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

business. The appointed task is twofold. First and fundamentally, it is the work of worldwide witness, disciple-making, and church-planting (Matt. 24.14; 28.19-20; Mark 13.10; Luke 24.47-48). Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed everywhere as God incarnate, Lord, and Savior; and God’s authoritative invitation to find life through turning to Christ in repentance and faith (Matt. 22.1-10; Luke 14.16-24) is to be delivered to all mankind. The ministry of church-planter Paul, evangelist (so far as strength and circumstances allowed) to the whole world (Rom. 1.14; 15.17-29; 1 Cor. 9.19-23; Col. 1.28-29), models this primary commitment. Second, all Christians, and therefore every congregation of the Church on earth, are called to practice deeds of mercy and compassion, a thoroughgoing neighbor-love that responds unstintingly to all forms of human need as they present themselves (Luke 10.25-27; Rom. 12.20-21). Compassion was the inward aspect of the neighbor-love that led Jesus to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and teach the ignorant (Matt. 9.36; 15.32; 20.34; Mark 1.41; Luke 7.13), and those who are new creatures in Christ must be similarly compassionate. Thereby they keep the second great commandment and also give credibility to their proclamation of a Savior who makes sinners into lovers of God and of their fellow human beings. If the exponents of this message do not display its power in their own lives, credibility is destroyed. If they do, credibility is enhanced. This was Jesus’ point when he envisaged the sight of the good works of his witnesses leading people to glorify the Father (Matt. 5.16; cf. 1 Pet. 2.11-12). Good works should be visible to back up good words. ~ J. I. Packer. Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs . (electronic ed.). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1995. These two aspects, of worldwide witness and practicing deeds of mercy and compassion, are both built on having understood, felt, and experienced the power of the Christian story. It must not be merely seen as a children’s story, nor another random tale of a religious pretender. For Christians, the story of Jesus of Nazareth and God’s work in and through him is the very truth of the ages, the one proclamation on earth that can give the one who believes in its truth and promises eternal life. This is the ground of the witness and the basis of the good works: the story of God’s glory and love in Jesus Christ.