thinking.  Like the men of Isaacher we should have “understanding of the times” (1 Chron. 12:32).

We must also remember that sinners are not neutral in their thinking.  They are living in active denial of the claims that their Creator has upon them.  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Rom. 1:18-25).

Because He has clearly revealed Himself to sinners in His creation, in their consciousness and consciences they are without excuse.  Furthermore, sinners attempt to replace God with idols of their own making.  We must lovingly confront them with their idols and unveil their false presuppositions (the assumed ideas of one’s worldview).  Show them the inconsistency of their position and warn them compassionately of the eternal consequences of their beliefs. 

Greg L. Bahnsen’s Always Ready is an excellent book on this subject.

 
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