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

The idea of comprehending the study of mission as telling a story ought to give hope to each of your students who feel a call to ministry or mission but do not necessarily believe that they are either intellectually gifted or a masterful and compelling communicator. Christianity is fundamentally about God working in human history, and this working has come to us in a testimony, a story, about this working and what it means to humankind. All of us can understand, share, and tell stories (admittedly, some better than others!) Help your students grasp both the simplicity and the profundity of this great truth. The apostles were not messengers of Jesus Christ because of their unequaled intellects and remarkable oratorical skills. They were apostles because they were eye-witnesses of his humility, suffering, and glory (2 Peter 1.16 - For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty). They beheld his majesty personally, and were therefore qualified to share what they had seen and experienced with others. This is the heart and soul of ministry and mission. As we behold his glory, we are transformed in the same image, from glory to glory, by the Lord, the Spirit (2 Cor. 3.18), and then we are in a position to share with others what we have personally beheld, experienced, and known (cf. 1 John 1.1-30). The story continues to go on, and we continue to be its witnesses to others. The questions in this section of the module are given for the sake of review, to ensure that your students understand the key facts and insights presented in the video segment. In this first segment, you will want to discuss with the students the concept of mission generally , and then discuss the particular motif covered in the second section of the video teaching. Please gauge your time well. Reviewing such a broad spectrum of material can be time-consuming, especially if your students are intrigued with the concepts, and want to discuss their implications at length. You will note a section inserted in the material on the subject of missiology . Please read this through with the students, and make sure that they understand the formal discipline of missiology, and explain to them that this module is, in fact, a form of

4 Page 35 Student Questions and Response