Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

I. Prolegomena to Mission: The Big Picture

Video Segment 1 Outline

The Mission of God Is about the Body of Christ, a Worldwide Body

The crucified body of Jesus and the ecclesial body, the church, therefore cannot be separated. Several consequences for the meaning of the image flow from this. First, though, we must note that in the earlier epistles, particularly Corinthians and Romans, the emphasis is on the local church as expressing in its unity the crucified and living Christ. But in the later epistles, Colossians and Ephesians, the image has moved outward to embrace the universal church (Col. 1.18; 2.19; Eph. 1.22–23; 4.16). Christ is the “head” of a body which is more than the local community of faith, and this change in the image is of the greatest importance, because it marks through its shift a vision of a church “producing fruit and growing … all over the world” (Col. 1.6 NIV), a calling to mission which is at least as imperative as the call to build up the life of the local faith community.

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~ Leland Ryken. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery . (electronic ed.) Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 109.

A. Definition: Mission is the proclamation of God’s offer of salvation and redemption in the person and work of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to all people groups .

1. The proclamation of God’s offer of salvation and redemption: mission concerns the purposes of God and his offer of grace and forgiveness .

a. 2 Tim. 1.8-10

b. Rom. 5.8

c. Eph. 1.6-8