Theology of the Church, Mentor's Guide, MG03

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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E C H U R C H

Jesus of Nazareth has been made according to God’s sovereign election the Elect Servant of God, the One through whom God would save the world, and the One in whom all the saved find their redemption. Israel is a sign and precursor of God’s chosen people, through whom the Messiah came, who died, rose, and reigns as God’s chosen Lord. The Church, made up of all believing Jews and Gentiles, are elect and chosen “in Christ,” that is, in connection to Christ as they cling to him by faith. The Great Commission provides an overall outline for the Church’s threefold witness in the world to make disciples. The Church gives witness by going and making disciples (evangelizing the lost in the world), by baptizing (incorporating new believers into the assembly of believers), and by teaching (instructing disciples to do everything Jesus commands and so grow to maturity in him). Arn, Win, and Charles Arn. The Master’s Plan for Making Disciples . 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1988 (1982). Coleman, Robert. The Master Plan of Evangelism . 30th Anniversary Edition with Study Guide by Roy J. Fish. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell-Baker Books, 1993 (1963). Phillips, Keith. The Making of a Disciple . Old Tappan, New Jersey: Revell Books, 1981. Snyder, Howard. Kingdom, Church, and World: Biblical Themes for Today . Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001 (1985). The wonder of being chosen by God in Christ, and called by God to be a disciple maker is a sweet and deeply moving truth for us as believers. We are chosen in Christ, elect, called to go into the entire world to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them Christ’s holy Word. These truths have direct bearing on your life and ministry as a disciple; you cannot fulfill your responsibility as a leader if you fail to appreciate and understand your union with God in Christ, and Jesus’ mandate on his Church to fulfill what is commonly called the Great Commission. Now it is time for you to assess how these truths have come to influence and affect your life. Have you been able to integrate within your life so far the truth that God has elected you in his Son–how does this truth impact your If you are interested in pursuing some of the ideas of The Church as Witness , you might want to give these books a try:

Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis

Resources and Bibliographies

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Ministry Connections

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