Re-imagining mission for a spiritual age

Steve Hollinghurst June 10

Re-imagining mission Re-imagining mission for a spiritual agefor a spiritual age

Exploring the history of Exploring the history of missionmission

amongst other spiritualitiesamongst other spiritualities


Interpreting spiritual Interpreting spiritual experience experience

• It all depends on your worldviewIt all depends on your worldview– Jesus the Magician?Jesus the Magician?– How do people see us?How do people see us?

• Unspiritual and Immoral?Unspiritual and Immoral?

– Do we view others fairly?Do we view others fairly?

• Listening to others experience vitalListening to others experience vital

• Assume God is at workAssume God is at work

• Assume not all spirituality is God at workAssume not all spirituality is God at work


The ancient Pagan worldThe ancient Pagan world• Background – Eden and Fall, Babel and cultural Background – Eden and Fall, Babel and cultural

difference - Abraham called to be the start of a difference - Abraham called to be the start of a new people expressing God’s mission for all new people expressing God’s mission for all creationcreation

• Themes in missionThemes in mission– The need to be distinctiveThe need to be distinctive– Discovering God from a Pagan background – Genesis Discovering God from a Pagan background – Genesis

14 Melchizedek; psalms (eg 48 God bringing thunder 14 Melchizedek; psalms (eg 48 God bringing thunder from Zaphon), Isaiah, Daniel Job etc BUT there are from Zaphon), Isaiah, Daniel Job etc BUT there are not many gods but one God who is creator, enemy of not many gods but one God who is creator, enemy of chaos and giver of all needed for life.chaos and giver of all needed for life.

– Challenging idolatry and evil practiceChallenging idolatry and evil practice– Is YHWH a tribal god or God of all the nations? The Is YHWH a tribal god or God of all the nations? The

experience of invasion and exile – Jeremiah ‘be a experience of invasion and exile – Jeremiah ‘be a blessing to the land you are in’blessing to the land you are in’


Jesus, mission and other faithsJesus, mission and other faiths• The Vision of the kingdom of God (cf Luke 5-8)The Vision of the kingdom of God (cf Luke 5-8)

– Radical values of inclusion leading to transformation Radical values of inclusion leading to transformation and reversals of status – the sinful, the unclean, and reversals of status – the sinful, the unclean, women, the non-Jew ( in spite of Jesus claim to only women, the non-Jew ( in spite of Jesus claim to only be sent to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’)be sent to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’)

– The use of parables The use of parables • Making disciples who will make disciplesMaking disciples who will make disciples

– The parable of the sower (Luke 8) followed by The parable of the sower (Luke 8) followed by sending of The 12 (Luke 9) and 72 (Luke 10) as Jesus sending of The 12 (Luke 9) and 72 (Luke 10) as Jesus has been sent (John 17) (apostolic church). To make has been sent (John 17) (apostolic church). To make disciples in all cultures (Matt 28)disciples in all cultures (Matt 28)

• Weakness and vulnerability the marks of the Weakness and vulnerability the marks of the missionarymissionary– Sent to be the guests of those they are to witness Sent to be the guests of those they are to witness

amongstamongst– Becoming as servants and children (Mark 9)Becoming as servants and children (Mark 9)– The small things leading to great change – mustard The small things leading to great change – mustard

seed and yeast in doughseed and yeast in dough


Crossing culture - Crossing culture - The Early ChurchThe Early Church

• In JerusalemIn Jerusalem– The Pentecost Sermon to Jews Acts 2The Pentecost Sermon to Jews Acts 2– The Jerusalem church Acts 4The Jerusalem church Acts 4– The Hellenists – fresh insight & PersecutionThe Hellenists – fresh insight & Persecution

• In Judea and SamariaIn Judea and Samaria– The dispersal of the HellenistsThe dispersal of the Hellenists– Philip – the Samaritans & Ethiopian Eunuch Acts Philip – the Samaritans & Ethiopian Eunuch Acts

88

• To the ends of the earthTo the ends of the earth– Peter and Cornelius Acts 10Peter and Cornelius Acts 10– The Church in Antioch Acts 11The Church in Antioch Acts 11– The Gentile mission from AntiochThe Gentile mission from Antioch


Paul’s two sermonsPaul’s two sermons

• Jesus is the expected Jesus is the expected messiah who will fulfil messiah who will fulfil the prophets and lawthe prophets and law

• He was killed as a He was killed as a sacrifice but rosesacrifice but rose

• He has been appointed He has been appointed judge and we must now judge and we must now change the directions of change the directions of our livesour lives

• We are all searchers We are all searchers after Godafter God

• The God of the universe The God of the universe doesn’t live in templesdoesn’t live in temples

• That God has set a day That God has set a day to judge the nations so to judge the nations so we must now change the we must now change the directions of our livesdirections of our lives

• The judge will be Jesus The judge will be Jesus who was raised from the who was raised from the deaddead

Mission in Christendom is like Jewish Mission

Jews …….and…….Greeks?


Paul in Ephesus - Paul in Ephesus - Acts 19Acts 19

• Move from Synagogue to lecture hallMove from Synagogue to lecture hall– What might be our equivalents?What might be our equivalents?

• The place of healings and miraclesThe place of healings and miracles– How did these influence Paul's mission?How did these influence Paul's mission?

• The conflict with DemetriusThe conflict with Demetrius– Why did this conflict happen?Why did this conflict happen?– How had Paul treated Artemis worship?How had Paul treated Artemis worship?


Paul does ‘double-listening’Paul does ‘double-listening’

• Acts 14 – LystraActs 14 – Lystra– After healing a crippled man the crowd think Paul and After healing a crippled man the crowd think Paul and

Barnabas are Hermes and Zeus.Barnabas are Hermes and Zeus.– Paul reasons from nature not scripture to explain his Paul reasons from nature not scripture to explain his

faith….and struggles to communicatefaith….and struggles to communicate

• Acts 17 – AthensActs 17 – Athens– Paul goes round the temples learning about Greek Paul goes round the temples learning about Greek

belief – we see the results in his address to the belief – we see the results in his address to the Areopagus.Areopagus.

– He debates with the philosophers in the market He debates with the philosophers in the market place….and struggles to communicate – they call him place….and struggles to communicate – they call him a ‘spermalgos’ – someone who doesn’t know what a ‘spermalgos’ – someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about!they are talking about!


Paul and PaganismPaul and Paganism

• Following the Jewish legacy Following the Jewish legacy – God can be found in Pagan religion but is revealed to God can be found in Pagan religion but is revealed to

be more than those religions show and not all of it is be more than those religions show and not all of it is to be accepted.to be accepted.

• This can be used to aid mission This can be used to aid mission – eg Lystra, Athens Ephesuseg Lystra, Athens Ephesus

• The issue of food sacrificed to idols (I Cor 10) The issue of food sacrificed to idols (I Cor 10) – ‘‘Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church

of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many so that they may be saved.’ (vs 32-33)so that they may be saved.’ (vs 32-33)

• The Roman approach to religion must be avoidedThe Roman approach to religion must be avoided


Incarnational mission Incarnational mission – Phil 2– Phil 2Jesus as part of Trinity

Takes on the form of those to whom he is sent

God exalts him

All must kneel before him

How might this passage influence our thinking on mission?


Incarnational mission Incarnational mission – Phil 2– Phil 2

• We take off our current form and put on We take off our current form and put on that of those we seek to reach and that of those we seek to reach and affirm their cultureaffirm their culture

• We die to ourselves in incarnation in We die to ourselves in incarnation in order to be obedient to Godorder to be obedient to God

• God will use this to exalt JesusGod will use this to exalt Jesus

• All must come to accept Jesus as Lord All must come to accept Jesus as Lord and this will involve challenging culture and this will involve challenging culture as people become like Christ.as people become like Christ.


The limits to incarnationThe limits to incarnation

1 Cor 9:19-241 Cor 9:19-24– Though free I have become a slave in order to Though free I have become a slave in order to

win people (Philippians model)win people (Philippians model)– As a Jew to Jews, as a Greek to GreeksAs a Jew to Jews, as a Greek to Greeks– All things to all people so by all means I might All things to all people so by all means I might

save some. For the sake of the gospel…save some. For the sake of the gospel…

• ButBut– As an African to the Africans…as a Goth to As an African to the Africans…as a Goth to

Goths…as criminal to criminals…as a Goths…as criminal to criminals…as a prostitute to prostitutes?prostitute to prostitutes?

• Jesus like us in every way but without sinJesus like us in every way but without sin


Evangelism in the Early ChurchEvangelism in the Early Church• Roman Church Roman Church

– Jesus as OrpheusJesus as Orpheus– Villas become churchesVillas become churches

• Greek Church Greek Church – Paul uses poetry to ZeusPaul uses poetry to Zeus– Greek Philosophy ‘a schoolmaster for Christ’ Justin Greek Philosophy ‘a schoolmaster for Christ’ Justin

Martyr - Jesus as the LogosMartyr - Jesus as the Logos• Coptic Church Coptic Church

– the image of Isis becomes Marythe image of Isis becomes Mary

• Celtic and Saxon ChurchCeltic and Saxon Church – pagan sites as worship centres, pagan festivals pagan sites as worship centres, pagan festivals

become Christianbecome Christian– Celtic Church - Jesus the Druid (Columba)Celtic Church - Jesus the Druid (Columba)– Germanic Church - the HeliandGermanic Church - the Heliand


Evangelism in ChristendomEvangelism in Christendom• Christendom one faith one empireChristendom one faith one empire

– If all citizens must be Christian Evangelism ends If all citizens must be Christian Evangelism ends within empirewithin empire

– The problem of Christian lifestyle – St Augustine The problem of Christian lifestyle – St Augustine and Pelagiusand Pelagius

• Changing attitudes to other religionsChanging attitudes to other religions– The Synagogue in Callicium and Pagan apologetics The Synagogue in Callicium and Pagan apologetics

– St Ambrose – St Ambrose – The missions of Boniface and WillibrodThe missions of Boniface and Willibrod

• Mission beyond the empireMission beyond the empire– Saxon armies travel with monksSaxon armies travel with monks– Synod of Whitby - the date of Easter; monks hair Synod of Whitby - the date of Easter; monks hair – conquest of Scandinavia becomes model for conquest of Scandinavia becomes model for

mission by military conquestmission by military conquest


Evangelism in modernityEvangelism in modernity• The Reformation The Reformation

– A response to corruption in Christendom and to the A response to corruption in Christendom and to the RenaissanceRenaissance

– Initially not evangelistic except for the AnabaptistsInitially not evangelistic except for the Anabaptists

• Evangelism recovered in ChristendomEvangelism recovered in Christendom– Wesley inspired by Moravians and personal renewalWesley inspired by Moravians and personal renewal– Individuals called to belief in a Christian countryIndividuals called to belief in a Christian country– Aimed at intellectual conviction and crisis conversionAimed at intellectual conviction and crisis conversion

• Colonial expansion abroadColonial expansion abroad– Mission by military or economic conquestMission by military or economic conquest– Christianity tied to western cultureChristianity tied to western culture

• 20th Century – Cross Cultural approach recovered in 20th Century – Cross Cultural approach recovered in foreign missionforeign mission– Building on legacy of Jesuits and William CareyBuilding on legacy of Jesuits and William Carey– By end of century seen as normal in foreign missionBy end of century seen as normal in foreign mission


Incarnation and syncretismIncarnation and syncretism

• A history littered with mistakes?A history littered with mistakes?– Israel - The Pagan notion of God fighting for his favourites Israel - The Pagan notion of God fighting for his favourites – The Early Church - The Classical notion that we are spirits The Early Church - The Classical notion that we are spirits

encased in bodies that are evilencased in bodies that are evil– Christendom - The Roman marriage of religion and stateChristendom - The Roman marriage of religion and state– Protestantism - Modernist notion of faith as intellectual Protestantism - Modernist notion of faith as intellectual

assentassent

• Other significant examples?Other significant examples?

• The good news is that God works in spite of our The good news is that God works in spite of our errors!errors!


Incarnational missionIncarnational mission

To the spiritual seekers I became To the spiritual seekers I became like a spiritual seeker………..like a spiritual seeker………..

To the New Agers To the New Agers Like a New Like a New Ager……..Ager……..

To the Pagans To the Pagans like a like a Pagan…….Pagan…….

I have become all things to all people that by any means I may win some I have become all things to all people that by any means I may win some 1 Cor. 9:20-23 (adapted)1 Cor. 9:20-23 (adapted)

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Re-imagining mission for a spiritual age