The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission

What are the four key movements in the meta-story? How does our engagement with mission fit into this broader grand narrative of the Bible?

1. Creation

-- we get a glimpse at what Creation was supposed to be

2. Fall

-- issue of sin is anchored here

3. Redemption in History

-- continuous need for redemption as Israel continually disappoints God

4. New Creation

What is the difference between "proclaiming the gospel" and "promoting the gospel" as this book describes them?

Proclaiming the gospel

- A specific activity

- Evangelism proper - in the sense of announcing the good news, telling others a comprehensive explanation of the saving work of Jesus and calling them to a decision about that

Promoting the gospel

- A broader category

-Any and every activity which draws people to Chrsit

- Prayer, living a godly life, answering questions about one's faith

What is the one most basic doctrine of the Bible that serves at our motivation for evangelism? Why is it a motivation for evangelism? How do we see this in Scripture?

Monotheism

The mission equation: "If the is one Lord to whom all people belong and owe their allegiance, the people of the Lord must promote this reality everywhere"

Psalm 96 shows us that ALL nations should be praising the Lord, making it our responsibility to show them why they should be worshipping

What is the difference between popular pluralism and sophisticated pluralism? What are the weaknesses between each of those positions?

Popular pluralism

- The notion that all religions are essentially the same thing

-- Doesn't take into account the legitimate - and in many cases truly contradictory - different beliefs of different religions

-- In trying to affirm all religions, it pays close attention to none of them

Sophisticated pluralism

- There is an implicit big idea made apparent by them all

- The individual beliefs of different religions are not accurate or "true" but they all point to some transcendent "truth" they all point to (which is only understood by pluralists, not those within the religions)

-- But it does not consign virtually every religious tradition (except pluralism) to wholesale error

What is true tolerance?

The ability to treat with grace those with whom you disagree

- Does not involve accepting every viewpoint as true and valid

What three goals does this book provide that should govern a social life that promotes the gospel?

- Live with a desire to bring glory to the one true Lord

- Act in a way that does not put the salvation of anyone at risk

- Actively pursue the salvation of others

What are the distinctions between the three different types of conversations we discussed. And how does that understanding help shape our use of our social life for promoting the gospel?

Potential relationship conversations

- Every conversation we have. We average around 200 a week)

Crucial conversations

- Any time a conversation moves deeper than a superficial level

Discipling conversations

- Maybe 1/15 can move into this realm

- Discussing Jesus and what it means to follow him?

It makes us more aware of every conversation we have and every situation we find ourselves in

What does Dickson mean by the term "salvific mind-set"?

Our entire existence should be formed by the quest to bring honor to God and salvation to others

What two things in particular ought we to pray for when it comes to evangelism/mission, according to this book?

Praying for unbelievers with a view to their salvation

Praying for the ongoing work of the who evangelize unbelievers

How does Paul's use of the concept of partnership help explain the role of financial support in evangelism/mission?

Philippians 1:3-5

- "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..."

--- Koinonia - an association involving close mutual relations and involvement - "close association, fellowship" (root means to share)

--- "When you financially support the proclamation of the gospel, you are actively seeking to save the lost."

How would you support from Scripture the role of giving financially as a significant means to promote the gospel? In other words, how would you persuade someone, with Scriptural support, that their financial giving is an important part of promoting the gospel?

Philippians 4:14-18

14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God."

Not only is financial support a gift for those you are sending to, but they are considered a sacrifice to God as well.

As we can see here also, your financial support is what can keep the missionaries supported enough to continue their work for the gospel.

What are two types of financial partnership that help in evangelism/mission?

- To support the maintenance of evangelists and missionaries, their ongoing work

- To the sending out of missionaries and evangelists (propempo - sending them off well, with additional finances and supplies to help them make that important transition)

How does "doing good deeds" serve to promote the gospel?

The way we live provides credibility for our message

What does the "kingdom of God" mean?

Kingdom involves rule or reign of an authority so kingdom involves living under lordship/authority of Jesus

What events in the life and ministry of Jesus does Paul highlight as the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, and why is each important?

Jesus' identity as the Christ

Jesus' saving death

- Fulfilled OT Scripture

- Atoned for sins

Jesus' burial

Jesus' resurrection

Jesus' appearance to witnesses

What role do the events of Jesus' life and theological ideas (like forgiveness, judgment, etc.) play in "the gospel"?

Need for redemption - Creation and Fall, anchored in the broader grand narrative of Scripture - issue of sin

- Romans 3:23-24 - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

Judgement - the Messiah's role in the final judgement was a common theme in the teachings if Jesus and also in Pauls's understanding of the gospel

- Romans 2:16 - "This will take place on the day when God judges people's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

Forgiveness of sins and justification by faith

- Acts 13:38-39 - "Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

How does our author summarize the gospel? (p.22, bottom of p.127, and p.139) You should be prepared to explain what the content of the gospel message is (including placing it in the broader context of the story of redemption in the grand narrative of Scripture).

1. "The gospel is the announcement that God has revealed his kingdom and opened it up to sinners through the birth, teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will one day return to overthrow evil and consummate the kingdom for eternity"

2. The gospel message includes both theological concepts (forgiveness of sins, atonement, judgement, grace) AND events of the life of Jesus (birth, teaching, miracles, death, burial, resurrection) THEOLOGY + EVENTS

- "The gospel message is not a set of ideas that can be detached from the events that gave these ideas definitive expression. Nor is the gospel a simple narrative devoid of theological content. One without the other is not the gospel."

3. The gospel message is the grand news about how God's coming kingdom has been glimpsed and opened up to a sinful world in the birth, teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of God's Son, the Messiah, who will one day return to overthrow evil and consummate the kingdom for eternity

--- The joyous proclamation of God's redemptive work in incarnation. atoning death and victorious resurrection to redeem a fallen world and restore a new creation under the lordship of Christ.

Core Content of the Gospel

- Jesus' royal birth secured his claim to the eternal throne promised to King David

- Jesus' miracles pointed to the presence o fGod's kingdom in the person of His Messiah

- Jesus' teaching sounded the invitation of the kingdom and laid down its demands

- Jesus' sacrificial death atoned for the sins of those who would otherwise be condemned at the consummation of the kingdom

- Jesus' resurrection establishes Him as the Son whom God has appointed Judge of the world and Lord of the coming kingdom

What characteristics would one look for in a person to discern if they might effectively be deployed as an "evangelist" (one who is gifted specifically for evangelism) in the ministry of a church?

- Possesses an intense desire to tell the gospel to others

- Relates well to those who are not yet believers

- Demonstrates spiritual maturity

- Exhibits an ability to explain the gospel clearly

How would you explain what "doxological evangelism" to someone?

1 Peter 2:9

- "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Proclaiming the gospel through our declarations of God's doxa or "glory"

What is the difference between direct evangelism and responsive evangelism?

Direct

- "that God may open a door for our message"

- Proclamation of the content and message of the gospel

- Often (but not always) in formal settings

Responsive

- "Let your conversation be full of grace..."

- Informal responses to questions and conversation that point toward or create thirst for the gospel

- Often spontaneous as opportunity allows

What is "God-talk" and how does it aid in promoting the gospel?

- "Brief, casual, passing references to the faith in everyday conversations about Christianity"

- Serves as a counter to a Christian inferiority complex that often hinders our willingness to talk openly of our faith in Jesus

What are the five thresholds of postmodern conversion? What characteristics does each threshold have, and what might be helpful to enabling a person at each stage move toward crossing the next threshold?

1. From distrust to trust - learning to trust a Christian

2. From complacent to curious - becoming curious about Jesus

3. From being closed to change to being open to change in their life -moving to a willingness to look at their own personal life and demonstrating a willingness to perhaps let it be affected

4. From meandering to seeking - moving to a posture of actively and purposefully seeking God

5. Embracing faith in Christ and entering the kingdom - repenting, believing and surrendering their lives to Jesus

Characteristics of threshold 1

From distrust to trust

1. Pray - Ask God to help you provide a meaningful response and know how to build trust, and for them, that God would help them learn to trust you and other believers.

2. Learn - Instead of being defensive, learn about their distrust. Asking questions can give us great insight into why they respond the way they do.

3. Bond - Instead of avoiding them (which is often a temptation), get involved in their life. Be incarnational. Jesus was.

4. Affirm - Where there is good that you can affirm, do so. Paul did this with the Athenians in Acts 17. He affirmed their spiritual seeking, even if they hadn't yet found the true God.

5. Welcome - Show them hospitality. Welcome them into your life. This is what Jesus did in response to Andrew and another disciple in John 1 - "Come and see..."

Characteristics of threshold 2

From complacent to curious

1. Encourage questions - Jesus did this prolifically. "Let's be like Jesus: let's ask intriguing questions that help our friends think about life from angles they have never considered. (p.55)

2. Use parables - finding modern day stories in the culture around us (movies, tv shows, books, sports, art, in the news, etc.)

3. Live curiously - living out our faith before others so that they see the counter-cultural nature of that life and become curious about it; radical generosity, thought-provoking statements, etc.

4. Focus on Jesus and the kingdom - keeping in mind that the goal is to make our friends curious about Jesus not simply draw attention to ourselves

Crossing this threshold "opens the door to Jesus, it gets folks staring at him. And what they think of him, after all, is the ultimate question." (p. 65)

Characteristics of threshold 3

From being closed to change to being open to change in their life

-----"Out of all five thresholds, becoming genuinely open to change is often the most difficult to overcome. Change is beautiful and horrific, after all." (p. 69)

-----Note the rich young ruler in Mark 10.

1. Jesus touches the pain of the broken and honest - Note the Samaritan woman in John 4 with whom Jesus speaks with gentle honesty.

2. Jesus mobilized the self-pitying and fearful - Note the paralytic man in John 5 to whom Jesus says, "Get up!"

3. Jesus agitated the complacent and glib - Note the case of Nicodemus in John 3... "Come on, you should be able to get this!"

4. Jesus connected the dots for the confused and befuddled - Note in John 5, Jesus' explanations... "Very truly I say to you..." He's clarifying...

Characteristics of threshold 4

From meandering to seeking

1. Show them how to build their lives on Jesus' words.Invite them to study the gospels with you. Readily share with them what God is teaching you or how God is challenging you from your times in prayer and study of the Word.

2. Open up your prayer life to them.Let them learn about God by watching us interact with Him.

3. Provide satisfying answers to initial questions. Rather than canned apologetic answers, they often want answers that are anchored in real, personal life. So share your answers out of your own experiences with God at work in your life.

Characteristics of threshold 5

Embracing faith in Christ and entering the kingdom

---- These authors advise that we "use appropriate urgency." (p. 108)

---- Note the image of "ripeness" of fruit.

There comes a time to extend the need to make a decision.

• Be able to explain concisely, but meaningfully the content of the gospel message and the kind of response we're called to make to that (turn/repent and believe).

• Ask them. Invite them to enter the kingdom.

• If they say "no," ask kindly and sincerely about why that is.

• Help them see that their response is to Jesus (not to you or anyone else).

Key concepts/activities for mission described in this book

The Bible's most basic doctrine - monotheism (Psalm 96:4-6)

• A mission mind-set - social life/interaction (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1)

• Promoting the gospel with prayer (Matthew 9:36-38; Ephesians 6:19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Colossians 4:2-4)

• Promoting the gospel with money (Philippians 1:3-5; 4:14-18)

• Promoting the gospel through the works of the Church (Matthew 5:14-16; keep in mind that Dickson in particular points to the 2nd person plural "you" here as indicating its role especially in speaking to the good works of the Church.)

• Promoting the gospel with Christian behavior (1 Peter 3:1-2; Titus 2:1-10)

• "Evangelists" in the Church (Ephesians 4:11-13)

• Promoting the gospel with public praise (1 Peter 2:9)

• Promoting the gospel through everyday conversation (1 Peter 3:13-16; Colossians 4:5-6)

Chapter 1: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

The One and the Many - Why get involved in Mission? (Psalm 96:4 - For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods)

Concept of monotheism - if there is one God, we have the responsibility to bring everyone to know that God and bring praise to Him

Chapter 2: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

The Many and the One - The Challenge of Pluralism

(Psalm 96:5 - For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.)

Discourages idolatry and pluralism, again identifies the one true God

Pluralism has unsound reasoning there are many gods then there can't be one, but if there is one God then there can't be multiple

Chapter 3: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

Following the "Friend of Sinners" - The missionary mindset of the ordinary Christian

(1 Corinthians 10:33 - even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."

See Jesus' mission in our own behavior, notice how Jesus treated and others and interacted with "sinners"

Look for opportunities in everyday conversation

Chapter 4: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

The Hidden Mission - Promoting the Gospel with our prayers

(Matthew 9:37-38 - "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.")

Identifies the importance of compassion, shows prayer as the vital link. We are the intercession for others and unbelievers

Chapter 5: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

Partners for Life - Promoting the gospel with our money

(1 Corinthians 9:14 - In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.)

Calls for the support of those who live to preach the gospel, shows they should not be left to fend for themselves, financial needs included

Chapter 6: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

Being the Light of the World - Promoting the gospel through the works of the church

(Matthew 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.)

"Good deeds" indicates acts of kindness and goodness. Good deeds are often done when one seeks their own praise, and it boils down to motive, that the good works are being done for the furthering of the gospel.

Chapter 7: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

Being Beautiful - Promoting the gospel through Christian behavior

(Titus 2:10 - so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.)

The way we live gives credibility to our message

Chapter 8: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

What is the Gospel? - The message we promote

(1 Corinthians 15:1 - I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.)

The gospel is the foundation pf our message about Christ, so we need to know how to best describe it to one who doesn't know Jesus

Chapter 9: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

The Few and the Many - Evangelists and the Local Church

(Ephesians 4:11 - So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers...)

Not everyone will be an evangelist, it is a specific role given to specific people according to God's will, that does not mean that not everyone can evangelize to a certain extent (the many)

Chapter 10: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

Heralds Together - promoting the gospel through our public praise

(1 Peter 2:9 - that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.)

our praise can serve as a testimony to the works Jesus has done in our lives, as well as spark curiosity for others as they wonder why we praise and whom we praise

Chapter 11: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

The Apt Reply - promoting the gospel in daily conversation

(1 Peter 3:15 - Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.)

When people ask, be ready to give an answer. This is why we need to know the gospel message and be able to understand every part for the day when we are asked about our faith

Chapter 12: main thesis (and the Scripture texts from which they're drawn) How would you use each Scripture text to explain to someone the manner in which this life activity helps to "promote the gospel."

A Year in the Life of the Gospel - Bringing it all together

(Luke 15:10 - there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.)

There is no reason to feel shame for straying from God, as He will accept you back with open arms)