scholarly journals The reformed confessions: embarrassment or blessing to a missionary church?

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J.Fritz Krüger
Keyword(s):  
Missio Dei ◽  
Not Given ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Missionary Zeal ◽  
Church Plant ◽  
Specific Focus ◽  
Missionary Church ◽  
The Church

The historic reformed confessions are sometimes blamed for the apparent lack of missionary zeal among churches of the RCSA, and called an embarrassment to the church. This article investigates these allegations and attempts a missionary read- ing of the confessions. Because of the specific focus of the con- fessions, they should not be expected to give guidance on the whole life of the church. However, careful reading of the creeds does offer a surprisingly abundant missionary harvest. They offer both the foundations and the limits for mission, and in defining the identity of Christians, also define the missionary identity of the church. As the community of fellowship with Christ, the church is both a unique instrument in the “missio Dei” and the end objective of mission (mission as church plant- ing). Creeds offer beautiful expositions of the loving, fellowship- seeking heart of God who has not given up on fallen humanity, but who continues to call people to fellowship with Him in his self-revelation in creation, Scripture and the incarnation of the Son. Surprisingly, it is the Canons of Dordt (2.5) which offers the only explicit call to mission in the three creeds!

scholarly journals Teologi, Studi Biblika, dan Misi

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-131
Author(s):  
Ailsa Barker
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Biblical Story ◽  
Ministerial Training ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Missional Engagement ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Church

Missional hermeneutics is the interpretation of Scripture as it relates to the missionary task of the church. Four elements comprise a missional hermeneutics: 1) the missional trajectory of the biblical story being the foremost element, which also underlies the other three, 2) a narrative throughout Scripture centered on Christ and intended to equip the people of God for their missional task, 3) the missional context of the reader, in which attention moves from the task of equipping to the community being equipped, a community that is active, and 4) a missional engagement with culture and the implications thereof. Through the life of God’s people an alternative is offered, together with an invitation to come and join. Because the separation of theology from the mission of the church has distorted theology, all theology needs to be reformulated from the perspective of missio Dei and from the realization that the church is a sent community, missional in its very being. A missional hermeneutics bears implications upon the congregation, worship, preaching, discipleship, education, ministerial training, and the missionary task in multicultural contexts.

“Life because of Righteousness”

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-390
Author(s):  
David Starling
Keyword(s):  
Missio Dei ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Church Life ◽  
In Christ ◽  
Thesis Statement ◽  
The Church

This paper commences with an outline of the vision of the missio Dei that Paul offers to his readers in Rome, taking as a starting point the letter’s thesis statement in 1:16–17. The remainder of the paper traces the key pneumatological themes of the letter and orients them in relation to this overarching vision. The picture that emerges is one that highlights the close connectedness between the Spirit’s life-giving work and the saving righteousness manifested in Christ, proclaimed in the gospel, and at work within the church. Life without righteousness and righteousness without life are both, for Paul, equally unthinkable. 本文以保罗给他在罗马的读者提出的 missio Dei 异象的大纲为开始，用一章十六至十七节的论证作为起点，并在余下部分追溯此书信的关于圣灵论的课题，将其放在此书总括的异象之下。这样逐步出现的图画，即是赐生命的圣灵的工作与在耶稣基督里彰显的救赎的义之间紧密的联结，这救赎的义就是在福音里宣讲并在教会里运行工作的。对于保罗来说，没有义的生命和没有生命的义是同样不可思议的。 Este artículo comienza con un resumen de la visión de Missio Dei que Pablo ofrece a sus lectores en Roma, tomando como punto de partida la declaración de la tesis de Romanos 1: 16–17. El resto del artículo traza los temas pneumatológicos clave de la carta y los orienta en relación a esta visión global. La imagen que surge es una que pone de relieve la estrecha conexión entre el trabajo vivificante del Espíritu y la justicia salvífica manifestada en Cristo, proclamada en el Evangelio, y activa en la iglesia. Una vida sin rectitud y una justicia sin vida son, para Pablo, igualmente inconcenbibles. This article is in English.

scholarly journals ’n Kritiese blik op missio Dei in die lig van Efesiërs

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert Breed
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Mutual Relationship ◽  
Technical Term ◽  
Critical View ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Trinity

Missio Dei is ’n belangrike tegniese term in die gesprek oor die missionale taak van die kerk. Die term word egter nie konsekwent met dieselfde betekenis in die gesprek gebruik nie. Daar word selfs teenstrydige betekenisinhoude aan hierdie term geheg. Sommige gespreksgenote gebruik hierdie term sonder om duidelik te maak wat hulle spesifiek daaronder verstaan. Hierdie situasie lei tot misverstande en kan aanleiding gee tot ’n onbybelse benadering tot sending. Hierdie artikel ondersoek twee belangrike aspekte van die missio Dei-gesprek, naamlik die standpunt dat sending (missio) tot die wese van God behoort en dat Hy daarom ’n sendende God is, asook die standpunt dat sending (missio) uit die Drie-eenheid se onderlinge verhouding voortvloei. Verskillende benaderings in die missionale debat rondom die begrip missio Dei word krities ondersoek en op grond van Paulus se brief aan die Efesiërs geëvalueer. Vanuit die Efesiërbrief word ’n voorstel gemaak ten opsigte van die betekenis wat die begrip missio Dei behoort te dra asook hoe sending op die selfopenbaring van die Drie-eenheid volgens die Efesiërbrief gegrond kan word.A critical view of missio Dei in the light of Ephesians. Missio Dei is an important technical term in the discussion of the missional task of the church. In this discussion, however, the term is not used in a consistent sense. Even contrary semantic contents are associated with it. Some participants in the discussion use the term without clarifying what they understand by it. This situation causes misunderstandings and may give rise to an unbiblical approach to mission. This article investigates two important aspects of the missio Dei discourse, namely the viewpoint that mission (missio) is inherent to the nature of God, which means he is a missional God, as well as the viewpoint that mission (missio) flows from the mutual relationship in the Trinity. Different approaches in the missional debate regarding the concept of mission Dei are critically investigated and evaluated on the grounds of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Based on the Ephesian letter a suggestion is made with regard to what the meaning of the concept of missio Dei ought to be, as well as how mission can be based on the self-revelation of the Trinity according to the Ephesian letter.

IV THE WIDER AND WISER USE OF THE CHURCH PLANT

1945 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-217
Author(s):  
Philip L. Seman∗
Keyword(s):  
Church Plant ◽  
The Church

scholarly journals A rediscovery of the priesthood of believers in Ephesians 4:1–16 and its relevance for the Missio Dei and a biblical missional ecumenism

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Lotter ◽  
Timothy Van Aarde
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Spiritual Gifts ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Baptist Church ◽  
Peter 2 ◽  
1 Peter ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Priesthood Of Believers ◽  
The Church

This article is dedicated to Professor Sarel van der Merwe as missiologist and what he had done for the cause of the missio Dei in South Africa. The role of the laity in the missio Dei was one of the most significant developments followed by most church denominations. The priesthood of believers was the reformational perspective rediscovered by Martin Luther. The reformed tradition rediscovered the role of the laity in missions, which the Baptist church tradition has now developed most extensively in terms of missions. The Catholic Church has recognised the apostolicity of the laity in a decree called ‘Apostolicam Actuositatem’ at the Second Vatican Council in response to the crises of the church. The charismatics gave recognition to the role of the laity through the spiritual gifts of each believer. The role of the laity and of the priesthood of believers has its biblical precedent and foundation in 1 Peter 2:5, 9 and Ephesians 4:1–16. The contribution of Ephesians is that it provides the church with a missional mandate for the ordinary believer to participate in the missio Dei –, a mandate that has to be rediscovered in every age. The priesthood of believers provides an orientation for a biblical missional ecumenism. 

scholarly journals Uncovering key biblical principle in handling disputable music matters in missio Dei perspective – a basic theoretical study

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Buys ◽  
Aaron T. Muswubi
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Study ◽  
Missional Church ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Liturgical Music ◽  
Worship Music ◽  
Multicultural Context ◽  
Biblical Principles ◽  
Time And Energy ◽  
The Church

This article investigates key biblical principles in handling disputable music matters from Romans 14:1–15:13 and their implications for a missional church. It becomes clear that the principles uncovered in this biblical passage are synecdochically and analogically applicable to many varied disputable matters, which could confront the church anywhere at any given time. These matters include disputes on worship music and songs. The multicultural context in which the church find herself in cities, continues to pose a challenge to individual Christians and the church as a body. Hence, it exposes both Christians and the church to more and more inevitable need for clear biblical principles in handling disputable matters including liturgical music wars. The goal of this article is not only to reduce time and energy used in arguing over disputable matters, but also to turn the disagreements into redeeming encounters, which will strengthen the missional witness of the church by enriching diversity in unity.Die ontsluiting van bybelse sleutelbeginsels vir die hantering van strydvrae oor liturgiesemusiek vanuit ’n missio Dei perspektief – ’n basiese teoriese studie. Hierdie artikel ondersoekbybelse sleutelbeginsels vir die hantering van strydvrae oor liturgiese sang en musiek vanuit Romeine 14:1–15:13 en die implikasies daarvan vir ’n missionale kerk. Die beginsels wat vanuit hierdie Skrifgedeelte ontsluit word, kan sinvol toegepas word op ’n verskeidenheid van sake wat nie-essensieel van aard is, maar waaroor daar oral en altyd skerp standpuntverskille in kerke voorkom. Dit sluit debatte oor musiek en sang in die erediens in. Die multikulturele konteks waarin kerke hulle bevind vra na duidelike beginsels wat as uitgangspunte in debatte oor liturgiese musiek kan dien. Die doel van hierdie artikel is nie net om baie tyd en energie wat dikwels aan sulke debatte bestee word, te verminder nie, maar ook om strydvrae om te keer in positiewe opbouende en verrykende ontmoetings, en die kerk se missionale getuienis oor eenheid en verskeidenheid te versterk.

scholarly journals Kerkwees in die voetspore van Christus volgens Efesiërs 4 en 5

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim A. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Specific Focus ◽  
The Church ◽  
Opening Address

This contribution contains a sermon delivered as opening address to the 71st General Assembly of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA). For the last twenty years the NHKA had been involved in a process of ecclesial transformation, based on fundamental shifts in ecclesiology. This opening address reflects on the nature and calling of the church in light of Ephesians 4 and 5, with the specific focus on ‘being church in the footsteps of Christ’. Much emphasis is placed on the verb ‘peripateo’ which appears five times in these two chapters. It is suggested that it could be translated as ‘following in the footsteps of someone’ and that this has very specific implications for being church in the 21st century. Ephesians 4 and 5 articulate being church in the footsteps of Christ in terms of unity, holiness, love, light and wisdom.

scholarly journals The Relevance of Singing the Te Deum Laudamus in the Postmodern Era

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phemelo Olifile Marumo
Keyword(s):  
Church History ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Te Deum ◽  
Christian Churches ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Pertinent Question ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Universe ◽  
The Church ◽  
Te Deum Laudamus

This paper investigates the relevance of singing and performing the Te Deum Laudamus in the postmodern Christian era, especially in view of changing enactments and perceptions of the purpose of the hymn. The Te Deum has been used in various ways in church history, sung as a confession of praise and regularly used since the time of St Benedict during Matins (morning service). While the Reformers were critical of the late medieval worship, they did not query incorporating the Te Deum into their liturgies, because it brought meaning to the glorification of a benevolent God. This explains its use also by most Christian churches in their liturgies in the postmodern era. However, the pertinent question remains: Is the Te Deum still applicable to the postmodern church, which is characterised by secularism, charismatic sermons, and commercialised worship. The question is instigated by events and conceptions of the universe from the era of Gregorianism to Darwinism. In answering this question, the paper highlights the history of the Te Deum and its application within the church, and seeks to find out whether the hymn addresses the present needs of Christians, which have been affected by postmodernism. The paper contends that the Te Deum is still relevant and contributes to the glorification of God’s mission (missio Dei).

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