Ghanaian Pentecostal Churches’ Mission Approaches

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter White ◽  
Cornelius J.P. Niemandt
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Mission Of God ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
World Council ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
The Church

Mission is first and foremost about God and God’s historical redemptive initiative on behalf of creation. In this regard, the Third Lausanne Congress affirms that the Church is called to witness to Christ today by sharing in God’s mission of love through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The World Council of Churches states that ‘all Christians, churches and congregations are called to be vibrant messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ’. How the Church participates in the mission of God is a question on which one should reflect. This article therefore discusses the mission approaches of Ghanaian Pentecostal churches. The article begins with a description of the Ghanaian mission strategic plan, their spiritual approach to mission, and then proceeds with other approaches in the light of Walls’ ‘five marks of mission’ (i.e. evangelism, discipleship, responding to the social needs of people through love, transforming the unjust structures of society, and safe-guarding the integrity of creation) and Krintzinger’s (and others’) holistic mission approach (i.e. kerygmatic, diaconal, fellowship, and liturgical). This article argues that mission should be approached with a careful strategy.

Tradition

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald O’Collins, SJ
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Christian Life ◽  
Joint Declaration ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
World Council ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Roman Catholics

This book opens by establishing the substantial convergence in reflection on Christian tradition proposed by a 1963 report of the Faith and Order Commission (of the World Council of Churches) and the teaching of Vatican II (1962–5). Despite this ecumenical consensus, in recent years few theologians have written about tradition, and none has looked to the social sciences for insights into the nature and functions of tradition. Drawing above all on sociologists, this work shows the difference that tradition makes in human and religious life. In the light of the divine self-revelation that climaxed with Jesus Christ, the central characteristics of tradition are set out: in particular, its relationship to and distinction from culture. The risen Christ himself is the central Tradition (upper case) at the heart of Christian life. All the baptized faithful, and not merely their ordained leaders, play a role in transmitting tradition. The ‘sense of the faithful’ amounts to a ‘sense of the tradition’. The essential, if invisible, agent of tradition remains always the Holy Spirit. Scripture and tradition function in mutual dependence, as shown by the emergence of the creeds, the image of Christ as the New Adam, and the doctrine of justification (on which a 1999 joint declaration shows substantial agreement now reached by Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and others). The full context of Christian life and history focuses the relationship between Scripture and tradition. The book deals with the challenge of discerning and reforming particular traditions. A closing appendix shows how modern studies of memory—above all, collective memory—can illuminate ways in which tradition works to maintain Christian identity and continuity.

Speaking in Tongues and the Mission of God Ad Gentes

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
Richard Bliese
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Mission Of God ◽  
Speaking In Tongues ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Full Immersion ◽  
The Church ◽  
New View

AbstractThe Pentecostal and Charismatic movements have assisted many denominations, including Lutherans, with the call to mission by challenging them with a new view of the Holy Spirit. A full immersion in these movements along with a firm grounding in the tradition will lead to a fuller grasp of what the Spirit is doing in the world. This article reviews two prominent Lutheran theologians who have shaped a whole generation of leaders concerning the Holy Spirit: Robert Jenson and Larry Christenson. In response to their work, I will explore how the work of the Spirit can be understood when framed within God's mission (the missio Dei). The call to mission is central. The church emerges as it engages in the missionary activity of witness and sanctification. This is the story of Acts. It is the story of the Spirit. The church's missionary call is to speak in tongues.

Amsterdam—What are the Implications?

1949 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-231
Author(s):  
J. L. M. Haire
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Eastern Orthodox ◽  
Salvation Army ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
World Council ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Church ◽  
Insight Into

Many Of Us Rejoice That Almost All The Churches Of The world have been able to unite and form a World Council of Churches. Many others—and also many of those who rejoice—are a little puzzled. To-day Baptists and Quakers and Salvation Army leaders unite in worship and discussion with old Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. A century ago they tended to look at one another as dangerous heretics or even as allies of anti-Christ. We find ourselves asking: Are we to rejoice because the ancient animosities have been laid aside or are we to hesitate in the fear that all this has happened through lack of insight into the great differences which divide us? Has the Holy Spirit so changed men's hearts that they can unite or has the spirit of the world so invaded the Church that she can no longer distinguish between light and darkness?

The Future of Mission in the World Council of Churches: The Dialogue between Lesslie Newbigin and Konrad Raiser

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-111
Author(s):  
Michael Goheen
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
World Council ◽  
The Cross ◽  
General Secretary

AbstractIn this article, Michael W. Goheen summarizes and evaluates a debate between ecumenical pioneer Lesslie Newbigin and former WCC general secretary Konrad Raiser. Raiser exemplifies a trinitarian approach to ecumenism and mission that recognizes the universal presence of the Holy Spirit among all peoples and religions, and so would cease to have a Christocentric focus. For Newbigin, while a trinitarian approach to ecumenism and mission is of paramount importance, an abandonment of the centrality and universality of Jesus Christ is something that cannot be abandoned. In the end, says Goheen, the differences between Raiser and Newbigin are differences revolving around the meaning of Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross.

scholarly journals Menuju Gereja Apostolik Transformatif

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Gernaida K. R. Pakpahan ◽  
Frans Pantan ◽  
Epafras Djohan Handojo
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Leadership Training ◽  
Senior Pastors ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
The Church ◽  
Apostolic Church

Peter Wagner, as an expert on church growth, stated that the Apostolic church is a church that is experiencing rapid growth. This claim is made because many Apostolic churches have been built around the world. The church continued the spirit of the apostles at the time of the early church's birth. However, it is important to conduct an in-depth study regarding the realization in the field; whether a thriving Apostolic church is carrying out God's mission or the personal ambition of a charismatic church leader. This study analyzes how the church which is said to be an Apostolic church runs its organization so that it experiences significant growth. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The researcher tries to explore the phenomena and data obtained through respondents about the transformative apostolic church that was developed in the ministry of the Indonesian Bethel Church of Gatot Subroto. In conclusion, GBI Gatot Subroto is a transformative apostolic church, because of several things, such as a visionary church, senior pastors or mentor pastors as apostolic leaders, divine authority and the work of the Holy Spirit have an impact, the church as a center for leadership training and discipleship across generations implements apostolic ministry followed by other gifts/services, prioritizing mission, and focusing on the Kingdom of God.AbstrakPeter Wagner, sebagai salah satu ahli pertumbuhan gereja, menyatakan bahwa gereja Apostolik adalah gereja yang mengalami pertumbuhan secara pesat. Klaim ini disampaikan karena banyak-nya terbangun gereja-gereja beraliran Apostolik di seluruh dunia. Gereja tersebut melanjutkan semangat para rasul pada masa lahirnya gereja mula-mula. Namun, penting untuk dilakukan kajian mendalam terkait realisasi di lapangan; apakah gereja Apostolik yang berkembang menja-lankan misi Allah atau ambisi pribadi dari pemimpin gereja yang berkharismatik. Penelitian ini menganalisis bagaimana gereja yang dikatakan sebagai gereja Apostolik menjalankan organisa-sinya, sehingga mengalami pertumbuhan yang signifikan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif deskriptif. Peneliti berusaha mengeksplorasi fenomena dan data-data yang diperoleh melalui responden tentang gereja apostolik transformatif yang dikembangkan dalam pelayanan Gereja Bethel Indonesia Gatot Subroto. Kesimpu-lannya, GBI Gatot Subroto adalah gereja apostolik transformatif, karena beberapa hal, seperti: gereja yang visioner, gembala senior atau gembala pembina sebagai pemimpin kerasulan, otoritas Ilahi dan pekerjaan Roh Kudus berdampak, gereja sebagai pusat pelatihan kepemimpinan dan pemuridan lintas generasi, menerap-kan jawatan rasuli diikuti karunia-karunia/jawatan lainnya, memprioritaskan misi, dan berfokus pada Kerajaan Allah.

scholarly journals Transformative Spirituality and Missional Leadership

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelius Johannes Petrus Niemandt
Keyword(s):  
Social Intelligence ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Missional Church ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Social Competencies ◽  
Missional Leadership ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
World Council ◽  
Personal Leadership ◽  
The Church

The importance of transformative spirituality for missional leadership is explored. Missional leadership is defined as the transformation of people and institutions to participate, through meaningful relations and in the power of the Spirit, in God’s mission. Missional spirituality is discussed in the context of the missional church, focusing on what the churchis, does, how the churchorganizeswhat it does, theappropriate leadership, andmissional spirituality. This article brings together ideas from the missional church movement and the World Council of Churches (Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes), with its emphasis on a ‘transformative spirituality’ an approach that states that ‘mission spirituality is always transformative’. These ideas are applied to missional leadership.The research applies the following dimensions of personal leadership virtues to transformative missional spirituality and missional leadership: transcendence (which includes appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, and religiousness), humanity (which includes the social competencies of kindness, love, and social intelligence), wisdom and knowledge (which include the cognitive competencies of creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, and love of learning), justice (associated with fairness, leadership, and teamwork), courage (including the personal and emotional competencies of bravery, persistence, and zest), and finally temperance (which includes the competencies of forgiveness, modesty, prudence, and self-regulation).

Spiritual generosity: Biblical hospitality in the story of Lydia (Acts 16:14–16, 40)

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-63
Author(s):  
Jody B. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Kingdom Of God ◽  
Good News ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Social Boundaries ◽  
Mission Of God ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Sacrifice ◽  
The Church

The sending of the church to spread the good news of the gospel often crosses cultural and social boundaries. This means that Christians must be sensitive to the needs of others and provide a level of hospitality to others as a means of offering respect and humbly entering their world. Hospitality is grounded in generously giving to others and receiving the blessings they offer in return. This article discusses the connection between spiritual generosity that is experienced through the work of the Holy Spirit and an example of biblical hospitality shown in the story of Lydia found in Acts 16. The context of the exchange between Lydia, a well-to-do business woman and her friends and the Pharisee-turned-follower of Christ, Paul and his missionary companions provides a biblical example of the work of the Holy Spirit in both parties. Spiritual generosity comes from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that indwells all believers, allowing the crossing of cultural boundaries to provide hospitality as a means of sharing the love of God through Christ. Hospitality is connected to spiritual generosity that assists Christians in accomplishing the missio Dei, the mission of God as a means of experiencing the kingdom of God on earth through the church. The Lydia–Paul story provides an example of how the generosity shown to humanity through the sacrifice of Christ and given to us through the Holy Spirit is directly connected to the need to extend hospitality to others as a means of accomplishing the missio Dei.

Missiology as Global Conversation of (Contextual) Theologies

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-53
Author(s):  
Kirsteen Kim
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Mission Of God ◽  
Cultural Perspectives ◽  
Creation Theology ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Church

AbstractMissiology and contextual theology are related but not equivalent. Missiology arose from the study of mission activity in the former mission fields of Africa, Asia and Latin America but has come to be understood as the study of the mission of God in the whole world in which the church participates. Global and cross-cultural perspectives are essential to missiology and these challenge all theological parochialism. There is a danger that contextual theology degenerates into relativism, but in mission all theologies are challenged to recognize their own contextuality and at the same time their common Christian confession. Grounded in an understanding of missio Dei that includes a creation theology of the Holy Spirit, missiology can and should affirm contextual theologizing while encouraging and facilitating theologians from different contexts to pursue a global conversation. "Conversation" is preferred over "dialogue" because there are many partners from around the world, various means of conversing, and widely varying access to social power among the participants.

Encountering the Gospel through Confirmation

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
Terri Martinson Elton ◽  
Richard Osmer
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Of Christ ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Bear Witness ◽  
The Church

Confirmation is a ministry aimed at strengthening young people's understanding of faith, deepening their experience in Christian community, and equipping them to discern their calling to join in God's mission in the world. As the church engages in confirmation, young people encounter the gospel anew and congregations bear witness to the redemptive love of God and the covenant of grace into which all Christians are baptized. Learning from and with each other, within and across denominations, enhances confirmation as a discipleship ministry for young people. But it does more than that. As the body of Christ comes together to help young people encounter the gospel anew, lives are changed and become open to the Holy Spirit. Embracing our call to share the gospel and cultivate faith within young people not only serves the church today, it invests in the future.

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