Missions in the Age of the Spirit

V. York John

Description

Follows the development of missions throughout Scripture from the Early Church through to the modern church. Includes two appendixes, selected bibliography, Scriputure index, and subject index.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Logion Press
• Date de parution: 30 janvier 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781607311669
• Langue: English

Extrait

Missions
in the age of the
Spirit
John V. York
Stanley M. Horton, Th.D.
General Editor
 
Springfield, Missouri
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®; NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
©2000 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the copyright owner, except brief quotations used in connection with reviews in magazines or newspapers.
Logion Press books are published by Gospel Publishing House.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
York, John V., 1944–
Missions in the age of the spirit / John V. York; Stanley M. Horton, general editor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Missions—Theory—Biblical teaching. 2. Missions—Biblical teaching. 3. Assemblies of God—Doctrines.
I. Horton, Stanley M. II. Title.
BV2073.Y67 2000
266—dc21
00-035229
To my wife, Joy, in loving gratitude for her untiring assistance in helping this book to become a reality
Contents
Foreword
Preface
UNIT 1: READING THE BIBLE MISSIOLOGICALLY
Introduction
Chapter 1:     Missio Dei in the Pentateuch and Historical Books: God’s Plan Revealed
Pentateuch
Creation
Image of God
Missio Dei as Blessing the Nations
Missio Dei: Further Development
Covenant Witness
A Kingdom of Priests
Shema
Tripartite Formula
Spirit of Prophecy
Kingdom Promises
Historical Books: The Kingdom in Missio Dei
Joshua
Judges and Ruth
Davidic Kingdom
Chapter 2:     Missio Dei in the Poetical Books and the Prophets: Celebration, Covenant Lawsuit, and New Beginnings
Poetical Books
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Prophets
Covenant Lawsuit
Judgment Upon All Nations
The New Covenant
God’s Mission of Blessing As Seen in the Prophets
God’s Servant
The Holy Spirit To Be Outpoured on All People
Jonah
Summary
Chapter 3:     Missio Dei in the Gospels: Proclamation of a King
Royal Passages
Parables
Other Gentile References
Commission
Teaching
Prophecy
Chapter 4:     Missio Dei in Acts and the Pauline Epistles: the Church in Action
Witnesses
Gentile Tongues
All People
Another Prophet
Stephen: Missio Dei as a Defense
Paul: Promise as a Defense
The “Pauline Cycle”
Miracles
Missionary Epistles
Image of God
Chapter 5:     Missio Dei in the General Epistles and Revelation: Mission Accomplished
The General Epistles
Revelation
UNIT 2: MISSIONS THROUGH THE CENTURIES
Introduction
Chapter 6:    Approaching Missions History
Paradigms
Learning From the Paradigms
Chapter 7:    The Apostolic Church and Mission
External Challenge
Internal Challenge
Chapter 8:    De-emphasizing Missio Dei
Legalizing Christianity
Medieval Missions Paradigm
Changed Context
Individual Salvation
A Centralization of Power
Joint Effort of Church and State
“Missionary” Wars
Colonialism and Mission
The Paradigm of Monastic Missions
Conclusion
Chapter 9:    Shifting Paradigms
Renewed Missions Emphases
The Effects of Rationalism
Neoorthodoxy
The Ecumenical Movement
Pentecostal Missions
Pentecostal Missiology
The Concept of the Indigenous Church
The Concept of Partnership
Summary
Conclusion
UNIT 3: THE CHALLENGE OF THE FUTURE
Introduction
Chapter 10:   Spiritual Formation in the Light of the Cross
The Centrality of the Cross
Proclaiming the Cross
Implications of the Cross
Transformational Discipleship
Chapter 11:   Holy Spirit Baptism
Power for Service
Divine Enablement and Confidence
Further Concerns
Chapter 12:   Devotional Habit
Benefits of the Devotional Habit
1.   A Biblical Worldview
2.   An Anchor
3.   Growth in Worship
4.   Effective Supplication and Intercession
5.   Shared Vision
6.   Something Significant to Teach
Insights on the Devotional Habit
1.   Seeing Devotions as Loving God
2.   Becoming an “Insider”
3.   Realizing Devotional Objectives Despite Obstacles
4.   Considering Study Bibles and Bible Versions
5.   Considering Devotional Classics
6.   Considering Electronic Access to Devotional Material
7.   Maximizing Devotional Benefit Through Keeping a Journal
8.   Noting Milestones
9.   Study as the Stewardship of Revelation
10.  Family Study and Worship as Spiritual Formation
11.  Seeing Devotions as Receiving Direction for Each Day
12.  The Apostles Valued Consistent Prayer and Study
Concluding Thoughts
Chapter 13:   Missionary Call
How the Calling Comes
How Callings Function
Work Ethic and Perseverance
Work Ethic
Perseverance
Chapter 14:   Personal and Social Formation
Accepting One’s “Birth Cultural Identity”
Achieving Interactive Levels Within Other Cultures
Language Learning as a Cultural Experience
Psychological Wholeness
Family, Extended Family, and the Family of God
Implications of Living as a Resident Alien
Healthy Evaluation and Redefinition of Norms Concerning Roles, Zones, and Use of Time
Handling Ethical Issues
Responding to Difficult Adjustments
Chapter 15:   The Missionary Task
Church Planting
Ministry Training: Mobile Teaching, Higher Education, Missions, Extension
Children’s Ministries
Ministry to Major Religions
Literature and Media
Compassion and Human Need
Construction
Tentmakers
Support Ministries
A Final Word
Selected Bibliography
Scripture Index
Subject Index
Foreword
What missionary-scholar John York has preached and taught on the African continent for the past 25 years is finally in print. His passion, which has influenced countless thousands, has been set down in a volume of richness that may be mined at leisure.
Dr. York is clear about his conviction—that the Bible must be read missiologically. This conviction has been reinforced by 25 years of missionary experience, lived out in a disciplined and ever-sharpening focus on the biblical truth that motivates him. “God’s plan has always been a redemptive blessing of the nations.… [and] all of Scripture should be read with a view toward its development of the theme of God’s promise to bless the nations” (introduction to unit 1 ).
Missions in the Age of the Spirit is a wonderful model of Pentecostal scholarship. It has not been written while removed from the subject matter. Whether in academic settings in the West or in the Bible colleges of Africa, John York’s passion for the missio Dei is obvious. Because of his firm belief in the authority of Scripture, Dr. York, in unit 1 of this volume, surveys the mission theme present throughout Scripture, which, he affirms, is the lens of continuity which brings the Bible into focus. And what is the logical and proper response to the missio Dei so authoritatively described in the biblical text? Participation.
Not only has Dr. York “participated” in the missio Dei , he has made it his lifelong passion to challenge every Christian to respond in kind. This is truly scholarship done in Pentecostal fashion. Touched by God we look to the Bible for clarification of what has happened to us and how we must respond. We discover a mission that God has had since before the foundation of the world and an empowerment that compels us to join the missio Dei in God’s redemptive pursuit of the nations. Pentecostal biblical reflection done in the midst of ministry sharpens understanding of the Bible and emboldens further witness to the God who is for all nations.
As we enter the twenty-first century many church leaders and missions agencies across the Christian spectrum wrestle with their task’s shape for the future. At times the challenges of the future have stripped missions leaders of any sense of history, but ahistorical approaches to the future are doomed from the beginning. In unit 2 Dr. York affirms that God has been active in His redemptive mission between the era of the apostles and the era of modern missions. And his historical perspective testifies to the value of understanding the past in order to discern the future, particularly that of mission endeavor.
Unit 3 looks to the future as it describes the Pentecostal missionary ethos, including the personal call and life of the missionary. In these chapters you will glimpse the author himself, whose words are written from a life of missionary experience, a heart for the lost, and a bedrock belief in the necessity of Spirit baptism to empower candidates for the missio Dei . I pray that the passion of John York the missionary found on these pages will correspond to your heart.
Missions in the Age of the Spirit hazards a challenging journey. The biblical insights, the historical and missiological perspectives, and the passionate Pentecostal spirituality may call the reader to accountability. And the final words of this volume may very well echo and re-echo in the conscience: “Let all who contemplate Christ’s mission be filled with the Holy Spirit, be prepared to the fullest extent possible, be confident of divine blessing, and then run to the battle. And run to win! ”
Byron D. Klaus, D. Min.
President
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Springfield, Missouri USA
Preface
I will never forget the excitement of missions convention time in my childhood: the films, the booths, and most of all the stirring missionary sermons followed by soul-searching prayer times.
Though a lot of missions work has taken place since then, Christ has not yet returned. Because Christ commissioned the Church to complete His mission to disciple all nations, the logical conclusion is that the missionary task of the Church is as yet incomplete and that its completion should remai