A. What Is Biblical Mission? “Biblical mission means more than simply going overseas to plant churches or spread civilization. It means the church participating in the ‘mission of God (Missio Dei)’ and seeking the restoration of God’s rule and glory throughout the whole earth. Mission is not a program that begins with human enthusiasm; rather, it is the heart of God that runs throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, and is a fundamental reason for the church’s existence. Let me clearly summarize five essential principles of true mission as presented in Scripture. 🌍 1. The Mission of God (Missio Dei) The subject and initiator of mission is not human beings but God. In order to save fallen humanity, God first comes to us, sends His Son, and sends the Holy Spirit. He is the “missionary God” who sends. Biblical basis: “As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21) Key meaning: The church acknowledges that God has the initiative in mission and serves as His agent, obed...
A man who had come to promote the welfare (1) [Nehemiah 2:1-5] In his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen Covey says this about “creating a ‘pause button’: There is ‘freedom of choice’ between ‘stimulus’ and ‘response’, but too many people often act reactively. Rather, hit the ‘pause button’ and give yourself time to think. During the ‘freedom of choice’ time, think ‘How will I respond to this stimulus?’, act according to principles and values rather than depending on feelings and circumstances. That is the first habit of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”: “Be Proactive” [Definition: ‘The ability to act on principles and values rather than reacting on emotions and circumstances’ (Covey). However, it seems that we are more likely to be ‘reactive’ than proactive. In other words, when we are stimulated, we often act based on situations and emotions. Of course, even ...