In a MicroConference with Austin Plantr, Dr. Michael Goheen (professor and author) shared on the “Biblical Missiology in the Local Church.”
Here’s some of the insights he shared on missiology in the New Testament:
The Ministry of Jesus
- Announcement of the Kingdom
- Dynamic power and eschatological salvation
- Already-not yet: Delay of end to gather
- Gathering and restoring Israel to their missional calling
- 12: Constitution of end-time Israel
- Taught a distinctive way of life
- Participation in Jesus’ mission of gathering (Israel, then Gentiles)
Central Events of the Biblical Story: Renewing a People for their Missional Calling
- Crucifixion: Victory of sin and the end of the old age
- Resurrection: Inauguration of the new age
- Ascension: Introduction of the Spirit
A Witnessing Community (Acts 1:6-8)
- Obvious question: Now you’re going to restore the kingdom to Israel, right? (Acts 1:6)
- Threefold answer: – not yet, already the Spirit will give you life in the Kingdom (1:8), until then you are a community that witnesses to the coming of the Kingdom starting here to the ends of the earth (1:8)
Prophetic Expectation
the cross means the arrival of Jesus, the arrow up is His Ascension, and the arrow down is His return. The period in the middle is the time when the new Kingdom of God is already here but net yet fully here.
Missionary obedience is the implication of this “already/not yet” timeframe (Newbigin).
Three Marks of the Church (Acts 2:42-47)
- Devotion to apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer: celebrating and nourishing Kingdom life (vs. 42)
- Life of Kingdom manifested: Attractive good news people
- Lord adds to their number
Church as Missionary Community: Nearby and Far Away
- Pattern in Antioch (Acts 11, 13) is same as three marks of the Jerusalem Church with one addition
- Sent Paul and Barnabas to establish witnessing communities where there was none (Acts 13:1-3)
Mode of Witness in Acts (Roland Allen’s Spontaneous Expansion of the Church)
- Attractive Life of the Community
- Spontaneous evangelism by common members of the church
- Planting new churches
Ending of Acts: 28 and 29?
- Why so abrupt? Loose ends?
- Story of Acts has not ended
- We are part of the story!
