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Recent Posts from the Mumena Team

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Davis Missionary Journey: Holistic Message (Team Strategy 6)


What does "obeying the Gospel" mean to a person who does not even view reality as God created it? For missionaries, this is an ever present danger in cross-cultural communication. At worst, one teaches the Gospel and obedience is offered yet without understanding. Then syncretism, the attributing of pagan meanings to Christian forms, is often the sad result. At best, students cannot "count the cost" concerning a faith choice.


Our team strategy depends on Kingdom theology to help us address this concern. One finds the term "the Kingdom" repeatedly in scripture referring to the "big picture" of how God views reality… God's worldview so to speak. This encompasses the spiritual and physical realms and their interaction thus providing a message that is holistic. Equipped with this understanding, students are able to address the question of obedience to the gospel with a faith that encompasses their mind, heart, and behavior. A clear choice of allegiance can be made.


"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
Acts 8:12 KJV


DouglasBaptizingWoman.jpg


Trying to communicate clearly,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson


Pictured: Douglas Siampongo assisting a Kaonde woman to obey the Gospel in baptism.


For further reading on this subject:
Beasley-Murray, "Jesus & the Kingdom of God"
Davis, Wayne "The Kingdom of God"
Dickson, Roger "The Sovereignty of Deity"
Ferguson, Everett "The Everlasting Kingdom"
McGuiggan, Jim "The Reign of God"
Van Rheenan, Gailyn "Communicating Christ in Animistic Contexts" &
"Missions, Biblical Foundations & Contemporary Strategies"


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