Intro to Missiology Midterm P2

Act 1 of the OT Divine Drama

Creation and the Fall (Genesis 1–11): God creates a good world; humanity falls; God promises a Redeemer and judges rebellion at Babel.

Act 2 of the OT Divine Drama

Calling a People through Abraham (Genesis 12–50): God chooses Abraham so all families of the earth may be blessed.

Act 3 of the OT Divine Drama

Rescuing and Separating a People (Exodus–preexilic prophets): God rescues Israel to be a priestly kingdom and light to the nations.

Act 4 of the OT Divine Drama

Maintaining God's Holiness: The Exile. God judges covenant unfaithfulness, purifies a remnant, and promises a Suffering Servant.

Act 5 of the Divine Drama

Saving a People: Jesus the Messiah. Jesus proclaims God's reign, dies as an atoning sacrifice, and rises again.

Act 6 of the Divine Drama

Gathering a People: The Church. Empowered by the Spirit, the church proclaims the gospel across cultural boundaries.

Act 7 of the Divine Drama

Renewing All Creation: The Consummation. Christ returns, defeats evil, and gathers the redeemed from every nation, tribe, people, and language.

Psalm 2:8 — missionary idea

The nations will be the Messiah's inheritance, and the ends of the earth His possession.

Psalm 22:27–28 — missionary idea

All the ends of the earth will turn to the Lord, and all families of nations will worship Him.

Psalm 46:10 — missionary idea

God declares that He will be exalted among the nations and throughout the earth.

Psalm 67 — missionary idea

Israel asks for God's blessing so His salvation may be known among all nations; the Old Testament's Missionary Psalm.

Psalm 96:3, 10 — missionary idea

Declare God's glory among the nations and His marvelous deeds among all peoples; proclaim, 'The Lord reigns.'

Isaiah 2:2–3 — missionary focus

The nations will stream to Mount Zion to learn God's ways.

Isaiah 42:6 / 49:6 — missionary focus

The Lord's Servant is appointed as a light to the Gentiles, bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.

Jeremiah 1:5 — missionary focus

God consecrated Jeremiah before birth and appointed him a prophet to the nations.

Zechariah 8:20–23 — missionary focus

People from many languages seek the Lord and ask to go with God's people because He is with them.

Malachi 1:11 — missionary focus

God's name will be great among the nations from sunrise to sunset.

Meaning of 'all nations': Gentiles

Salvation is extended beyond ethnic Jewish boundaries to non-Jews.

Meaning of 'all nations': nation-states

Political territories as understood in ancient or modern geography.

Meaning of 'all nations': people groups

Distinct ethnolinguistic cultural groups sharing language, social identity, and cultural boundaries.

Meaning of 'all nations': all humanity

Every individual human being globally, without restriction.

Paul's first missionary journey

Acts 13–14: From Syrian Antioch with Barnabas to Cyprus and South Galatia; churches were established and elders appointed.

Paul's second missionary journey

Acts 15:36–18:22: With Silas and Timothy; Macedonian vision; churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.

Paul's third missionary journey

Acts 18:23–21:19: Strengthened Galatian churches, taught for three years in Ephesus, visited Macedonia and Greece, met elders at Miletus, and returned to Jerusalem.

Paul's fourth journey / journey to Rome

Acts 27–28: After arrest and appeal to Caesar, Paul was shipwrecked on Malta and arrived in Rome under house arrest, preaching.

Paul lesson: itinerant ministry

Paul stayed about 1–3 years per location, planted self-governing churches, and moved on rather than serving as a permanent pastor.

Paul lesson: Spirit guidance

Paul flexibly followed the Holy Spirit's direction, including the Macedonian vision and closed doors.

Paul lesson: strategic urban centers

Paul planted churches in key cities that could help evangelize surrounding regions.

Paul lesson: team ministry

Paul served in mobile partnerships with people such as Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Priscilla, and Aquila.

Paul lesson: tentmaking

Paul worked manually to preserve financial independence and avoid burdening young churches.

Paul lesson: leadership empowerment

Paul quickly delegated authority to local converts and elders.

Paul lesson: contextualized communication

Paul adapted his presentation to his audience, such as in synagogues or at the Areopagus, without changing core truth.

Paul lesson: endurance

Paul modeled resilience through suffering and persecution for new believers.

Paul lesson: holistic mission

Paul integrated evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and benevolence, including relief for Jerusalem.

Paul lesson: Scripture and prayer

Paul grounded his work in Old Testament fulfillment and continuous intercession.

Pauline theme: God's mercy

God's mercy and offer of salvation extend to Jews and Gentiles alike.

Pauline theme: Jesus

Mission centers on Jesus' lordship, incarnation, cross, and resurrection.

Pauline theme: spiritual opposition

Mission faces supernatural opposition and requires spiritual armor.

Pauline theme: the church

Local congregations are the central vehicle for mission, serving as salt, light, and sending bases.

Pauline theme: eschatological hope

Expectation of Christ's return and ultimate reign motivates urgent witness.

Guiding theme: Missio Dei

Everything God is doing in the world to manifest His rule.

Guiding theme: Kingdom of God

Proclaiming and demonstrating God's present and coming reign.

Guiding theme: worship / God's glory

Gathering true worshipers from every nation is mission's supreme goal.

Guiding theme: Great Commission

Intentional evangelism, church planting, and discipling the nations.

Mission theology motif: Reign

The Kingdom of God is the overarching framework of God's sovereign rule.

Mission theology motif: Jesus

Jesus is the central incarnate model and redeemer.

Mission theology motif: Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit empowers and drives mission.

Mission theology motif: Church

The church is God's gathered and sent community.

Mission theology motif: World

The world is the theater of God's love and redemptive activity.

Mission theology motif: Eschaton

The eschaton is the future hope and final consummation of history.

Genesis 3:15 — Protoevangelium

The 'First Gospel': God promises that the woman's seed will crush the serpent's head, anticipating the defeat of evil and human restoration.

Genesis 12:1–3 — Abrahamic Covenant

God blesses Abraham so that all peoples on earth will be blessed through him; election is for global service, not exclusive privilege.

Matthew 9:35–38 — mission significance

Jesus has compassion on harassed and helpless crowds and commands disciples to pray for laborers for the abundant harvest.

Matthew 24:14 — mission significance

The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the inhabited world as a testimony to all nations before the end comes.

Matthew 28:16–20 — Great Commission

Under Christ's universal authority, the church makes disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching obedience, trusting His presence.

Luke 4:18–19 — Nazareth Manifesto

Jesus defines His messianic ministry as good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and proclamation of the Lord's favor.

Luke 24:46–48 — mission significance

Messiah's suffering and resurrection fulfill Scripture; repentance and forgiveness are proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

John 20:21 — Incarnational Mandate

Jesus says, 'As the Father has sent me, I am sending you'; the church's sending should reflect Christ's humble, relational, sacrificial incarnation.

Acts 1:8 — Spirit empowerment

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to witness from Jerusalem and Judea to Samaria and the ends of the earth.

Acts 2:1–41 — Pentecost

The Spirit enables witness in different languages, showing every culture and language can carry the gospel; about 3,000 people respond.

Why are UPGs in the 10/40 Window spiritually unreached?

Dominance of non-Christian religions; socio-political inaccessibility; and little internal evangelization momentum or viable local church presence.

How does UPG understanding shape mission strategy?

It shifts focus from political nation-states to distinct ethnolinguistic groups and prioritizes unengaged groups lacking a viable local church.

Glasser: incarnation and atonement

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are God's final and supreme sending into human history.

Glasser: Kingdom proclamation

Jesus inaugurated God's rule through verbal witness and signs of healing and liberation.

Glasser: Holy Spirit in mission

The Spirit directs, empowers, and guides believers across cultural frontiers.

Glasser: church as sent body

The church is constituted to embody and extend Christ's kingdom.

Glasser: universal scope

The New Testament breaks ethnic exclusivity by offering salvation freely to Gentiles.

Glasser: spiritual warfare and suffering

Mission involves conflict, rejection, and persecution while trusting Christ's ultimate victory over evil.

Matthew 28:18–20 — NT theology of mission

Mandates disciple-making among all peoples and grounds mission in Christ's authority.

Mark 16:15 — NT theology of mission

Emphasizes universal proclamation of the gospel to all creation.

Luke 24:46–48 — NT theology of mission

Connects Old Testament fulfillment with global repentance and witness.

John 20:21 — NT theology of mission

Makes Christ's humble incarnation the model for entering other cultures.

Acts 1:8 — NT theology of mission

Shows the Holy Spirit as mission's power and gives a geographic and cultural roadmap for expansion.

Romans 1:16–17 — NT theology of mission

The gospel is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, Jew and Gentile alike.

Romans 10:13–15 — NT theology of mission

Calling requires faith; faith requires hearing; hearing requires preaching; preaching requires someone to be sent.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 — NT theology of mission

Believers are Christ's ambassadors, entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2:11–22 — NT theology of mission

The cross breaks down social and ethnic hostility, creating one new humanity.

Revelation 7:9–10 — NT theology of mission

Mission's ultimate goal is a redeemed multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language worshiping before God's throne.

Great Commission: Matthew 28:18–20

The Discipleship Commission: emphasizes teaching and discipling believers into mature obedience.

Great Commission: Mark 16:15

The Proclamation Commission: emphasizes evangelistic proclamation to every creature.

Great Commission: Luke 24:46–48

The Witness Commission: emphasizes testimony to forgiveness rooted in Old Testament fulfillment.

Great Commission: John 20:21

The Incarnational Commission: emphasizes relational, humble sending modeled on Jesus.

Great Commission: Acts 1:8

The Power and Scope Commission: emphasizes Spirit-empowered cross-cultural witness to the ends of the earth.