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...
Devoting themselves to prayer “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14). Our church's motto for the year 2008 is "Devote yourselves to prayer." The verse that serves as the motto is Acts 1:14. The background of this verse is when Jesus, after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, returned from the Mount of Olives, also known as Olivet, to Jerusalem where His disciples were staying in the upper room. About 120 of them gathered together in prayer. Reflecting on this verse, I have chosen the title "Devote yourselves to prayer" while praying that you and I may live a life of obedience to this word. In summary, this word can be encapsulated as "Prayer, Expectation, and Waiting." We need to pray, expect, and wait. So, how should we pray, what should we ...