Lesson 8 Missions in our DNA Global Church Missions: The Church’s Marching Orders Our Lord Jesus gave the church global “marching orders” which involves each one of us. It is precisely because this mission is world-encompassing that it has local implications. Know this global mission well in order to understand the commission graciously given to Proclamation and my particular role in it. 1.The Real Problem – The Real Solution 2.The End Game – The Objective of Missions 3.Common Ground? The Challenge of Unbelief 4.It’s Dangerous Over There! Suffering and Persecution 5.You Will Receive Power! The Holy Spirit & Missions 6.Mission of Mercy – Word & Deed 7.Something More? Scripture as a Guide 8.Missions in our DNA - The Global Church 9.Does the Church Need Missions? Summary Joey’s Story Mission Objective Revelation 21:2–3 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” God’s Plan Ephesians 3:10–11 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord Coming of the Last Adam HOLY KINGDOM INAUGURATED Episode1 HOLY KINGDOM CONSUMMATED Episode2 The Body of Christ • • • • Historical: Participation in Christ’s work Ownership: Belonging to Christ Headship: Under Christ as Husband, Lord Solidarity: One in Spirit with Christ Nicene Creed We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. One Church – One Mission • One Commission • One? Are you kidding? • Increasingly visible unity • Self sufficiency? Holy Church – Holy War • Holy warfare • Self deception • Peace training Church Catholic • Church as One and Church as Catholic • Multiplicity of gifts • “my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown” • ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ Apostolic Foundation • [the church is] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. (Eph 2:20) • Passing the torch: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received” We are not discussing a "platonic state which exists only in the imagination and which never becomes reality." It will not do for us to leave to the Holy Spirit the work of creating some "universal and invisible" Church, while leaving to man the work of establishing a faltering human organization. Summary – The Church DNA: • • • • One – Commissioned as a unity Holy – Locked in combat Catholic – Beautifully diverse Apostolic – Faithfully constituted